610 no-dash 5" owners: do you have an "F" on the back of your cylinder?

[trpeters]

610 no-dash 5" owners: do you have an "F" on the back of your cylinder?

Hello 610 owners. I have a 5" no dash, and there is an "F" stamped on the rear of the cylinder.

Does anyone else have that? I have googled (as well as posted the question here) and have not gotten info / feedback.

Mine has an "F" and I am trying to see if that is factory or not (as my other Smith no-dash revolvers all have a "V" stamped on the back of the cylinder.

Thanks in advance

 

[Engine49guy]

Older S&W SS revolvers have a "V" stamp to help factory workers ID them as SS not unfinished steel , at some point there was a change to the F stamp to ID SS cylinders.

 

[trpeters]

Thanks Engine49guy...that helps and maybe the change happened in between the 6.5" and 5" no dash (as my 610 6.5" has the "v" on the cylinder).
Hope all is well

 

[truckerdave397]

I have both 5 and 6.5 inch 610 no dash and both have a V.

 

[ms]

My 5" no dash has a "V".

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

The F and V markings on the rear cylinder face are common on guns from this era. I think there was another letter occasionally used, but I can't remember what it was. I always assumed it was and inspector's acceptance mark.

 

[rbmac52]

My 610 5" serial prefix BFN has an F on the face of the cylinder.

 

[trpeters]

Thanks again all...mine is also a "BFN" and has the "F" on the cylinder. Net net I am trying to understand if mine is factory of the cylinder was replaced at some time, so having time this data helps. Hope all is well.