3rd Gen PC Provenance Question

[Gunhohulk]

I have a 3566 Limited 5" from the PC that has an interesting serial number(TSW0666) that I suspect may have been special ordered. Would a factory letter have info on who ordered this? Or does Lew Horton have that information? If anyone has an idea please let me know.

 

[colt_saa]

What is it that makes you believe that that could be a special order serial number?

The 3566 limited was a Lew Horton distributor exclusive. Smith and Wesson records would have has zero entries as to who any of the end purchasers were, with the possible exceptions of a few that went to factory employees and perhaps folks that filled out warranty cards or had repairs

Lew Horton has been out of business for many years, the person who has possession of company records would be able to tell you how many came into Lew Horton and what FFL they shipped to. LH would not be able to tell you who they were ultimately sold to.

Additionally if they did have the information to whom they were eventually sold to, they would be hesitant to give it out to you.

There are privacy issues at stake here.

I know that if I purchased a firearm and I got a phone call from someone who bought it used down the road wanting to know if I bought the serial number next to it or anything else to go with it or if I could find the box or grips, I would be very upset at whomever disclose that information

 

[robertrwalsh]

Pretty gun.

 

[Gunhohulk]

I can't find it now but I recently remember seeing a copy of the original ad literature that Lew Horton put out indicating special serial numbers were available on request.

I see your point about the privacy issues and would feel the same way to be honest. But what's the time frame that it does become acceptable to share? Everyone would love to have a gun come back lettered to J. Edgar Hoover or some other famous person. Obviously anything like that is a long shot but the "666" serial number is intriguing and it would be interesting to see if it was ordered by a person with an interesting story.

What is it that makes you believe that that could be a special order serial number?

The 3566 limited was a Lew Horton distributor exclusive. Smith and Wesson records would have has zero entries as to who any of the end purchasers were, with the possible exceptions of a few that went to factory employees and perhaps folks that filled out warranty cards or had repairs

Lew Horton has been out of business for many years, the person who has possession of company records would be able to tell you how many came into Lew Horton and what FFL they shipped to. LH would not be able to tell you who they were ultimately sold to.

Additionally if they did have the information to whom they were eventually sold to, they would be hesitant to give it out to you.

There are privacy issues at stake here.

I know that if I purchased a firearm and I got a phone call from someone who bought it used down the road wanting to know if I bought the serial number next to it or anything else to go with it or if I could find the box or grips, I would be very upset at whomever disclose that information

 

[colt_saa]

I can't find it now but I recently remember seeing a copy of the original ad literature that Lew Horton put out indicating special serial numbers were available on request.

Every distributor that has an exclusive offering from Smith and Wesson is willing to provide you with serial numbers upon request, that is not what I was referring to in my question "What is it that makes you believe that that could be a special order serial number?"

My question was meant to ask, Why do you believe specifically that serial number 666 was a special request?

 

[colt_saa]

I see your point about the privacy issues and would feel the same way to be honest. But what's the time frame that it does become acceptable to share? Everyone would love to have a gun come back lettered to J. Edgar Hoover or some other famous person. Obviously anything like that is a long shot but the "666" serial number is intriguing and it would be interesting to see if it was ordered by a person with an interesting story.

After I pass I would not have much objection to my ownership status of a firearm being released. Prior to that I want to kept private

I always look for serial numbers. Very often I request a special serial number and I will give you a few examples

This Smith and Wesson Model 625 is chambered for 45 Long Colt and serial numbered CLT0045

The Factory only produced 6 different variations of the 8 shot, carbon steel, 357 Magnum Model 27. These were six different exclusive offerings that were produced at the request of two different distributors. These six revolvers are all unfired since leaving the factory. All have the same serial number with a different prefix.

My collection includes quite a few more examples of this.

Outside of the members of the Smith and Wesson Collectors Association I would not want a random future buyer of one of my firearms to generally know who I was and to be able to contact me

 

[Gunhohulk]

It's more of a curiosity than a belief that it was a special order serial number. I don't remember the exact numbers but I've heard that there were somewhere between 4-500 of these made. Between that and the religious/cultural connotation with the 666 number I am speculating that someone asked for that specifically. If the compact versions were in the same serial block it is possible that it just happens to be a coincidence. But it would be cool if someone like Alice Cooper owned it once!

Every distributor that has an exclusive offering from Smith and Wesson is willing to provide you with serial numbers upon request, that is not what I was referring to in my question "What is it that makes you believe that that could be a special order serial number?"

My question was meant to ask, Why do you believe specifically that serial number 666 was a special request?

 

[colt_saa]

It's more of a curiosity than a belief that it was a special order serial number. I don't remember the exact numbers but I've heard that there were somewhere between 4-500 of these made. Between that and the religious/cultural connotation with the 666 number I am speculating that someone asked for that specifically. If the compact versions were in the same serial block it is possible that it just happens to be a coincidence. But it would be cool if someone like Alice Cooper owned it once!

Number 666 falls halfway between the serial numbers of my 2 Model 3566 Limiteds

 

[Gunhohulk]

Sounds like my theory might not hold water.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

I don't remember the exact numbers but I've heard that there were somewhere between 4-500 of these made.
If the compact versions were in the same serial block it is possible that it just happens to be a coincidence.

Lew Horton never told me who/where purchased the pistol originally that I just bought & was inquiring about, only the general history & quantities.

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