Two Serial Numbers stamped on a stock?

[EarlB]

Ok, picked up a 15-1 on GB tonight that has 2 numbers stamped on the right stock. The top one is the number of the gun I'm buying...the bottom one? Stamped incorrectly the first time? Reused stock? How often does this happen? I can't say I've seen it on any others. I don't know if that's what kept people from bidding on it or what but it sold for less than I expect it to (one of those oops I hope everyone didn't see something that I didn't one of things). At least the seller does have a return period.

Thanks,
Earl

 

[lamarw]

I doubt we will ever know. Anyone can buy number and letter stamps.

If you desire to, you might try taking a damp wash cloth and apply a hot steam iron to the incorrect number for a twenty or so seconds and repeat. It may come close to raising the wrong number off the wood. The same process is used to remove dents in wood. It often helps with minor damage to furniture.

 

[EarlB]

True, but it would be hard to find the exact right size and font. Those match up on the digits that are the same in the 2 numbers and the size is the same in both numbers.

What's interesting is the bottom number would be for a gun a year earlier 1961 vs 1962.

Earl

I doubt we will ever know. Anyone can buy number and letter stamps.

If you desire to, you might try taking a damp wash cloth and apply a hot steam iron to the incorrect number for a twenty or so seconds and repeat. It may come close to raising the wrong number off the wood. The same process is used to remove dents in wood. It often helps with minor damage to furniture.

 

[EarlB]

LMAO I realized now I posted that in the thread ending in 1961...out of habbit as most of the guns I've been buying lately are older. Earl

 

[Absalom]

Looking at the size, font, and depth of imprint, which are pretty much identical, these numbers are almost certainly both factory.

While I have no idea how often this occurred, we have had people showing double-stamped stocks here before, so this isn't a unicorn.

I also can't see why this should have any impact on the gun's value, or why anyone would expend effort and time trying to remove the number. Because if you muck that up, you could actually damage the stock and reduce the value

 

[EarlB]

Thanks Absalom, I definitely won't be doing anything with it when I get it, other than handling it and putting a few rounds down range with it at some point.

Earl

Looking at the size, font, and depth of imprint, which are pretty much identical, these numbers are almost certainly both factory.

While I have no idea how often this occurred, we have had people showing double-stamped stocks here before, so this isn't a unicorn.

I also can't see why this should have any impact on the gun's value, or why anyone would expend effort and time trying to remove the number. Because if you muck that up, you could actually damage the stock and reduce the value

 

[EarlB]

Funny, did a quick search on the forum and low and behind there's the gun from a couple years back:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-re...-serial-grip-panel.html?541942=#post139825904

 

[two-bit cowboy]

Possible reason...

Gun with the original number was finished and put in the vault. When its turn came to be shipped somebody had put in a special order for target stocks.

S&W, known for not being wasteful, put the original stocks back into the bit bin and used them on the next gun needing stocks.

(muphydog -- in the other thread -- already came up with that)

 

[s&wchad]

Definitely factory work. Here's a link to a thread about my 15-1, which also has two sets of numbers on the right stock.

MAAC Gun Show Find - Model 15-1

 

[Hondo44]

I agree with some above, this is not common but it happened.

When an order came thru for a revolver with a lanyard swivel, certain barrel length, target sights, target grips, etc., and there were no assembled revolvers of that configuration as ordered, in inventory: a revolver(s) that matched the order as close as possible was pulled, drilled for a swivel & installed, barrel changed, target sights, or target grips added. Sometimes "re-used" stocks are not re-numbered to match the gun that they're finally shipped on.


This is the case on N frame 44 Mags for another reason: some 44 magnums were built on frames already completed with target stocks as other Models, i.e., 1955 .45s. But if those guns are converted to 44 Mags because they were selling faster, they needed to have Coke targets, so the standard target stocks were thrown back in the bin to be re-used on later 1950 or 1955 models. This is why we sometimes discover a serial number stamped inside the right grip panel of non-44s walnut target stocks that do not match the serial number of the revolver that wears them. And the converted 44 Mags wearing the serial #s of those stock numbers, have Cokes instead.

In one example, a non- 44 Mag #S130833 is wearing stocks stamped #S130741 which, in actuality, became a Feb, 1956 shipped .44 Magnum. The target stocks were removed from that 44 Mag and replaced with cokes.

 

[handejector]

LMAO I realized now I posted that in the thread ending in 1961...out of habbit as most of the guns I've been buying lately are older. Earl

You are in the right subforum. THIS is a thread. I am making a post in a thread in a subforum.
This subforum (or, just 'forum') has a subtitle which reads "All 5-Screw & Vintage 4-Screw SWING-OUT Cylinder REVOLVERS, and the 35 Autos and 32 Autos"
The subtitle for the S&W Revolvers: 1961 to 1980 forum reads
"3-Screw PINNED Barrel SWING-OUT Cylinder Hand Ejectors"


Dates are often hard to get exact with S&W.
Screw count is pretty exact.

 

[EarlB]

True that

You are in the right subforum. THIS is a thread. I am making a post in a thread in a subforum.
This subforum (or, just 'forum') has a subtitle which reads "All 5-Screw & Vintage 4-Screw SWING-OUT Cylinder REVOLVERS, and the 35 Autos and 32 Autos"
The subtitle for the S&W Revolvers: 1961 to 1980 forum reads
"3-Screw PINNED Barrel SWING-OUT Cylinder Hand Ejectors"


Dates are often hard to get exact with S&W.
Screw count is pretty exact.

 

[wetdog]

Here's a variation. This is my Pre 27 with a number on each stock. The one on the left stock is correct.

 

[EarlB]

Interesting info. One thing I can say is they were not wasteful they must not have thrown anything out .

Here's a variation. This is my Pre 27 with a number on each stock. The one on the left stock is correct.