Finding when a pistol was made.

[Puddingdr]

Is there a place where I can find the date of when my 4006TSW was made? TIA

 

[ACEd]

Thread '3rd Generation Pistol Manufacture Dates and How to Get them.'

Jan 11, 2025

If you really want info on specific 3rd generation Pistol Manufacture Date, email [email protected] with model and full s/n and ask for Manufacture Date. This will probably work for late 2nd generation pistols with triple alpha S/N prefix and transitional pistols.

Depending on person that responds, you may get year or year & month or possibly Year, Month, and Day. There are various interpretations of Manufacture Date. It may be Actual Date Assembled, Date Label Created and Boxed, or possibly Date Shipped.

It may or may not match a decoded date based on box end 4 digit Spec...

• ACEd
• Replies: 1
• Forum: Smith & Wesson Semi-Auto Pistols

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[GaryS]

We really should have a "sticky" on this subject. We seem to get two or three per week.

 

[chief38]

Get a copy of Standard Catalog of S&W (SCSW) by Jim Supica & Richard Nahas. It profiles each model, provides dates of manufacture, breaks down the differences between each dash number, has plenty of pictures and is an invaluable research book for S&W collectors. If you only buy ONE book about S&W's products, this is the one. The suggestion to get this book is not just for this single usage, but is a must have for any S&W aficionado.

My copy is the first edition and only goes up to 1996 but for me that is usually OK because I do not own or seek out any S&W products made after that date. Occasionally when looking up information or DOM for someone else, I can find out online by a Google search. I have never had to resort to calling the Company although that would work too if you get the on the right day.

 

[ACEd]

Great book, good descriptions of various models but not the best source for individual 3rd generation or triple alpha s/n dating - better to go to [email protected] as described above.

Problem with s/n after triple alpha prefixes came in (circa 1985/86) is the numbers are not sequential by date - there are significant gaps and the same prefix on 2 pistols less than 20 digits apart can have Manufacture Dates 2 to 5 to 11 years apart per SW.

I have 2 pistols 5946 VJP356x (2009) and 6946 VJP358x (1998) - note lower number is later manufacture. More common is 2 to 3 year span but I can also cite 4 and 5 and 6 year examples.

 

[Vefer]

You can also call S&W give them the model and serial number and they will tell you when it was made and they can also check to see if there are any open recalls on it. It only take a couple of minutes.
I call whenever I buy a used one.