Another old smith and wesson serial number..

[rick35ovi]

Guys sorry for the delay, my buddy's camera is down but i had him look at the gun again and tell him to make sure there wasn't a letter there, Well naturally there IS!! Dang it!! The letter code is J979700 and the numbers on the yoke say 32330 A-17

 

[Jim Watson]

Geez, that is the serial number for a 1982 Chief's Special or other J frame, not a M&P. My head hurts.

 

[RJay]

J frame, Model 36, AKA Chiefs Special, made in 1982. If your buddy opens the cylinder and looks at the yoke he will see the Model number stamped there.: ADDED, what were you saying Jim K. about not needing a crystal ball

 

[Mike Irwin]

Given the serial number and the photo, that's not a K frame, that's the smaller 5-shot J frame.

 

[Jim Watson]

But the cylinder stop notches are over the chambers as for a sixshooter, not behind the flutes for a five shot Chief.

 

[Mike Irwin]

Damn it, you're right.

That is a K frame. It didn't look right to me...

But, I'm still NOT seeing any evidence of a barrel pin, and that means post 1982/1983.

 

[Mike Irwin]

OK, this is even more confusing...

The J serial number prefix was never used on K frame revolvers.

The serial number could have been misread, or misstamped, but you cannot reloacate the cylinder stop notches unless you re-engineer the entire gun.

 

[James K]

Like computers, my crystal ball is only as good as the input.

I sure think the input here is a bit confusing, to say the least.

Jim

 

[RJay]

And again, that might not even be a photograph of the right gun.

 

[Jim Watson]

That's an uncomfortable thought.
These third hand twenty questions jobs are hard to get anything done on. You would think that an evening of surfing the gunboards would teach people what is called for in describing and illustrating a gun for discussion.

 

[CowTowner]

There you go, Jim. Trying to make sense and be logical again.