I don't know if this has been posted here yet but I thought it might help answer a few questions.

Manufacture Year by Serial Number
"K" Frame Revolvers - 1899 to 1983:
(Years/Serial Number Range)
Pre-War Years:
1899-1902...........1-20,975
1902-1903...........20,976-33,803
1903-1905...........33,804-62,449
1905-1906...........62,450-73,250
1906-1908...........73,251-120,000
1908-1909...........120,001-146,899
1909-1915...........146,900-241,703
1915-1942...........241,704-1,000,000
War Years:
1942-1944...........V1-V769,000
Post-War Years:
1944-1945...........S769,001-S811,119
1945-1948...........S811,120-S990,184
- C Series:
C1 - C233,999………….....1948 – 52
C236,004 – C261,483…….1953
C277,555 - C402,923….…1954 – 56
C402,924 – C405,018…….1957
C405,019 – C429,740…....1958 – 59
C429,741 – C474,148…….1960
C474,149 – C622,699…….1961 – 62
C622,700 – C810,532…….1963 – 65
C810,533 – C999,999….....1966 – 67
- D Series:
D1 – D90,000…………….....1968
D90,001 – D330,000……..1969 -70
D330,001 – D420,000………1971 – Early 72
D420,001 – D510,000………Late 1972 – Early 73
D510,001 – D659,901………Late 1973 – Early 1974
D659.902 – D75000………..Late 1974 – Early 1975
D750,001 – D870,000………Late 1975 – Early 1976
D870,001 – D999,999………Late 1976 – Early 1977
2D00001 - 2D80,000……….1977
2D80,001 – 2D99,999………1978
4D00001 – 6D10,000……….1979
6D10,0001 – 7D10,000……1980
7D10,001 – 9D44,500…..1981
9D44,501 – 17D8,900………1982
17D8,901 – 21D0883……….1983
- K Series:
K101 – K614……………......1946
K615 – K18,731…………....1947
K18,732 – K73,121……..…1948
K73,122 – K84,149……..…1949
K84,150 – K104,047…...1950
K104,048 – K136,690...1951
K136,691 – K175,637...1952
K175,638 – K210,095...1953
K210,096 – K231,255...1954
K231,256 – K266,154...1955
K266,155 – K288,988...1956
K288,989 – K317,822...1957
K317,823 – K350,547...1958
K350,548 – K386,804...1959
K386,805 – K429,894...1960
K429,895 – K468,098...1961
K468,099 – K515,478...1962
K515,479 – K553,999....1963
K555,000 – K605.877....1964
K605,878 – K658.986....1965
K658,987 – K715,996....1966
K715,997 – K779.162....1967
K779,163 – K848,781....1968
K848,782 – K946,391....1969
K946,382 – K999,999....1970
1K1 – 1K39,500.........1970
2K1 – 2K22.037.........1970
1K39,501 – 1K999,999...1971
2K22,038 – 2K55,996....1971
3K1 – 3K73,962.........1971
2K55,997 – 2K99,999....1972
3K31,280 – 5K6,616.....1972
4K1 – 4K1,627..........1972
4K1,628 – 4K54,104.....1973
5K6,617 – 5K73,962.....1973
4K54,105 – 4K99,999....1974
5K73,963 – 6K58,917....1974
7K1 – 7K26,043.........1974
7K26,044 – 7K70,577....1975
6K98,918 – 8K20,763....1975
8K20,764 – 9K1.........1975
8K20,000 – 9K100,000...1975
9K1,001 – 9K99,999.....1976
10K001 – 24K9,999......1977
25K001 – 56K9,999......1978 – 79
57K001 – 91K6,800......1980
91K6,801 – 124K000.....1981
125K000 – 269K9,999....1982
270K000 – 311K273......1983
In 1980's the Three-Letter Prefix Series Began with AAA0

Think S&W serial number system done to keep oldies as me scratching their head & exercising brain.

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__________________
And so it goes...

