65-5 DOB?

[claygrazer]

I just purchased a really nice 65-5 3". The serial number starts with BSA. It has a case hardened trigger and hammer. According to info in the SCSW book, that puts date of manufacture from 1988 to before 1997. There is no BSA serial number listing in the Manufacture Date index in the back of the book.

Does anyone know how to date this beauty, other than having it Lettered from S&W?

 

[824tsv]

The serial# tables listed in the Standard Catalog leave a lot to be desired for later model revolvers. You have to read into the information. If your serial# prefix doesn't appear, look for a prefix that's close before, and then after your's. Your revolvers shipping date is in between them somewhere. The only true source for the actual shipping date is of course Mr Jinks. If you happen to have the original box with your Model 65-5, on the box end label is a "SPEC. ORD" code which COULD be the Julian date the revolver was completed, boxed, and ready to be shipped. This however is not always the case.

 

[claygrazer]

Thanks. Unfortunately, the BSA prefix doesn't fit between any listed serial numbers. The sequence jumps around too much and there seems to be no order that would sandwich the BSA prefix. I don't have the original box for this one. I have used SPEC ORD on some of my others with boxes, and they fit the serial number DOB just fine.

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

65-5 3"... serial number starts with BSA.

I have a BSA57XX in my s/n collection and it shipped on Aug 3, 1994, as per the SPEC ORD number. Based on this I'd put your M65 in July/August of 1994.

 

[claygrazer]

Kernel, mine is BSA04XX, so probably has a July 1994 DOB. THANKS!

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

It's not always that simple. S&W, I've noticed, will often start with a new three letter prefix (BSA) and then ship the higher number s/n first, working to the lower ones. So those with a higher number will have the earliest ship dates. The date range for that same three digit prefix can span a few days to a few months.