Model 910 manufacture date?

[TheSharkMan]

Hello, all. I scored my first S&W auto-loader about a year ago, a 910 and it's in crazy good shape, I'd say by my untrained eye it's at least 95%. Spotted it at a local pawn shop for $325 and couldn't get my wallet out fast enough.

Anyway, I was wondering if one of y'all might have a Standard Catalog handy and be willing to look up its age for me. It came with a 15-round factory mag (only one sadly) so I wonder if it was shipped after the Clinton ban ran out.

S/N: BEM 74xx

Thanks in advance!

 

[Sevens]

That is an extremely frustrating serial number prefix you've got. It fits in well with what the SCSW4 lovingly titles the section "the dreaded triple-alpha serial number range..."

A typical BEM-prefix would be late 1980's, but many years later, S&W started using up otherwise open letter combos and it made the three-alpha a real clusterfoob going forward.

The 910 debuted in 1995 and was shipped with Crime Bill era 10-round magazines, however if it was specifically ordered by law enforcement, it would have shipped with ban-era 15-rounders, marked as LE restricted. And if they were still shipping them in 2004 and later... they would also have been shipped with whatever full 15 round capacity 5906 magazines S&W had on hand.

If there's any chance you have the box and end label, dating it is easy. If you don't, a quick call to S&W should get you the date right over the phone.

(800) 331-0852

 

[TheSharkMan]

Thanks for the reply! I do have the box.

The product number is 204780.
The feature codes list is:
15-AT-LG-GP-BS-SF-SD-FA-DC-ZB

I dug through all the original literature that came with it. The original warranty card was not filled out (surprise! :-D ) and there was no test-fired cartridge envelope.

 

[Sevens]

Well if you have the original box with end label, look under Spec. Ord. for a four digit number that tells us exact ship date!

The first digit is the year... the next three digits are a Julian date.
for example, if it says 5002, then it was manufactured on January 2, 1995.

 

[TheSharkMan]

I’ll go have a look at that. Thanks!