I just turned 62 but I love me some S&W revolvers. I like to know how old they are,too.
Now if I can just find the "can I shoot +P ammo in my ____" chart I'd be in like Flynn...lol

Here's some more information I found online:
1980 AAA 000-2100 1981 AAD 2120 Oct 1982 AAF9000 Dec. 1982 ABL3 3999 Jan. 1983 ABL 40000 Oct. 1983 ADE 6700 Dec. 1983 ADT 2999 Jan 1984 ADT 3000 AET prefix 66-2 Grips dated 5/13/83 HG7568 from 2012 Nov. 1984 AEV-ARJ Jan. 1985 AHA 0667 Jul. 1985 AHS-AHT Nov. 1985 ALA-ALC Jan. 1986 AHC1687 Apr. 2004 ASR Model 327 Jul. 1987 AVB 8654 Jul. 1987 AWW 7874 Dec. 1986 AYW 9023 Jan. 1987 AYC5788 – Grips dated 1/28/87 Jan. 1988 AYY 1139 Jan. 1988 AYE-AYM Jul. 1988 BBF Oct. 1988 BBT 2293 Feb. 1989 BDC Apr. 1989 BDS Apr. 1989 BCY May 1989 BDY – BDZ Aug. 1989 BEA – BED Sept 1989 BFE Oct. 1989 BEK Nov. 1989 BEN Dec. 1989 BEP Mar. 1990 BFN Jul. 1990 BFL 1101 – BFL 1535 Aug. 1990 BFN 4343 – BFN 4668 Aug. 1990 BFF 629 BFY (2) 2/91 Ashland 642 BFY (2) 2/91 Ashland BFV 3/91 Roper Jan. 1991 BFW 3337 – BFY 8122 Feb. 1991 BFW Mar. 1991 BHE Jul. 1991 BHJ 8613 – BHJ 9628 Aug. 1991 BKN 533 =- BKN 6905 Jan. 1992 BHT 6706 – BHT 7337 Feb. 1992 BKZ 1014 – BKZ 2310 Mar. 1992 BHP Sep. 1992 BFV Feb. 1993 BMB Mar. 1993 BNW Oct. 1993 BPD Nov. 1993 BPE Dec. 1993 BPK Jan. 1994 BDY May. 1994 BDY Aug. 1994 BRF Oct. 2003 BVA (329-1); CAF Jan. 1996 CAM Jan. 1996 CAN Sept 1996 CBA; CBB; CBD Feb. 1995 CLS Aug. 1996 CBC Aug. 1997 CBN Oct. 1997 CCD Nov. 1997 CCE Jan. 1998 CCK; CCM; CCN; CCR; CCW Jan. 1999 CDB; CDD Mar. 1999 CDE; CDF; CDH; CDJ CDM, CDN 08/99 RSR CDP, CDR 10/99 RSR CDT 12/99 RSR Nov. 1999 CDR CBW 642LS from RSR 12/99 Jan. 2000 CDW CDW 03/00 RSR 686 (CDS) 12/99 RSR Feb. 2000 CDY 637 CDZ 03/00 RSR Mar. 2000 CEA Apr. 2000 CEB Oct. 2000 CEF CER 02/01 RSR Jul. 2001 CEV 7-6-01 317 Feb. 2002 CFB 2-6-02 CFB 04/00 Dx Sh Feb. 2002 CFC 2-18-02 May 2002 CFE 5-10-02 Jan 2003 CFF 1-15-03 Jan. 15 2003 CFF8265, 2 lines 37-2 Jun. 2002 CFH 6-17-02 Aug. 2002 CFJ 8-2-02 Aug. 2002 CFD 8-21-02 Dec. 2002 CFS 12-16-02 Apr. 2003 CFT; CFW 2 lines 37-2 May 2003 CFY 5-15-03, 5-9-03 Nov. 2003 CHB 11-907-03 332-1 Jan. 2004 CHD 1-29-04 Feb. 2004 CHE 2-9-04 2 lines Apr. 2004 CHJ 4-8-04 May 2004 CHK 431 342PD 2 lines Jun. 2004 CHL 6-23-04 Jul. 2004 CHM 432 7-9-04 642 6-23-04 Jul. 2004 CSR (327) 7-22-04 Oct 2004 CTA 342 CTA6329 Sep 2003 DEW (329-1) Oct. 2003 JNM 500 PC Oct. 2001 LRM (17-8) Jun. 2000 RDA (646) Oct. 2003 RGN0001 Jul. 2001 SCA0523 Scand. 340, 360, 386 Feb 2002 SCA9923 1994 SDE (460) Sep 2003 SCC (625-10_ Sep 1996 SWC (29-4) 1986 TWT 544 Oct. 2003 VAR (647-1) Mar. 1997 ULT/LGT Airlite 317. Exceptions: on 5/8/10, had a 57-1 SN Prefix AUL, grips dated Jan 1984.

