Serial # question?

[Slammed50]

So what is the deal with the serial number prefix lettering? Mine starts with DVA, is it a good one, ba one? Whats the difference between all of them? What are the food prefix #'s?

 

[corpulent]

Later numbers (letters) theoretically have the bugs worked out. Yours falls under the good category. The main issue was springs, I guess, and I think the change came around the DTxxxxx era, although I may be wrong.

Not sure what the food prefixes are. . .

 

[Jav]

Should be a thread up top in the "notable" thread about serial numbers.
I own a DVA and a little over 2,000 rounds through it. No problems with the gun, just some ammo probs and 1 user error.

 

[rtquig]

Mine is a DTX and had the old springs. Sent it to S&W in February and they put in the blue spring.

 

[Slammed50]

Cool, good to know. Mine came with the "blue" springs as well, though all the color came off as soon as I cleaned it!!! Speaking of which, I had a bit of a difficult time running a brushe or bore snake through the barrel do to the hook at the breach side of the barrel. Any ideas/hints?

 

[corpulent]

^I just hold mine at an angle so the snake hangs away from the ejector. Others have placed a small piece of rubber tubing over it.

Accidentally snagging the ejector and bending it ever so slightly could cause some problems.

 

[starflyer59]

Where is the blue spring located? Do you have to break down the gun to see it? I have a DVA serial

 

[BP_Z28]

Well you seperate the upper from the lower and you will see the blue spring right there. When you clean the rifle you will see.

 

[Majorlk]

Where is the blue spring located? Do you have to break down the gun to see it? I have a DVA serial

This refers to the blue color of three springs - the recoil spring, the trigger spring and the hammer spring. These have been standard for something over two years now.

The recoil spring is the one on the top of the bolt, BTW.

 

[Ghost_Soldier]

Speaking of which, I had a bit of a difficult time running a brushe or bore snake through the barrel do to the hook at the breach side of the barrel. Any ideas/hints?

I hold the upper in my left hand and let the muzzle point at the ground. I feed the bore snake through the ejection port and into the barrel, I then grip the upper receiver with my left hand and hold the bore snake next to the shell deflector and keep constant tension on the bore snake, this keeps the bore snake to the side of the upper receiver where the ejection port is and away from the ejector. Or I've heard some people just put a straw over the ejector.