Special Order dates on the box

[pasound]

Been spending some time reading here about build dates for 60 no dashes, having just bought a very nice one from a fine forum member for a good price. My reading tells me that the serial, ADK6xxx, should date it from early 1984, about the time S&W started shipping the 102302 version of the 60. The original box has a Special Order date code of 3354 - December 20, 1983, or December 20, 1993? The Special Order numbers are nearly as confusing as trying to find solid info in my copy of the SCSW 3rd edition...

[Dieseltech56]

A is in the early 80s.

[s&wchad]

Originally Posted by pasound

Been spending some time reading here about build dates for 60 no dashes, having just bought a very nice one from a fine forum member for a good price. My reading tells me that the serial, ADK6xxx, should date it from early 1984, about the time S&W started shipping the 102302 version of the 60. The original box has a Special Order date code of 3354 - December 20, 1983, or December 20, 1993? The Special Order numbers are nearly as confusing as trying to find solid info in my copy of the SCSW 3rd edition...

1983. Product code 102302 may have been offered from 1984 to 1995, but the Model 60 (no dash) was replaced by the 60-3 in 1988. That’s when they changed the yoke retention system and switched from a fitted front sideplate screw to the spring loaded plunger type.

[pasound]

Then the box was prepared in late December 1983, and the 60 shipped when the new model was "released" in early 1984, it seems. Makes it as old or older than the one I had 30 years ago and wished I still had, until now

[s&wchad]

Originally Posted by pasound

Then the box was prepared in late December 1983, and the 60 shipped when the new model was "released" in early 1984, it seems. Makes it as old or older than the one I had 30 years ago and wished I still had, until now

Not necessarily. That product code was used from ‘84-‘95, but the 2” round butt Model 60 (no dash) was introduced in 1965 and was produced until 1988. Product codes were’t used until S&W switched from hand written end labels to the computer printed labels. The engineering change level remained the same when they eliminated diamond grips, when they changed the trigger/hammer from stainless to case color hardened and then to flash chromed and when they eliminated the barrel pin.

Without specific detail, there’s no way of determining the age of your old Model 60.

[pasound]

Without me sending a request letter for the history, I won't know for sure, but I did look through the 3rd edition SCSW, then started reading posts - looked across over a hundred, concentrating on the three letter serials. The book and the search narrowed it down to those dates, and the interpretation of when the box was made. Got to wait until next payday to pay the $75 for the search letter, but for now, the resources here are good, and I think I found the date range. If not, quite willing to say I was wrong in guesstimating.

[bigggbbruce]

Originally Posted by pasound

The original box has a Special Order date code of 3354 - December 20, 1983,

Originally Posted by s&wchad

Without specific detail, there’s no way of determining the age of your old Model 60.

Isn't that specific...?

[pasound]

For anyone's info, it's a straight up model 60 - says so in the yoke, no dash, and weighs what the factory papers says it should - nearly 30 ounces. It's all steel, and not earlier than the 102302 versions (says so on the box), all numbers match, and the researched dates (from this forum) center the dates on a range. It's nearly unused, so It's been a safe queen most of it's life. I'm just curious, wondering if I found a clone to my first 60.