640 Centennial question...

T

Tamara

Moderator Emeritus
My 640 is a no-dash, roll-marked, bright stainless, .38 Special-only gun.

The serial # is CEN0xxx. I am given to understand that this prefix was used for the reintroduction of the Centennial. How long before they went back to the usual letter series for the prefix? 1000 guns? One year?

Supica & Nahas are silent on the subject.
 

Attachments

  • 6401.jpg
    6401.jpg
    118.9 KB · Views: 398
Funny, I've got a 640 no dash ser. #CEN2XXX .38 spec.. Yours must be newer because of cyl rel latch design. Yet mine has a higher ser,#
 

Attachments

  • dcp_0201.jpg
    dcp_0201.jpg
    87.6 KB · Views: 141
popeye,

I'm guessing mine probably picked up that cylinder latch on the same trip to the Performance Center that got it that Carry Comp-ed barrel...

Does yours have "Tested for +P+" etched in the bottom of the cylinder window? I'm wondering if the gun originally had that there or if it was added by the PC...
 
Tamara: Yes it does have "Tested for +P+" etched on it. I recently picked up a 649 that appears to be newer than the 640. It has no +P designation on it.
 
Tamara,
That gun is too cool! I am looking for a new snubbie and that is just what I had in mind. I also like the holster and the knife! I got to ask, how much did the gun set you back? Where did you get it?
 
According to Rick Nahaus, standard S&W procedure has been, on special serial number runs on reintroduced guns, to make about 500 with the special serial number and then go back to series.
 
Yes, but...

popeye and I have 640 dash-naughts with serial numbers of CEN2xxx and CEN09xx, respectively, which both date from the early '90s. That kinda knocks that into a cocked hat, as the "CEN" prefix shouldn't show up in normal usage until sometime mid-2001. (My early-'94 625-4 is BRFxxxx, and my only other early 1990's production revo is also a "special serial #" gun; my PC-13, which is JPC00xx, and therefore is no help.)

Looks like a letter from Mssr. Jinks will be my only hope... :(
 
kahrma,

The gun was purchased new by a DEA agent friend of a local LE dealer. The fed sent it off to the Performance Center, which did a trigger job, and added the low-profile cylinder release & the 2 7/8" Carry Comp barrel. The federale then traded it in on something, and before the shop owner could make up his mind to take it home, my ex-roommate bought it. He then had a further trigger job done on it (including a Wolff spring kit) and added the Ahrend's cocobolo grips, before trading it to me for a Glock 33. The holster is a Galco Speed Paddle.

How much did it cost? Over the years, a lot... ;)

(The knife is a Benchmade Terzuola Park Avenue.)
 
Tamara,

Rick say about 500 guns is traditional S&W practice.

Not that it's written in stone.

It could be that the serial number was used for a single calendar year to commemorate the reintroduction of the Centennials.
 
My 649 is numbered BSW0XXX. Which I assume is Bodyguard S&W. It is also .38 spec. 1 7/8" barrel. My new favorite carry gun.
 
Popeye,

I'd be very surprised if BSW stood for what you think it does.

BSW is just an incremental step in the serialization process.
 
What Mike said...

Prolly late '94 production.



As an aside, Mike, I just realized I could probably find out what I wanted to know by removing the sideplate on my Centennial; if the firing pin's on the hammer, it's definitely '90-'92 production...

Edit: Although that still wouldn't tell me how long the "CEN" prefix was used. Your guess of one year sounds about right, though.
 
Nifty Centennial, regardless!

Makes me want to trade in my early Model 36.


BTW, gotta appreciate Kipling, Tamara. When I went over there for my deployment tour last winter, this one was in the back page of my flight checklist:

"When you're wounded and left,
On Afghanistan's plains,
And the women come out,
To cut up your remains,
Just roll on your rifle,
And blow out your brains,
And go to your Gawd,
Like a soldier."
(Rudyard Kipling)

Still perusing more of his prose for my next rotation.;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top