Help with J frame stocks, dates?

[digi-shots]

I’m sorting thru some spare stocks and came across these j frames.

None of the four have serial numbers.. the two on the left both have the letter J imprinted. Upper right has black marker stripe, and the lower right is completely unmarked.

They all appear factory, could the ones with the J possibly be factory replacements?

Any idea of time frame on these?

(I also have what I think are high horn but I’ll put those in a separate post).

Thanks!

 

[JP@AK]

Hi Linda

All are post-1967. Those with a silver retaining washer are later yet.

The impressed J indicates replacement stocks, which is why they are not serialized. These were sold in blister packs. Most gun shops carried them back in the day.

 

[Retired W4]

What Jack said !

 

[two-bit cowboy]

Howdy Linda,

According to Dr. Jinks, "S&W’s January 11, 1966, order deleted diamonds around the screw escutcheon and the escutcheon nut on J-frame grips."

Yours are clearly after that date.

From my observations the "J" on your grips appeared after S&W's serial numbers changed from the original serial number range (1 through 786544), when the initial J serial numbers (J1 through J99999) began.

S&W stopped stamping serial numbers on the right grip somewhere around 1978, although some J-frames had serial numbered grips through 1982.