Police trade-in

[deanodog]

I have a model 65-3 that was sold as a police trade. It has the serial no. stenciled in the floor frame (AFT92XX) and the no. 15. There is a u stamped above the model no. My question is does the u mean that it has been redone by the police armorer? I also wondered why the serial no. would be stenciled under the cyl. on the frame floor. The gun is very tight and is in excellent condition. Very accurate. Any ideas?

It came with gripper rubber grips which was changed out to targets by me.

 

[Rock185]

deanodog, I have owned two or three S&Ws with the "U" stamp. At least one semiauto and one or two revolvers. I had the original boxes numbered to the guns. The boxes had another sticker attached which indicated "used". I contacted S&W about this years ago. They indicated that the guns with this mark were sold as used by S&W because they had been used in the Armorers schools, salesman's samples, etc. The lady I spoke with indicated that they are not "seconds" or anything like that and they do meet full factory specs, etc. I don't know what the situation is now, but at the time, she said they were warrantied just like any other S&W.

I don't know about the stenciled serial number. I know that Dept.-owned guns are marked if, and as, that Dept wants them marked. I have seen all kinds of Dept. markings, just not one as you've described. Looks like a nice gun to me.

 

[sw44spl]

the stenciled SSN number is so its easy to read it with out taking grips off.most folks put different grips on that will cover up the SSN on the grip bottom.

 

[murphydog]

Many PDs had the serial number in alternative places to read with the stocks on, as sw44spl noted. NYPD model 64 DAOs had the number either stamped or laser engraved on the left frame, under the cylinder and above the trigger. I have an ex-LE model 65 similar to yours with Uncle Mike's rubber stocks, with the number electro-penciled on the sideplate just above the grip - ugly.

 

[strangelittleman]

The "U" is a stamping that S&W does when a dept. trades in their old guns for new and the old guns are made availible for resale. The "U" means "Updated". The old guns are thoroughly gone over, inspected, parts replaced, or "updated", then "U" stamped and sent on their way.

I have one of my dept's M65s (we switched to the M&P40 in 2006) that I was able to purchase straight from S&W for $175 (shipped to a FFL) after being updated. It still has the case hardened trigger and hammer that were special ordered by the dept on a couple of the runs back in the early 90's (as most stainless 65s have flash chromed T&H), however it has a new cylinder w/ the "square cut" extractor star, rather than the older type cylinder that relied on the alignment pins to keep the extractor star from coming out of synch with the clyinder charge holes.
As for the serial # being in the floor of the frame, yeah our weapons had them there or under the bbl in the flat cut out for the ejector rod. the reason is for ease of inventory accountability. The #15 is most likely the armory "rack number " for an arsenal issued weapon as opposed to a personally issued weapon.

 

[HAWKEYE10]

Thanks for the pictures. Was that gun in nice condition when you bought it or did you clean it up? What ever the case it looks good now. Don

 

[deanodog]

Thanks guys for the good info. I have liked this M65 very much. It was in very good condition when I got it but I changed the grips and polished it a little with Mother's polish.