I was just comparing my cousin's 686 4" no dash to one of mine.

His gun has the S&W emblem on the right side.

Mine has it on the left.

The serial number on his is AAC74XX, which puts it around the end of 1980 or the beginning of 1981.

Here is my question. Does anybody know when they moved the S&W emblem from the right side to the left side?

I checked the SCSW, but I can't find it referenced there.

Thanks,

Stu

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NRA Benefactor/Cert Instructor

I have the trademark on left, right, and even one with NO trademark. Don't mean a thing, it's S&W. Logic doesn't apply.

It seems that in the middle of 1981 they moved the trademark from the right and started using the little 'J-frame trademark' on the left.
Then, about mid-1982 they started to use the larger trademark on the left side of K-frames.

I haven't seen too many 686's with the trademark on the side plate.

I realize this post is several months old but as stated there was a change early on but the very early L frames do have large R side TM's like the nickel 586 below.

The pic below isnt very good but if you look closely at these 2 586 no dashs the nickel is an earlier AAE prefix and has no L side TM where the blue 586 is an AJJ prefix and has the new L side TM.

My AFV serial on my 586 has the logo on the left side.

The trademark was moved to the left side so any engraving for special issue or commemorative issues could be placed on the right side. Not unusual to see trademarks on the right side. Just shows it is an older gun.

Never knew that was the reason why. I assumed Smith did it to even out the wording on the frame so that the "Made in" and the insignia would not only be on one side. But what you said makes perfect sense.

James

AN interesting side note is that the TM migrated from a small L side one (top) to the large R side version (lower) around 1938 -1939 as exhibited on these two pre war K22 OD's .