Pre-War .38 Hand Ejector Serial Numbers

[yeklop]

Fairly often on here I see posts with people posting the serial number, or at least part of it, with the question of what year it was made. Usually they will get an answer fairly quick of an approximate year, seeing as Smith & Wesson didn't always ship guns out in serial number sequence.
Is there a posted list somewhere with serial numbers by approximate year? I skimmed through the stickies and did a cursory search and didn't come up with anything.
Apologies if this is posted somewhere that i missed.

 

[delcrossv]

A lot of collectors maintain private databases. SCSW give S/N ranges by change, so broader coverage.

 

[merl67]

As far as I know there isn't. I have compiled a small list of known shipping dates that helps me approximately date these particular models. I suspect I am not the only one who has done this.

 

[Absalom]

Indeed. I usually make a note when someone posts about a lettered M&P. If you spend time looking around the forum exploring, you come up with enough over time that you develop a general idea. There is also an old, awkward database that only SWCA members have access to, which can occasionally help, one of the benefits of joining.

Some folks are overly fond of emphasizing the “shipping out of sequence” thing. It did happen, but in the overall scheme of things, placing a gun in a likely year of manufacture works out correctly if you have a few reference data from which to extrapolate.

 

[Club Gun Fan]

It is impossible to tell when a gun was manufactured. You can however see when it shipped, but only with a letter. People that maintain a database can give you a guess, but that's all it is. Some units shipped 4, 5 6 and 10 years out of sequence from a serial number next to it.

 

[yeklop]

Right o, good to know I guess. Anyone have an educated guess what year this one was shipped? Serial #279612.
Recent auction acquisition, although I wont get my hands on it for a week or two.

 

[delcrossv]

Based on the ones I have, 1917.

 

[Absalom]

Right o, good to know I guess. Anyone have an educated guess what year this one was shipped? Serial #279612.

No frame or sideplate logo, so it was produced after mid-1917 when that stamping stopped as a war economy. But still in 1917, as we have several guns in the 280-range recorded as shipping in late 1917.

 

[yeklop]

Good to know, thanks. I do plan on getting a letter for it eventually, will wait till I have a few to letter and sent the requests as one.

 

[Hondo44]

The "Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson" lists approximate year of manufacture. But when it shipped is a different date which can be soon after or years after manufacturing, especially in the 1930s following the market crash in 1929.


The gun's features help with manufacturing date as well w/o knowing the serial #, for example on your gun:

With no S&W trademark logo, it's pretty well pinned down to between 1917 to 1920.

If the stocks are original to the gun with matching serial # on the backside of the right stock, the gold plated medallions were used between 1910 and 1920.

No "MADE IN U.S.A." stamp on right side of frame is pre 1923.

The 'mushroom' knob on the extractor rod is pre 1927.

But a factory letter with shipping date is for certain, so databases with known serial #s and shipping dates from factory letters is a good best estimate, however no guarantee.

 

[Tyler1]

Question

As far as I know there isn't. I have compiled a small list of known shipping dates that helps me approximately date these particular models. I suspect I am not the only one who has done this.

I have just purchased a S&W revolver. (Put on layaway) I can’t find much information on it and I see that you have a possible list. The serial number on mine is 86488. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

 

[delcrossv]

I have just purchased a S&W revolver. (Put on layaway) I can’t find much information on it and I see that you have a possible list. The serial number on mine is 86488. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Need more info than that as different calibers had their own sets of serial numbers.

You may want to start your own thread after looking at this:

To IDENTIFY your Gun >

 

[Crlemos]

22 Hand ejector series

I have just purchased a S&W revolver. (Put on layaway) I can’t find much information on it and I see that you have a possible list. The serial number on mine is 86488. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Anyone have an educated guess what year this one was shipped? Serial # 180807

 

[Crlemos]

22 Hand Ejector Series

Anyone have an educated guess what year this one was shipped? Serial # 180808? It’s a short barrel 22, 7 rounds. In Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson 4th edition mention between 1911- 1941.

 

[spin132]

Maybe this helps?

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

 

[mikepriwer]

Nick

Serial number 279823 shipped June 21 1917 to a distributor in Omaha, NE. That is very close to your 279612.

Regards, Mike

 

[glowe]

Join the Smith & Wesson Collectors Association and get access to their database of ship dates for all models made. It is understood that there is always the possibility of a gun shipped way out of order, but that is the exception and not the rule. The SWCA database will get you within 2 or 3 years 95%+ of the time. Another big seller is that members can request and receive ship dates from Roy for specific serial numbers right down to the month and year.

 

[Hondo44]

Anyone have an educated guess what year this one was shipped? Serial # 180808? It’s a short barrel 22, 7 rounds. In Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson 4th edition mention between 1911- 1941.

Welcome to the forum.

You need to start a new thread for your gun here: http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-hand-ejectors-1896-1961/

The only 7 shot 22 by S&W was produced from 1902 to 1921 and the serial #s only went as high as 26,154.

And there's no 22 six shot (no seven shot) models in the 1911- 1941 production period in the 180808 serial # range.

 

[rct269]

I had a couple of single shots, 4807 and 4826, both made in 1911 (within 6 weeks of one another). 4826 was shipped TWO DAYS after it was completed--------4807 shipped FOUR AND A HALF YEARS LATER!!

Go figure---------------------

Ralph Tremaine