End of box decoding confusion. Birth date help please.

[fiasconva]

I been doing the search about box end numbers and decoding it and am getting more and more confused. I'd like to find out the birth date of my 5906. Here are some of the numbers on the end of the box:

Serial no. KMF 3***
Product code: 108176
Spec. Order: 8279

I purchased it about '99 or 2000 and any help will be appreciated.

 

[JohnHL]

I been doing the search about box end numbers and decoding it and am getting more and more confused. I'd like to find out the birth date of my 5906. Here are some of the numbers on the end of the box:

Serial no. KMF 3***
Product code: 108176
Spec. Order: 8279

I purchased it about '99 or 2000 and any help will be appreciated.

If that is a "standard" S&W Julian date (and not some other special code, because you never know with S&W) your "ship date" is the 279th day of 1998 (Tuesday Oct. 06, 1998).

John

 

[fiasconva]

Thanks JohnHL, I wish I could have figured it our myself but I yield to your expertise. Thanks again.

 

[ACEd]

send model and full s/n to SW at [email protected] and ask for manufacture date and they can give you that info.

 

[murphydog]

I believe the Special Order code in this era is the Julian date the gun was packed and ready to ship, but it does not indicate the true sales or ship date. Popular guns probably left quickly after packing but slow sellers may have sat on a shelf a while.

Absent a letter of authenticity, however, presumably the two dates are very close. And S & W is often helpful on ship dates for modern guns.

 

[fiasconva]

A ball park figure is good enough for me. I was just curious all of a sudden. Guess I had too much time on my hands.

 

[fdover]

In the latest S&W Journal there is a great article about decoding the end labels on the boxes. This is a great help.