Here is one that has me baffled. I am looking at a 5 screw 44 mag serial number S 169XXX. The serial number is stamped in the yoke cutout and not in the barrel channel like a 4 screw 44 mag. The revolver is in 99% cond and not a bad price with box and tools. I have never seen a 5 screw pre 29 marked like that.
As most stated above, I see no problems with that 44 mag, just a 5 screw frame, late assembled and shipped version.
Here are the factory changes of that era which support it being a righteous gun:
DECREASING SERIAL # LOCATIONS: The number of serial #s or if model # is stamped on a particular S&W Hand Ejector has more to do with where it was in the production/assembly stages when change orders were issued, therefore as we've learned to expect with S&W, there are great variances and exceptions galore.
Officially, on May 1, 1957 S&W eliminated the Soft Fitting Operation: So it generally corresponds with model numbers ordered June 12, 1957. It was no longer necessary to routinely stamp the serial number on the barrel, cylinder & yoke arm rear surface and show up unstamped over a transition period. So guns in process or in inventory as of 5/1/57 can still have more than 3 and up to 6 locations, and guns shipped after this time may have some of the former number locations because assembly was done over time and as inventory from the old process was used up.
The 6 serial # locations were down to only 3 left on the majority of models (but not all) from c. late 1957 to 1959 which are:
1. Butt
2. Extractor star - backside
3. Right stock – backside (except most post war target grips because individual fitting not required.)
MODEL NUMBER STAMPING began eventually, sometimes months after being ordered June 12, 1957, but the serial number was not yet stamped in the 'yoke cut', the frame side of the yoke hinge, until late 1959 or early 1960, and then it was only stamped there at first when the revolver model was shipped with target stocks as standard. Soon after, serial #s were stamped on the frame in the yoke cut on all models, except on some smaller guns where it just didn't fit, until later. When stamped in the 'yoke cut', the frame assembly # from the yoke cut was moved to the left side of the grip frame.
YOKE CUT STAMPING OF THE SERAIL # and assembly # have more changes soon after 1957 and get more confusing. When Model Number stamping began not long after being ordered June 12, 1957, the serial number was not yet stamped in the frame 'yoke cut' on the frame side of the yoke hinge until late 1959 and early 1960. Then the serial # was only stamped in the frame 'yoke cut' when the revolver model was shipped with target stocks as standard. Also soon after, serial #s were stamped on the frame in the 'yoke cut' on all models, except on some smaller guns at first where it just didn't fit well. And when the serial # was stamped on the frame in the 'yoke cut', the frame assembly # from the 'yoke cut' was moved to the left side of the grip frame. The 3 assembly # locations, on yoke, left side of grip frame and backside of side plate remain to this day. The yoke cut serial # location on post 1959-60 guns is the reason for many pre 1957 guns to be incorrectly registered by the useless assembly (work) # on the frame in the yoke cut.
Therefore by about the end of 1959, serial # locations went up to 4:
1. Butt
2. Frame in yoke cut
3. Extractor star until ~ 1980 when the new extractor star shape was introduced.
4. Back of right stock, until ~ 1979 when no longer hand fitted, (except most post war target grips because individual fitting not required).
ASSEMBLY (factory work) #s: These multi-digit numbers of 3 to 5 digits, are on the yoke at the hinge, in the 'yoke cut' on frame opposite the yoke near the hinge, and inside of the sideplate, for the pre war and early post war period. The assembly # in the yoke cut of the frame was relocated to the left side of grip frame after model #s were assigned in 1957 and the serial # was eventually added in the 'yoke cut' where the assembly #, now moved to the left side of the grip frame, used to be. You know they are assembly (factory work) #s because of those 3 locations that always match on guns that are original, and that's the only usefulness for them after guns leave the factory: still used to this day, long after serial number locations decreased.
