Exactly when did the 5906's first hit the market?

[Mark IV]

S&W customer service couldn't nail it down any tighter than 1989. I just called them for manufacture/shipping dates on a couple toys I recently traded into, and this 5906 was dated at Sept. '89, which I already knew was their first year, so I asked him exactly when they came out in '89, but he said he didn't know, so now I'm curious.
I haven't been able to dredge anything up on-line, so I figured I'd consult The Matrix.
I'm sure there are guys here with serial numbers and man. dates earlier than this one (TDK prefix), so we could at least narrow it down some.

 

[N4KVE]

There, that took 3 seconds. Read the first line. GARY
Smith & Wesson Model 5906 - Wikipedia

 

[Mark IV]

There, that took 3 seconds. Read the first line. GARY
Smith & Wesson Model 5906 - Wikipedia

You mean THIS first line? "The Smith & Wesson 5906 is a pistol manufactured starting in 1989 by Smith & Wesson."

Thanks a pant-load, but had you actually read my post, rather than just the title, you'd have noticed that I already knew the year. I was clearly asking about the exact month of their release.

 

[Muss Muggins]

SCSW doesn't get any closer. Here's a thought, but it will cost you money. SCSW says that the 5906 is included in a series of 100 pre-production models, including the 3904, 3906, 4506, 5904, 5906, and 6906. The serial number range was AIP0001 thru AIP0100. I don't know how exact you have to be with model, etc. to get a proper letter, but I suspect people try to letter guns all the time and send in the wrong model number, barrel length, etc. If you absolutely have to know the exact date, pick a serial number and give it a shot . . .

 

[N4KVE]

You mean THIS first line? "The Smith & Wesson 5906 is a pistol manufactured starting in 1989 by Smith & Wesson."

Thanks a pant-load, but had you actually read my post, rather than just the title, you'd have noticed that I already knew the year. I was clearly asking about the exact month of their release.

How about the day, hour, & minute. Like the other guy said, provide them a serial #, & you'll get all the juicy details. GARY

 

[jsbethel]

I've read posts here where the AIP pistols had Spec Ord dates in late 1988. I also have a 5906 owner manual dated 6/88 if that means anything.

 

[Mark IV]

How about the day, hour, & minute. Like the other guy said, provide them a serial #, & you'll get all the juicy details. GARY

You really do have some reading comprehension issues (or just an odd aversion to actually reading what you're commenting on).
ONCE AGAIN, as I said in the OP, I already called S&W CS, and they couldn't give me "all the juicy details", hence this question.
And where did I ask for anything as ridiculous as the "day,hour,and minute?" Now you're clearly going out of your way just to be an obstructive jerk, so please feel free to ignore this and further posts from me.
And, I don't have to have this info, and I'm surely not going to blow $75 bucks on a factory letter on something like this, I was merely curious, and assumed someone here would be able to rattle it off from memory. That's all.

 

[S&Wrevolverfan]

Don't know if it helps, but I bought my first duty 5906 in January 1989. It has the square trigger guard with serial # TCH08XX.

 

[Mark IV]

Don't know if it helps, but I bought my first duty 5906 in January 1989. It has the square trigger guard with serial # TCH08XX.

Thanks, that not only helps, I'd say it just about settles the issue!
If the 5906's were in fact introduced in 1989, as seems to be the consensus, including from my call with them today, and you have one from January, well, it doesn't get any earlier than that !
Thanks again....


edit: but, I'm sure everyone will agree that it's very possible/probable that this January-purchased pistol was actually built sometime in 1988, plus, there's jsbethel's above post stating that he has a 5906 owners manual,dated 6/88, indicating probable builds from earlier than '89.
Curiouser and curiouser.