Ser#’s
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The Soft Fitting Department was eliminated on May 3, 1957 resulting in the barrel and cylinder being "hard fitted" to the frame after all parts were polished and finished in blue or nickel. The new method was instituted on April 8, 1957 with both Soft and Hard Fitting being run concurrently until May 3. This change resulted in the elimination of the need to stamp the serial number on the barrel and cylinder. However, some revolvers reworked during manufacture may still have the serial number stamped on one or both of these parts, but without the serial number letter prefix (if applicable).
Bill
Bill
Welcome to the forum.
Recognize that there likely are guns completed after those dates with serial numbered barrels and cylinders because they were already in process on the date of those changes. Guns assembled without the change after the change date is true of most all changes for the same reason.
Recognize that there likely are guns completed after those dates with serial numbered barrels and cylinders because they were already in process on the date of those changes. Guns assembled without the change after the change date is true of most all changes for the same reason.
First, to be clear, I do not dispute what Bill wrote. In fact, I believe that the elimination of the soft-fitting process was the cause that brought to an end the placement of serial numbers on the barrel flat and on the rear face of the cylinder.
What no one has ever explained to me is why, in some instances, those serial locations stopped sometime before May, 1957.
Here's why I ask that question: I have owned two K-38 Masterpiece revolvers that lacked the serial number on the barrel flat and on the cylinder. One of them shipped in November, 1956. The other shipped in January, 1957. I still own the former revolver. The other is now owned by a friend of mine. Notice that both of these revolvers actually left Springfield before the soft fitting process was eliminated. The two revolvers are about 7200 serial numbers apart. Both of them had to have been assembled in 1956. If only one of them was missing the requisite serial numbers, it could be a simple anomaly. But two of them? Something was going on. What?
What no one has ever explained to me is why, in some instances, those serial locations stopped sometime before May, 1957.
Here's why I ask that question: I have owned two K-38 Masterpiece revolvers that lacked the serial number on the barrel flat and on the cylinder. One of them shipped in November, 1956. The other shipped in January, 1957. I still own the former revolver. The other is now owned by a friend of mine. Notice that both of these revolvers actually left Springfield before the soft fitting process was eliminated. The two revolvers are about 7200 serial numbers apart. Both of them had to have been assembled in 1956. If only one of them was missing the requisite serial numbers, it could be a simple anomaly. But two of them? Something was going on. What?
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Jack...I have two 44 Magnums shipped in mid-1956 that do not have a serial number on the cylinder or extractor. I always assumed the cylinder was replaced during a rework operation during initial manufacture and the replacement cylinder not numbered. I realize the likelihood of both the barrel and cylinder being replaced is small, but you never know.
Bill
Bill
As we've well learned in this hobby, anomalies abound. The main rule is, there are few hard and fast rules. Seldom a dull moment and it's all very interesting.
