J Frame serial numbers

[Photog]

Forgive me if this has been asked, but short of a factory letter, is there anyway to narrow down the production date of a Model 36? I have one, serial number 564396, but the S&W Standard Catalog lists it as between 1962 and 1969. Does anyone know the reason why didn't/couldn't break it down to an individual year rather than lumping them all together in that 7 year period? Thanks in advance.

 

[colt_saa]

Because prior to the Gun Control Act of 1968, the Company did not care when they were made

GCA-68 created lots of extra work for Firearms Manufacturers

Now a Factory letter will not provide you with a Date of Manufacture, it will provide you with the Shipping date of the firearm. Those two events can be Months, Years or even Decades apart

The Company had no computers until the 1980s so all records had to be hand written and stored in file cabinets

Smith & Wesson is a tool maker, not a collectible maker. For the first 110+ years of their existence they had no reason to keep track of such stuff and they did not computerize until they had been in business for over 128 years

We Collectors are not happy about not knowing the history of our Firearms

 

[murphydog]

Several Forum members track SNs of their favorite models. Two-bit cowboy is the local Chiefs Special expert and can probably get you closest to a production date but I think 1967. He will let us know if I am wrong.

 

[Photog]

Thank you both for the answers.