Very, Very frustrated

[SturgisSD]

I got the "Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson" from the library.
Its gibberish to me. I am wanting to look up serial number date and update my inventory list. I have DDLs, DDMs, DKNs, 72Ks Not finding what I want in the book. And no rescore on the internet. Friends where do I look?

 

[No Quarter]

Not to insult your intelligence, but did you look in the back of the book? They have charts back there that are very easy to read. In my older version of the SCSW, it is in Appendix 2.

 

[toddimusnimski]

72K should be 1980, but I don't see the others after a quick look. Its in Appendix A in the 5th edition. Probably be best to call S&W and request the shipping dates from them. They do it all the time.

Todd

 

[Onomea]

I have the second and third editions. Both, at the beginning, have a "How to Use this Book" section. Might take a peek there.

 

[SturgisSD]

Not to insult your intelligence, but did you look in the back of the book? They have charts back there that are very easy to read. In my older version of the SCSW, it is in Appendix 2.

No offence taken. I have model numbers 19-4, 66-2, 66-3, etc.
I just don't have boxes for some of these so I don't have the six digit model number only serial numbers and makes. The dates can be single only or ten and more years. In the case of the 19-4 there are hundreds of police variances. 19-4 yah, civilian or police? I only have a 72Kxxxx serial number and no six digit number like 160360.

 

[Hawg Rider]

Welcome to the Forum! The SCSW 5th Ed. is an excellent source of information, but unfortunately it is not a perfect reference book and is continually being updated by the authors. Some of its information must be supplied by Forum members (i.e. serial numbers of their firearms). In the case of your K-frame .357 Magnum revolvers, the specific triple-alpha s/n's are not listed because owners have not reported them to the authors. However, sometimes you can interpolate the manufacture dates...for example, "DCx" s/n's that are listed were issued around 2008 so your "DDx" was probably manufactured around the same time; and "DKx" s/n's manufactured around 2018. Your "72Kxxxx" would have been manufactured in 1980. Model 19-4s were manufactured between 1977-1982, so that 1980 date should be good. Your Model 66-2 (1982-1986) and 66-3 (1986-1994) are in the triple-alpha s/n period and I would expect them to have "Axx" and/or "Bxx" triple-alpha s/n's. Those s/n's may better date your revolvers. Hope this helps a little. Enjoy!

 

[SturgisSD]

Welcome to the Forum! The SCSW 5th Ed. is an excellent source of information, but unfortunately it is not a perfect reference book and is continually being updated by the authors. Some of its information must be supplied by Forum members (i.e. serial numbers of their firearms). In the case of your K-frame .357 Magnum revolvers, the specific triple-alpha s/n's are not listed because owners have not reported them to the authors. However, sometimes you can interpolate the manufacture dates...for example, "DCx" s/n's that are listed were issued around 2008 so your "DDx" was probably manufactured around the same time; and "DKx" s/n's manufactured around 2018. Your "72Kxxxx" would have been manufactured in 1980. Model 19-4s were manufactured between 1977-1982, so that 1980 date should be good. Your Model 66-2 (1982-1986) and 66-3 (1986-1994) are in the triple-alpha s/n period and I would expect them to have "Axx" and/or "Bxx" triple-alpha s/n's. Those s/n's may better date your revolvers. Hope this helps a little. Enjoy!

Thank you for your time. Thank you for your reply.

 

[Sevens]

If your gun was made after around 1984, an email to S&W can typically get you a shipped date within two business days.

As good or better, especially for older guns is to simply list the serial numbers here (X out the last two digits if you like) and let the multitude of enthusiasts go to work with their opinions and arguments.

You say you have DDL, DDM, DKM but without the model, it's more difficult as S&W never made this easy for us.

The six digit number you referenced is not a model number but rather a 6-digit product code or SKU. That's a good number to have but we can work simply with what is shown on the gun itself.

If you ask the experts, they have a common retort that is hard to argue with. It goes like this:

"S&W was in the business of building guns for sale, not for producing collectibles." And so goes their system of creating serial numbers.

It was never at ANY point in their interest to make this easy for us to track and research. It was never their goal and never was it something they cared about.