Box label question for the pro’s

The Mighty S&W · Feb 22, 2023

I have become the proud new owner of a like new in box model 66-3 2.5 inch Combat Magnum, and although I have a lot of information about the gun, there is one looming question I have and it relates to the info found on the box label. I figure this one is a question best suited for the collective wealth of knowledge here, as I like to think of myself as being fairly informed about these things yet this particular detail escapes me.

Specifically, the box label has an area which is titled “Spec Ord”, and I am aware that generally this is where a Julian date code can be located to determine the date the label was printed, giving an approximate date of manufacture. No problem there, I’ve got that one figured out. My issue is that to the right of that number, is another code (this one is 4263), and it is my understanding that this code is used to identify a particular distributor for whom the gun was ordered.

In my attempts to research this myself, I have found that 4263 appears to be a fairly common code to find on these labels, and I am curious if any of the experts here might know which distributor that particular code is associated with through Smith & Wesson. Not that it matters much, but I am just a nerd when it comes to these types of details, and am hopeful that somebody here knows the answer.

Anybody know what distributor Smith & Wesson identifies on their labels by the code “4263”?

Jeep 1 · Feb 22, 2023

I’ll beat everybody else to it “pictures” we need pictures

Tom

The Mighty S&W · Feb 22, 2023

Jeep 1 said:
I’ll beat everybody else to it “pictures” we need pictures
Tom

Okay, okay… I’ll share. Still need to know which distributor Smith & Wesson identifies as “4263”.

Club Gun Fan · Feb 22, 2023

How about the label your questioning?

The Mighty S&W · Feb 22, 2023

Club Gun Fan said:
How about the label your questioning?

I’d share the label in question, but I am a bit paranoid sharing my firearm serial numbers with the world. As I said, the date code beneath the portion that says “Spec Ord” is something that I’m already aware of, and have managed to decipher. Immediately to the right of that code, and beneath the area where the feature abbreviations are listed, there is a second code.

Researching this has revealed it to be a number that Smith & Wesson assigns to large distributors when a batch of firearms are made specifically to fill an order with that distributor. I’ve observed the particular code on this one (4263) to seem fairly common based on photos I’ve found online. I just am wondering if anyone knows which specific distributor the code 4263 is associated with.

I can’t imagine anyone who knows is going to need an image to know what I’m talking about as it is pretty cut and dried. I just question whether anyone outside of Smith & Wesson would possess this knowledge. I doubt customer service would share this info even if they have it available.

The Mighty S&W · Feb 23, 2023

Still looking for info.

jcelect · Feb 23, 2023

added information

The Mighty S&W said:
I can’t imagine anyone who knows is going to need an image to know what I’m talking about as it is pretty cut and dried.

Your statement above is only true for you as you have the label in front of you! Not so much for us!

Here are three pics of labels.
Do I own these guns or have I stolen the pics from someone on the internet? One of the three has the number you speak of, and I also would like to know the answer to your question! You will notice that one label is printed in a different format and this one is the label with your number.
jcelect!

The Mighty S&W · Feb 23, 2023

jcelect said:
Your statement above is only true for you as you have the label in front of you! Not so much for us!

Here are three pics of labels.
Do I own these guns or have I stolen the pics from someone on the internet? One of the three has the number you speak of, and I also would like to know the answer to your question! You will notice that one label is printed in a different format and this one is the label with your number.
jcelect!

The top label in your image reflects the same format as the one I have for my gun, including the same number to the right of the date code. So far, that seems to be the most common number to appear in that location on the boxes that I’ve seen. With that said, assuming that what my research has indicated about it being a code used by Smith & Wesson to identify a particular distributor who ordered a run of handguns, I can only assume that 4263 must be the code for a very large distributor (or, at least one that was a very large distributor at the time when these guns were made).

My new purchase was made in 1993 according to the date code. Anybody know who the biggest distributors would have been back then? I figure this is likely relevant since the date code on the top image you shared would translate to June 22nd, 1994.

jcelect · Feb 23, 2023

4263???????????????????

Or maybe, 4263 is the code used for guns produced for stock? Not all guns were made for a specific distributor. My pic# 2 show your number in the upper left-hand corner of the label. However, pic#3 shows a different number in the upper left-hand corner and info indicating the gun was made for a specific distributor!
jcelect

Alk8944 · Feb 24, 2023

I don't see anyone else has answered this question, so here it is! The "Spec Ord number is a Julian Date and has nothing to do with designating a "Special Order" or distributor.The first digit is the last number of the year the gun was manufactured. 4 can mean 1984, 1994, 2004, etc. The last three digits are the number of the day of the year that the gun was packed, which is close to the date it was "put-up" in S&W parlance. The put-up date is the assembly date. January 1 is 001, through December 31 which is 365. The only time this changes is in a leap year when February 29 sets all dates following back by one day. It is really a very simple system. If you want to know more then Google Julian Calendar and read about it.

The 4263 you cited last would be the 263rd day of a year ending in 2, 1982, 1992, 2002, etc. This would be August 20th in any year that is not a leap tear.

mrchick · Feb 24, 2023

Alk8944 said:
I don't see anyone else has answered this question, so here it is! The "Spec Ord number is a Julian Date and has nothing to do with designating a "Special Order" or distributor.The first digit is the last number of the year the gun was manufactured. 4 can mean 1984, 1994, 2004, etc. The last three digits are the number of the day of the year that the gun was packed, which is close to the date it was "put-up" in S&W parlance. The put-up date is the assembly date. January 1 is 001, through December 31 which is 365. The only time this changes is in a leap year when February 29 sets all dates following back by one day. It is really a very simple system. If you want to know more then Google Julian Calendar and read about it.

The 4263 you cited last would be the 263rd day of a year ending in 2, 1982, 1992, 2002, etc. This would be August 20th in any year that is not a leap tear.

He is asking about the four digit code to the right of the Julian date. See above example.

The Mighty S&W · Feb 24, 2023

mrchick said:
He is asking about the four digit code to the right of the Julian date. See above example.

Correct. I am aware of the date code, and have that part figured out. The code 4263 appears just to the right of the date code, and all of the research I’ve done online has indicated that this is a code that Smith & Wesson applies to the label of guns that were ordered as part of a run for specific distributors. For example, if Davidson’s ordered a special run of say… 500 model 686 revolvers, but wanted them to come with a different set of grips than the standard model, or a non-standard barrel length, or whatever, then Smith & Wesson would use a code on the label to identify those particular guns as having been a part of the run of 500 produced for Davidson’s.

It is my understanding that each of the big distributors would be known by a different code, and from what I have seen, the most common of these codes appearing in boxes is 4263. This leads me to believe that 4263 is the code for what must have been the biggest distributor of Smith & Wesson handguns back around the time that these were made, or at least the distributor which requested the most special runs of handguns from Smith & Wesson back then.

This is the only data on the box label that has eluded me for an answer, and it appears to be one that has also eluded the collector community as a whole. I think it would be interesting to find a solid answer to this one.

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