Looked for +P chart. All could find says not steady diet...and at your own risk?

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And so it goes...

Hey, I actually keep a few boxes of O.G. LEO 158 grain round nose lead around. An oldie but goodie. Stopped a lot of bad guys back in the day.
When I was on the job we were issued S&W model 65's with 158 grain jacketed soft point .357 magnums. But we qualified with .38 specials. Still had to put 12 .357's on the target before we finished to qualify.

Shot LEO qual. course few years ago 'just cause i could' with mod 19 2.5 inch. Only one with revolver. Humbling

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__________________
And so it goes...

This is odd to say the least.
First, the war ended in 1945, not 1944.

Second, V prefix M&Ps in the Victory series were succeeded by the SV prefix units, starting at approximately SV732000 (not SV769000 as is usually stated), and not by the S prefix. There is overlap between the SV and S prefixes, going all the way up to the SV (S) 812000 range. From the S813000 range to S999999, they have the S prefix with no V.

Third, wartime guns were shipped to the Navy up to mid-August, 1945. The highest number was SV802722, and that one shipped to Norfolk on August 13, 1945. Some SV guns with lower numbers didn't actually ship until March, 1946, and then to civilian locations.

Finally, the S prefix lasted all the way to S999999, it didn't stop at S990184. What happened at S990184, was the change to the High Speed hammer. But from there to S999999, the S prefix was still in use, replaced in production with the C prefix in March, 1948.

This can be broken down farther as follows. (Note: numbers are approximate and there is a lot of overlap in ship dates.)
1948 - C1 to C40000
1949 - C41000 to C90000
1950 - C91000 to C138000
1951 - C139000 to C202000
1952 - C202000 to C235000

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Thank you for your post. The more information posted the more folks can learn about their revolvers. I do believe the "S" on a Victory Model indicates the installation of the improved hammer block. Not a "high speed hammer"

Thank you for sharing.

That is true and nothing I wrote says otherwise.

What I wrote was that "at S990184, was the change to the High Speed hammer." That number was not the end of the S prefix revolvers, as the table you posted stated. Instead, it was the point at which the HS hammer was introduced in production.

You are welcome. And I agree. That's part of what this Forum is about.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

The 32-20 caliber revolvers were in a separate range from those in 38 special.

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Jim Sebring

This is undoubtedly scavenged from the Standard Catalog of S&W, which has in the serial number appendix a list of reported triple-alpha serial numbers and the manufacture or shipping dates associated with them. What isn't reprinted is the comment that it is notoriously difficult to tell the manufacture date from one of these SN's because not all of the 3-letter combinations are used and many are used out of chronological sequence. If the searcher has the original box for their handgun, the manufacture date is on the label. The previous list of K frame SN's posted also comes from the SCSW, and there is a list for N frames as well.

Hair Trigger: Maybe you can start a new thread with the N frame numbers?

Now that I'm going blind from trying to read through all these #'s, I'm not finding anything like my K frame #...47K79xx...Has anyone got any idea what year I've got? Thanks, Dave

1978-79 according to the above chart.

I guess I need to remember that 1 comes after 2 and so on...Thanks,Dave

Nada problem! I posted this to help. Some days I can't remember what day it is until I look at my watch. lol

Sir, I don't mean to be sarcastic, but there are already a ton of posts on the serial number methods used by the company for the last century-plus. A simple search -here- using the Forum search function instead of the internet would be much more fruitful and much less frustrating. Thank you, though, for your good intentions.

No sarcasm felt. I stand corrected. I should have realized that there is a wealth of information already available on this forum.

I see from the list that my .22 S&W revolver is manufactured in 1958 but what is the name of the type? K22? Serial number is K346905.

Welcome aboard!
Your gun is right around the time S&W assigned and stamped model numbers on the gun. Swing the cylinder open and look in the frame cut. You may see "MOD 17", "MOD 18" or it may not be model marked. Both are K frame .22's with adjustable rear sights, but they had different barrel lengths, ribs and front sights.

