help with model 36
- Thread starter bill1951
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The roving J - maximum 5 digits with a J that floats through the digits - made from 1970-73. Our resident expert will be along soon to give you a good estimate for the ship date on one with the 88Jxxx configuration.
Howdy Bill, and welcome aboard from ol' Wyo.
My 87J974 and also 89J740 both shipped in March 1972. S&W didn't ship in serial number order, but I'd guess there's a good chance the Chiefs Special you mentioned shipped somewhere close to these two.
In that "roving J series," so named by S&W Historian Dr. Roy Jinks, for each serial number with two digits before the J there were only 999 revolvers made so the company ran through the serial numbers relatively quickly.
My 87J974 and also 89J740 both shipped in March 1972. S&W didn't ship in serial number order, but I'd guess there's a good chance the Chiefs Special you mentioned shipped somewhere close to these two.
In that "roving J series," so named by S&W Historian Dr. Roy Jinks, for each serial number with two digits before the J there were only 999 revolvers made so the company ran through the serial numbers relatively quickly.
gunsmoke101
Member
I have a wrench to throw in the mix. I have a Model 36 (No Dash) with the standard latch which should date the frame to 1966, but the serial number has the floating J with 79J707 as the serial number. Comments?
Where are you getting 1966? Should be 71'-72'.
The contoured thumbpiece did reappear on Chiefs in February 1966.
That was also the year S&W introduced the Model 36-1 with a 3" Heavy Barrel. It was a new model number not as is usual with S&W a model number that replaced another model due to an engineering change.
The company concurrently produced Model 36 with 2" and 3" lightweight barrels and Model 36-1 with a 3" Heavy Barrel until 1976 when it discontinued the 3" lightweight barrel. Models 36 (2") and 36-1 (3" Heavy Barrel) continued till 1988.
The "roving J series" serial numbersran from 1970 through 1973. That series was a result of S&W's equipment not being able to stamp more than six characters on a round butt J-frame. In 1972 the company acquired new equipment capable of stamping seven character's on the J-frame. These details come courtesy of S&W Historian Dr. Roy Jinks.
Perhaps your confusion is that the "standard" latch (contoured, not flat) started in 1966. It continued in use forever after, beginning that year.
Well, almost. Along with the J-magnum frame in 1996 S&W changed the contoured thumbpiece to a beveled style.
Welcome to the forum Bill.
Thanks, Bob. I did consider mentioning that, but decided not to because that later iteration is still "contoured." It just has a slice taken off the top of it. It isn't flat, like the pre-1966 version.
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