S&W Model 30-1 serial/date of Mfg?

[Kebco]

Trying to determine if a Model 30-1 in the serial range 7600xx is C&R. I could not find anything on my own & even called S&W customer service who could also not help. Is there a list of dates of mfg by serial available for the model 30-1?
Thanks

 

[Muley Gil]

Welcome to the Forum.

It could be. The serial number range for 1961-1970 is 712954-826977.

 

[Kebco]

Thanks, that helps but "could be" will probably not the pass ATF

 

[da gimp]

It seems that you will have to letter it from S&W to be sure of its shipping date, as some of these aren't at least 50 years old and some are. Lettering a pistol you do not own could get expensive very quickly.

If it is a prime specimen of a seldom seen pistol, would it be possible to buy it on someone else's dealer's license & then yellow sheet it and..paper it to your self when it arrives.. then transfer it to your C&R license/book from yourself when it becomes eligible?

 

[Kebco]

The gun is mine & I plan to sell it but before the question comes up (& I am sure it will) I was trying to determine if I could accept a C&R. I talked to S&W about a letter & was told they are backed up & it is taking months now to get a letter.

 

[linde]

Trying to determine if a Model 30-1 in the serial range 7600xx is C&R . . .

To meet the C&R criteria of being 50 years old, it would need to have shipped prior to June 1967.

A factory letter is the best way to know for sure, however, it might be reassuring to know that s/n 755623 shipped in August 1965 and s/n 766245 shipped in May 1966.

Russ

 

[Kebco]

To meet the C&R criteria of being 50 years old, it would need to have shipped prior to June 1967.

A factory letter is the best way to know for sure, however, it might be reassuring to know that s/n 755623 shipped in August 1965 and s/n 766245 shipped in May 1966.

Russ

Russ- Do you have letters for the two you referenced or how did you determine the dates? Thanks

 

[linde]

Russ- Do you have letters for the two you referenced or how did you determine the dates? Thanks

I own both (bought 755623 new) but do not have factory letters on either. Both ship dates were provided by Roy Jinks, S&W Factory Historian.

Russ

 

[Kebco]

Roy is gone from S&W. The group they have doing letters now takes months & customer services was of no help with dates on this model.
Thanks

 

[linde]

Roy is gone from S&W. The group they have doing letters now takes months & customer services was of no help with dates on this model.
Thanks

At the time these ship dates were provided Roy was the factory Historian, however, Roy is still very much involved in the preparation of Letters of Authenticity under a partnership agreement between Smith & Wesson and the S&W Historical Foundation.

Under the new arrangement turnaround time on letters has been running in weeks rather than months . . . although the Annual Meeting of the S&W Collectors Association is coming up soon and the letter-writing will be suspended for a week or two.

I can understand S&W Customer Service not being much help since they are no longer in the loop on factory letters. Plus, many of their past and present employees have relied on Roy for so many years that they have very little direct knowledge on the older products.

Russ

 

[Pbyrescue]

I have a model 30 (I think) which is nickel and is in the serial number range 615xxx. Any idea when it was made? Has the serrated front sight.

 

[raljr1]

I think i replied about this on a separate occasion. I have 32 HEs with lower and higher numbers that shipped in 53 and 55. Yours most likely shipped late 54 or early 55. Certainly C&R.

Robert

 

[sacalait123]

S&W 30-1

raljr1, as a new member I hate to ask you to go over your recent post, however, I am confused, and the following type information is why I was happy to join this group so please bare with me. I own a 30-1 which I purchased used. The seller stated he purchased it new around '84/'85. In my quest to find a manufacture date I come across information stating this model number mfg with a -1 suffix ran from early60s to early70s. However, my gun's s/n range is H809xx. By chance would you have info to tighten this mfg. date.
Thanks, Steve

 

[JP@AK]

Hi sacalait123 and welcome to the S&W Forum.

Robert isn't online right now so I'll try to answer your question.

A serial number in the H80000 range is from 1975 or 1976. The .32 Hand Ejector Model 30-1 went out of production in 1976. Yours would have been among the last of them that was produced.

It is entirely possible that the first retail purchase of your revolver was in the 1980s, but that would only mean it sat somewhere for about 10 years before it was retailed. I don't think that is out of the realm of possibility, since the .32 HE was not a particularly popular item by that time.