What! early 469 sold cheap

[wbraswell]

I was wondering if any of you saw or bought a 469 on GB last week that was serial #5. I noticed it while looking through the S&W auctions and put it on my watch list. I was curious, but didn't bid because I have a few recent purchases. It had everything it came with and a S&W order sheet that said it was an employee purchase and was to be sent to the guard shack. I was shocked to see that it sold for $515.

 

[JR78]

I bought my first one in 1984. It had a 3-digit serial number. Should've kept it, but traded it off for a SIG P225, which I still have.

 

[Sevens]

Can you please explain "a 3-digit serial number" ?

The earliest 469's were A-prefix serials... using a single letter and six numerical digits that began in 1970. These were worn by 39's, 59's, 52's and 41's.

So I cannot wrap my head around a Model 469 with any manner of a 3-digit serial number.

 

[wbraswell]

Well, the last digits of the serial # will tell you the sequence. The 469 numbers started with A840000. The serial # of the gun I referred to is A840005. That would be called a single digit number.

 

[cherrypointmarine]

I have one I bought NIB here years ago . It's serial# is TBL0091 , don't know where that puts it . I can't think they made a bunch of them , but who knows ?

 

[donk52]

Well, the last digits of the serial # will tell you the sequence. The 469 numbers started with A840000. The serial # of the gun I referred to is A840005. That would be called a single digit number.

If the 469's started with A840000, how do you explain my 469 with A786412?

 

[Sevens]

Well, the last digits of the serial # will tell you the sequence. The 469 numbers started with A840000. The serial # of the gun I referred to is A840005. That would be called a single digit number.

Okay while I follow your thought process with regards to #5, we cannot logically come to the same conclusion with a 3-digit serial number. Again, when S&W was making the 469 pistol in the A-serial range... they were also making ALL the other semiauto pistols in their lineup concurrently. So in addition to the 41 and 52, you have the debut of the 2nd Gen full size, that's three more pistols and all were made in the A800xxx series of serial numbers.

Cannot logically conclude that if "A800652" (made up for discussion) on a Model 469 was the 652nd Model 469 they produced. Can only conclude that it was the 652nd semiauto pistol that S&W forged a frame for after the first A800000 serial number across five different models. Seven models if the 469 and 669 were made concurrently with the full size guns and the 41/52.

 

[DUSTYDOGDAN]

You guys are going to make me go dig into the safe and see what number I have..LOL

 

[demkofour]

My 469 has a Low Number (at least that's what the box label says!)

The build date should be August 31, 1983 (as per the spec order code) but Roy says the ship date was October 1984...

 

[Sevens]

S&W could certainly have set aside all the A840xxx range ONLY for the 469, that's possible. Does anyone have a very early 459 or 669 to compare what that SN range is in?

 

[Sevens]

If the 469's started with A840000, how do you explain my 469 with A786412?

Very difficult to explain however in the interest of full disclosure... you were working there and you built your own pistol!

 

[DUSTYDOGDAN]

I never have any luck on buying something special-->LOL

I've got a 469 with a build date of October 9 1984 and it is serial number TAC660X

 

[wbraswell]

I can only tell you what I read. The serial #s of 469s began with A84. 669 serial numbers are in the triple alpha numbers. My info comes from S&WSC 4th, and BBGV 41st.

 

[DCW]

Low (?) 459 But Definitely "Low" 669

S&W could certainly have set aside all the A840xxx range ONLY for the 469, that's possible. Does anyone have a very early 459 or 669 to compare what that SN range is in?

Greetings and Hallucinations To All,

I've a NIB Model 459 @ SN A881284 but it isn't identified by S&W as a "Low Number" as is a NIB Model 669 @ SN TAE001 in my possession as well.

An aside to a previous post or three concerning the order in which S&W made its pistols: While I wasn't there, it is understood by this poster (hmmm, remember Farah Fawcett's?)(er, I guess that's not the same thing, huh?) . . . well, anyway, somewhere within the bowels of at least the last two (Nos. 3 and 4) and possibly all four SCSWs is a discussion of the method in which serial numbers were added to frames and it was seemingly haphazard, at best, in that SN No. 001 might actually be finished/produced after SN No. 018 (both herein being BS serial nos.), and, indeed, offered was a specific example of how an existing higher serial number was produced/shipped something on the order of one-year prior to a an existing lower SN.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Later.

 

[monsterhobby]

2nd Gen 669 TAE 4632