Smith and Wesson serial number search

Flyfish,
THANK YOU very much for the info. Both my sons (U. S. Marines) got married this year; when those bills are caught up I will buy the S&W book.
Semper fi,

Dave Swaffield
 
Flyfish,
Would like to know Mfg. date and approx. value of S&W 357, mod. 66-6, ser. #CHE5XXX. Pistol has a 3" ported bbl. with adjustasble rear sight and high viz front. The finish is nickel. Was also wondering if ported bbl. is factory?
 
flyfish

thanks alot as I am fisherman to no end.. I'm not a big expert on guns..just the basics. so i dont know how to compile the info to estimate the year.so it might be 1920-30's.. the shell i thot the same as a collecter may want them 4 their showcase. box n shells r in great shape..dont know ccw???
i will use the regular38s ammo,but at least i know i can go with the heavier load if i needed to...thx any anything else will b appreciated. If any collectoers are intrested i can post pics of the ammo.
 
Would like to know Mfg. date and approx. value of S&W 357, mod. 66-6, ser. #CHE5XXX. Pistol has a 3" ported bbl. with adjustasble rear sight and high viz front. The finish is nickel. Was also wondering if ported bbl. is factory?
Click to expand...
Your SN dates to 2004.
The 66 is made from stainless steel so the finish is natural stainless (or polished stainless), not nickel.

The SCSW list two 66-6's that were offered with 3" barrels. One was from the S&W Performance Center. Called the F-Comp, it had a full lug barrel and a large port at the top of the barrel and forward of the front sight. It would likely have the Performance Center marking on it somewhere. It was offered around 2003/4. It shows the front sight as being dovetailed.

The other was a run for Davidson's. They had a 3.25" barrel and v-notch rear sight and green hi-viz front sight. It was offered in 2004. Nothing mentioned about porting though.

A picture would help.

Jim
 
shortwave: The CHE prefix was used in early 2004. The Model 66-6 was introduced in 2002 when S&W initiated the internal lock. :( It was the last Model 66, which was dropped in 2005. Note that the Model 66 was stainless (not nickel). I can't say for sure about the porting on yours, but SCSW notes that the M66 was commonly offered with Mag-Na-Porting starting around 1997.

Cajun Dago: Assuming that they made the same number of .38 M&Ps each year during the 1915-42 time period (which they almost certainly didn't), your gun would date to 1921. That's only an estimate and I'm afraid it's about the best we can do with the available info. CCW = concealed carry weapon. What I meant was that if you're only using it as a range gun there's really no point in regularly shooting +p ammo through such an old revolver. Once in a while, no problem.
 
Thanks fella's for the response.

Correction's on my post.
Revolver is polished stainless.
Has a 3.25" barrel thats magna ported with a v-notch rear sight and green high viz front sight.
Also has black rubber, round butt combat grips.

Sorry for the bad info:o
Sounds like the Davidson run you mentioned Jim.
Whats a Davidson run:confused:

I know a pics would be helpful but don't know how to post pics.
Is it possible to give an approx. value?
Gun is in excellent shape and looks to have very little wear.

Again, Thanks for your help.
 
flyfish

thx again..beautiful wkend here in new orleans so I'll try it out at the camp with some fresh new shells after i do some(alot of) fishing ...trout n reds r running good n I'm running after them LOL !!!
 
Whats a Davidson run?
Click to expand...

shortwave - Davidson's is a large gun wholesaler that sometimes commissions (I think that's the right word) special runs of particular models from manufacturers such as S&W. They typically specify that the guns be made with certain features (e.g., special barrel lengths, porting) that may not be available on the standard factory runs. These guns usually sell for a premium due to these special features. Lew Horton is another wholesaler who does the same thing. You can Google either of them to learn more.
 
Thank You Flyfish.

It is a Davidson run. I found a card under the foam in the gun box. After the ser.# were the letters DVDS.

Can you guys give/get info on Walther .380's made by or for S&W?

YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL,
Thanks for the wonderful thread,
Shortwave.
 
Hi guys, can you help with my pistos?

Hello folks,

I have ordered The Standard Catalog Of S&W's, but while I am waiting for my copy to arrive, could you nice people help me date a couple of S&W snubbies?

One is a blued Model 38 Airweight, with AWT4873 stamped on the bottom of the grip. It also has "MOD-38" stamped on the frame where the yoke (?) swings out and has "931XX" stamped on the swinging part. There is also a larger newer looking "A6" stamped just below the "931XX". The "931XX" is also stamped on the bottom of the grip, on the left side, with "3477" stamped on the right side..

The second pistol is a blued Model 49, with 4J2818 stamped on the bottom of the grip. It also has "MOD-49" stamped on the frame where the yoke (?) swings out and has "16997" stamped on the swinging part. The "16997" is also stamped on the bottom of the grip, on the left side.

These are both J-frame .38 Special revolvers with case hardened triggers and hammers (with blued firing pins), and the barrels measure 1 7/8 inches from the front of the cylinder.

Can you helpful folks tell me anything about my guns from those numbers? Manufacturing or shipping dates? Does the 931XX mean anything 'special'?

Thanks for your time!

- Thomas
 
ThomasH,

The serial number is the one stamped on the bottom of the grip butt. The other numbers are assembly numbers.

AWT4873 = 1987.
4J2818 = 1971/72.

Jim
 
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