Model 41 - serial numbers and dates

Model 41 Serial number

Just picked up a older 41 and the serial number is TAF4613.
I can not find anything Like it online.
Please help if you can. Thanks
 

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Not really strange as there was much more to the story and I wasn't going to shoot it until my investigation was complete. That being said I do indeed plan on shooting it now.
I bought this from an estate consignment. The magazines, Olympic weights, and tools were unopened. The original owners manual untouched was for the .22 short model. Also had the aluminum top similar to the .22 short model with the barrel marked .22LR. I verified a magazine and chamber that it was indeed .22LR and not short like the 41-1 made for the IRF competition. This all mystified me somewhat because it was more or less setup and with accessories like the 41-1 with owners manual also stating that. So I requested a letter which showed nothing special or unicorn like other than the $64 selling price lol. So as Paul Harvey would say "and now you know the rest of the story".
 

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Sorry for bringing up this thread again - I'd appreciate any input on the production year of the attached shown Model 41 in .22 lr with serial 21723 - would this make it a 1959 one?


The other one is a Model 41-1 in .22 short with serial A135129, therefore not sure if the already showed chart would also apply for it too, or if it is only for Model 41? If yes, would it rather be a 1970 or a 1971 made?


Thanks!
 

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Promo, that's quite an entrance. Welcome to the forum. Can you tell us more about the silencer on the Model 41?
 
That is a Parker-Hale silencer. The pistol has a British firing proof too, the former owner bought it years back in a British auction, he didn‘t understand what suppressor referred to :).
 
Very cool. I'd love to see some close-ups of the silencer and the proof marks. These guns shipped out of sequence but I think this one probably shipped in the early 1960s.
 
Smith & Wesson did not produce or ship products in serial number order. As a pistol moved through the manufacturing process, at each station no attention was made to which serial number was being worked on, just pick up another frame and do your job. It was the same in shipping. Pull the require pistols to fill the order and only when the invoice was made out were the serial numbers recorded. For example, the invoice that includes my M41 has ten pistols from #12112 to #18968 all shipped on the same day.

The “table” in other posts is only a list of partial serial numbers and the year that particular individual pistol was shipped. It is not a list of starting and ending serial numbers for a year. It was dropped in the 3rd edition of the Standard Catalog of S&W probably because it was too confusing.

I know of a M41 with a higher number than yours that dates to September 1959 and a lower number that dates to April 1962. My best guess is that #21723 shipped from S&W in mid 1961.

Sorry for the long and inconclusive answer but you will have to shell out $100 for a historical letter if you want an accurate answer.

Oh! Welcome to the forum. Hang around and i think you’ll enjoy it here.
 
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The other one is a Model 41-1 in .22 short with serial A135129, therefore not sure if the already showed chart would also apply for it too, or if it is only for Model 41? If yes, would it rather be a 1970 or a 1971 made?
Thanks!
Very nice. Shipped should be around 1971. Notice the box, it's still the pre Bangor Punta box type.
Some may say it's incorrect for a 1971 41, however S&W were still using these boxes on the 41 into the early 70s.
 
Here is what they have posted over at RimFireCentral.com

"Here is a Summary of S&W M41 Dates of Manufacture from this Thread:

Serial #___ Date of Mfg.
104XX_______ 1958
149XX_______ 1959
189XX_______ 1959
295XX_______ 1960
1120XX______ 1969
114XXX____ ~ 1969
"A" Prefix_____ 1970 with A115001
A145801_____ 1972
A225XXX_____ 1973
A235001_____ 1974
A265001_____ 1975
A295001_____ 1976
A414XXX_____ 1977"



I have asked before about this list and never got an answer; Are those supposed to be the beginning or ending numbers for each year. I suppose they could even be random S/N's from each year. My guess is that they are supposed to be ending numbers as My A194xxx is from August of 1973
 
I have asked before about this list and never got an answer; Are those supposed to be the beginning or ending numbers for each year. I suppose they could even be random S/N's from each year. My guess is that they are supposed to be ending numbers as My A194xxx is from August of 1973

Yes, this list is a random selection of model 41’s with a partial serial number and the year that pistol was shipped. I consider this to be confusing and misleading. It was dropped from the 3rd edition of The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson.

As a member if the SWCA, PM first-model and ask him for assistance in gaining access to the databases. He was very helpful to me at the last Symposium in Phoenix.
 
Hello Gents

What an awesome forum

I have a 7 inch Model 41 with the serial number A40509, that would mean it was made in 77 correct?


I used to own A40518 which was a NIB Model 41-1 22 Short. It had the original box and the 22 Short Instruction Sheet. However, it lettered as a 22 Long Rifle. Roy said it was a double numbered gun and was just recorded as a 22 LR. Who knows?
 
Don't forget the Tool Room models. Here are T1004, T1005 and T1007. They were all made in 1956. All three were sent out as Club Guns to employees of Smith & Wesson in the 1970's.
 

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From post #3
Here is what they have posted over at RimFireCentral.com

"Here is a Summary of S&W M41 Dates of Manufacture from this Thread:

Serial #___ Date of Mfg.
104XX_______ 1958
149XX_______ 1959
189XX_______ 1959
295XX_______ 1960
1120XX______ 1969
114XXX____ ~ 1969
"A" Prefix_____ 1970 with A115001
A145801_____ 1972
A225XXX_____ 1973
A235001_____ 1974
A265001_____ 1975
A295001_____ 1976
A414XXX_____ 1977"


Does anyone know if there are supposed to be starting or ending numbers?

I do know Mod 41 S/N A1948xx shipped in August 1973

I believe these are random numbers put together as a guide. A reasonable guide too.
Guns were not shipped in order, far from it so a start and stop number for each year is impossible.
 
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