Date of manuf. Model 64-6

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JayFramer

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Hello everyone! I got my Model 64-6 from J&G today, and it is nice and locks up strong. I would love to know the date of manufacture/ship date of my new gun, but after looking around I have no idea how to do this! If someone would be so kind as so tell me the date of my gun, that would be tremendously appreciated! Here are some pics:

It is a Model 64-6, serial number is CDK4561. This same number is located on bottom of grip frame.

DSCN0550.jpg


Next is a 3-digit number located on the crane- I believe it is 788 but it is a bit hard to tell:

DSCN0552.jpg


That's it for the numbers, but this is a DAO only gun and has a bobbed hammer. It also does not seem to have a single-action sear as it won't cock back single action. I am wondering if this particular hammer is a S&W factory job, and if not, who did it?

DSCN0549.jpg


Also, I believe these J&G guns are police or security guard trade in guns. Is there any way to tell what departments or security company used this particular gun? I see no other obvious number or writing on the gun other. Also, there appears to be some worn red paint on the fixed front sight. Was this factory, or did the previous user do this?

Thanks so much for your help guys, this is my first K-frame and after an intensive cleaning job I plan to shoot the heck out of this gun and possibly use it for home defense or when traveling. I also hope to get a detailed range report up as soon as I can!

Thanks again! :D
 
Last edited:
JayFramer said:
Model 64-6, serial number is CDK4561
Click to expand...
May - June 1999.

I believe the hammer is factory. Looks exactly like the one on my -6. This was done to prevent the LEO from cocking the weapon, then going around with his finger on a "hair trigger."

The red paint on the front sight is aftermarket, and a common user mod. Smith should of made these with a red insert, or a pinned front blade.
 
Kernel Crittenden said:
May - June 1999.

I believe the hammer is factory. Looks exactly like the one on my -6. This was done to prevent the LEO from cocking the weapon, then going around with his finger on a "hair trigger."

The red paint on the front sight is aftermarket, and a common user mod. Smith should of made these with a red insert, or a pinned front blade.
Click to expand...

THANKS! That seems a tad late to me to be a "police trade in" type gun. I wonder who used these that late in the 20th century? Also, does anyone know what the "788" means on the crane? :confused:
 
JayFramer said:
what the "788" means on the crane?
Click to expand...
That's called an "assembly number". It was used to keep matched and fitted parts together during manufacturing. Take the grips off and you'll see all kinds of numbers, letters, and symbols - "fitter's marks". They each represent something to the various QA inspectors and production line workers who put your M64 together. For the most part, their purpose was in the moment and they are given little attention by collectors.

Regarding who was, or is, still using revolvers. I think, based a lot on what I read here, they are still being used by some private security firms, armored car companies, business like that. Individuals working at these types of companies probably don't receive as much training as most sworn police officers, hence the DAO triggers. They're safer and easier learn and use.

Another user of these last few LEO revolvers was prison systems in a number of States. For what ever reason they also clung to their revolvers longer than just about any other agency. But now, even they have near universally converted to semiautos. They're cleaning out their armories and there are just a ton of inexpensive M64's on the market, just in the last few months.
 
I work for the PA DOC and we use 4" 65's loaded with .38 +P.

The guns at my job date from the early 90's, there's only about 20 of them and they get rotated for annual quals....they've seen a lot of rounds and some of them are going out of time. 48 rounds a year for qual X's about 200 CO's adds up over the years when 20 some odd guns get used. I suspect when they wear out the DOC won't get them tuned up, they'll just go to Glocks.

New 64-8's are too expensive, no one is gonna pay even $500 wholesale for 64-8's when Glock gives guns away to LE and Corrections agencies.

The reason they keep the 65's is cost, why buy new guns when the old ones still work. They'll probably still squeeze another decade out of these or the state will just dig up some less used revolvers from somewhere else, maybe State Police surplus Ruger Sixes.

It's funny the state will pay $70,000 for surgery to save a child molester but they won't drop a few thousand to buy some new guns.
 
Last edited:
stantheman86 said:
It's funny the state will pay $70,000 for surgery to save a child molester but they won't drop a few thousand to buy some new guns.
Click to expand...

Boy, that really says it all, doesn't it!? Surprised, shouldn't be so terribly expensive to have 20 guns re-timed and serviced, I would think. My gunsmith here in the valley services Metro PD's 870 Remingtons when necessary.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103
 
The state is cheap on things that actually matter. If they spent as much on staff as inmates things would be great lol

If they were smart they would just send them back to S&W 5 at a time to get tightened up, Smith would probably do it cheap or even free.

At my prison alone the state spends $80,000 a month on medication for inmates, that alone would buy new weapons for the entire state prison system.

Yet somehow the DOC makes a profit, I don't get it.
 
stantheman86 said:
The state is cheap on things that actually matter. If they spent as much on staff as inmates things would be great lol

If they were smart they would just send them back to S&W 5 at a time to get tightened up, Smith would probably do it cheap or even free.

At my prison alone the state spends $80,000 a month on medication for inmates, that alone would buy new weapons for the entire state prison system.

Yet somehow the DOC makes a profit, I don't get it.
Click to expand...

Well said again. The department SAYS it makes a profit... I like your suggestion about sending them back for work 5 at a time. Not unknown for S&W to grant a courtesy to a LE agency.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103
 
So my gun is probably a Brinks armored car trade in?

That's pretty cool!
 
Your gun was most definitely one of the large batch of Brinks trade ins that have hit the market.

I want one myself , I collect trade in revolvers and it would go well with my Ohio DOC 64-8. If I can scrape up the cash and these are still out there after the holidays I think I'll get one.

The 4046's are neat, they have the Brinks shield laser engraved on them, most of the revolvers don't though.

Brinks also bought a lot of over run NY-1 64-5's.
 
stantheman86 said:
Your gun was most definitely one of the large batch of Brinks trade ins that have hit the market.

I want one myself , I collect trade in revolvers and it would go well with my Ohio DOC 64-8. If I can scrape up the cash and these are still out there after the holidays I think I'll get one.

The 4046's are neat, they have the Brinks shield laser engraved on them, most of the revolvers don't though.

Brinks also bought a lot of over run NY-1 64-5's.
Click to expand...

Thanks! VERY COOL! Next time I see one of those Brinks armored cars roll by, I'll think "hey I have a Brinks trade in revolver!" pretty cool IMHO. The gun I got was in near perfect shape, and just slightly cosmetically challenged.

Will post picks later!
 
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