Date of manufacture

[Hub]

I recently acquired a 28-3 serial# N9582xx non P&R. Came with targets that I was told are factory. I would like to know the date of manufacture.

 

[L-2]

N900000 1982-1986

Highest known range is N97xxxx (ca. 1986)

* Approx. the last half of the N200000 range and most of the N500000 range consists mostly of M28s & M58s. After 1980, the M28 serial numbers were merged with the other N frame s/n ranges. Thanks to John A. Crawford, Ph'd., for this N prefix update.

Supica, Jim,Nahas, Richard. Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson (Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson) (Kindle Locations 16864-16867). F+W Media. Kindle Edition.

1982-1986 according to my "book".

 

[Hub]

Great...thanks for your help. I was hoping to narrow it down a little more.

 

[murphydog]

The wild card in this is the factory doesn't assemble or ship guns in numeric order. So N 900000 numbered guns were shipped/sold all over this five year window. Yours is 'likely' from the later half of this era but only a letter of authenticity will give you its exact birthday.