The model 17 had a 6" barrel and was named the "K-22 Masterpiece".
The model 18 had a 4" barrel and was named the ".22 Combat Masterpiece".

__________________
"I also cook."

K346905 is almost certainly model marked. As Chad stated, it will either be a Model 17 or Model 18, and the names he gave are correct.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Thank you! Last August, I obtained a very nice former-LE 3K21xxx Model 15-3. The list confirms the 1971 year that I was told.

Thanks for the post. It's a good source to print and keep for yourself.

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Why duck?? It's a 9mm!

That list has a lot of numbers. Was that made from memory?
Thanks for all that info.

It has been stated that "S&W did not ship guns in serial number order!" This statement is glaring when seen in a database with serial numbers in numerical order. An example from one of my databases.
N509483 28-2 Mar-78

N542311 28-2 Jul-79
N543657 28 Jul-79
N544290 28-2 6"

N557300 28-2 4" Apr-80

N560228 520 Jun-80
N560253 520 Jun-80
N560528 520 Jul-80
N566696 28-2 Jul-80
N568549 28-2 Sep-80
N568907 28-2 4" Sep-80

N575787 28-2 Sep-80
N576785 28-2 4"

N580098 28-2 Feb-81
N581108 28-2 6" Dec-80
N586571 28-2 Dec-81
N587803 28-2 Feb-81

N598826 28-2 Dec-81

N601360 29-2 4" Dec-78
N602753 29-2 8 3/8" Nov-78
N601741 29-2 4" Dec-78
N608994 27-2 Nov-78
N611519 27-2 Jan-79

N613823 25-2 May-79
N615224 25-2 Mar-79
N615635 57 May-79
N616533 57 Mar-79
N616801 57 Apr-79
N618244 57 Jun-79

N622540 29-2 Feb-79
N628390 27-2 Feb-79

N629100 629 6" prototype Nov-78
N629193 629 6"
N629572 29-2 6" Apr-72

jcelect

It would be great if post #2 could be made a sticky.

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Why duck?? It's a 9mm!

First post on this forum, just joined after buying 3 K frame S&W's yesterday at a local estate auction near Roanoke Virginia. This is definitely a K22 Masterpiece, no model number. Serial # is K3233XX. That places it early 1958 according to my research here on this forum. I had to tell the lady who did my paperwork that the K was part of the serial number and must be included in the purchase receipt to avoid confusion with a pre war K frame pistol.
The auction was only one picture per gun, almost non existent description so I drove 222 miles from Yorktown Va to the auction and back in one long day.

This Masterpiece is truly described perfectly. I had nine guns marked for bidding and bought 3. All were K frame Smiths with the other 2 being 38 specials 454k serial range and 90K serial range.

The one specific to this post is virtually flawless with one scratch on the bottom of the trigger guard. I have not even removed the grips but this gun only leaves my cold dead hands. I'm 74 and Pop lived to 103 so that may be a while. My bid was $500 or $525. I could only take one of the 3 home since my 30 year concealed carry permit had expired a year ago. Probably get the other two shipped to my FFL within a month. I'll write an introduction post with a photo soon.

Welcome to the S&W Forum!

Sounds like you had fun at the auction and came home with a gem.

I'm not surprised that your K-22 is not marked as a Model 17. The lowest K prefix numbered gun found so far with a model mark is a Model 17, serialized at K326533. It shipped from Springfield in November 1958.

Show us pictures when you can. Do it by starting a new thread, so it doesn't get lost in the shuffle.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

I have a question and I'll risk it getting buried in this big thread:
So if a year shows a range of serial numbers, do they all get used that year?
Will they start the next block of numbers with the new year?

Yes. Here is an example:

S207,000 – S219,999……Late 1960 – Early 1961
S220,000 – S227,999……Late 1961 – Early 1962
S228,000 – S231,999……Late 1962 – Early 1963

S&W did Fiscal Year; so late 1960 is after July 1, 1960 to early 1961 means June 30, 1961.

Is there more detail on the K frame range from 1915 to 1941?

Thank you for that, I suppose I had two questions there.
So in another way, using your first example, in a 12 month period did they produce 7000 revolvers in that series regardless of sales? My big question is are/were there unused serial numbers?