S&W 66-1 production dates

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I recently bought a S&W Model 66 "Tulsa PD Commemorative". It's dated 1984, but it's a Model 66-1, pinned & recessed, which I'm told was replaced by the 66-3 in 1982. Was it common for guns to sit in inventory for that long before being shipped?
 
From S&W collectors - Standard Catalog - 3rd edition...

Model 66-1 1977 - 1981.

Model 66-2 started in 1982...thru 1985...
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When you say its dated 1984 / is the box engrave or the gun - or maybe both ??
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In the Standard Catalog - there are 2 pages of "variations" for this model ..and there is a line in the listing ...but it says only " Tulsa Police: Caliber: 357 Magnum" nothing noted about anything being etched into the gun, how many were made, etc.... Tulsa Police was in italics - probably meaning - the guns were etched with just those words.

But I think its certainly possible that the Tulsa Police bought more than a few of the model 66-1 and kept them in their armory for presentation pieces or commemoratives.
 
There is a Tulsa PD badge engraved on the right side of the frame, and the barrel is engraved "Tulsa Police Commemorative 1909-1984"
 
Was it common for guns to sit in inventory for that long before being shipped?
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No, but it seems happen at S&W from time to time. Since S&W did (and still does) so much LE business, my guess is that these M66-1s may have been a contract overrun that was held back in case a large-volume buyer exercised an option to buy some spare guns.

It would not be the first time that a gunmaker got rid of an overrun of a discontinued or slow-selling model by making the remaining excess guns into a commemorative edition. :)
 
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