Manufacture dates for some of my K Frames

[Keysmia]

Hello
I’m trying to find some info on the manufacture dates for my K frames. I thought there was a sticky somewhere for build dates, but can’t find it.
Any help would be GREAT!

1st: Model 15-3, Serial #5K30185
2nd: Model 66-2, Serial #AAS3895
3rd: Model 19-5, Serial #AVU6879
4th: Model 19-3, Serial #4K75851 (Not pictured)

 

[Hair Trigger]

S&W never kept records of manufacture dates, only dates the guns shipped. SCSW has a list of serial number ranges that can approximate manufacture dates but nothing that ties the gun to a particular date. The three letter prefix on guns after 1982-1983 are even harder to date, some letter combinations aren't used and guns aren't manufactured in serial order. If you have the original box for your guns, the ones after 1982 have a Julian date on them.

I don't have my SCSW handy, but your M66-2 is most likely 1982-1983. Your oldest listed gun is the M19-3, then the M15-3, then the M66-2 and lastly the M19-5. Someone will chime in with closer dates, many who have lettered their guns can compare their SN to yours and give a ballpark figure based on the shipping dates of their guns.

 

[PeteC]

From the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson:


4K75xxx dates to 1974
5K30xxx is 1973 (as Hair Trigger stated, s/n are not always in order)
AASxxxx is 1983 or later
AVUxxxx 1987~88 or later

 

[Keysmia]

Thank you! I need to pick up a SCSW book. For some reason I thought there was a repository for serial #’s like Colts.

Thanks again for the info!

 

[PeteC]

FYI, the dates published in the SCSW refer to when a range of s/n's first shipped. Some would have shipped very quickly, and some would have been kept in the "Vault" for future orders. The Julian date on the box may turn out to be a year or more after the date in the book.