Smith and Wesson serial number search

38 special l-frame

Just want to say great website guys. I am wondering on some info on a revolver my late father in law passed down to me. It is a S&W 38. special , L-frame revolver that has nickel(chrome?)finish. It doesn't seem to have any model numbers. I found the L on the frame and under it is some numbers(61***) is this the model #? Also trying to date the gun it has C 343** on butt. Any help would be appreciated. I know the answers are in the book but this is the only fire arm in my possession.

Thanks, and keep up the good work.
 
model 19-4
4" barrel square butt
serial # 63k2XXX
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1980.

it has C 343** on butt
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It is a K frame .38 Military and Police which became the model 10 when S&W began stamping model numbers around 1957.

Your SN of C343xxx falls in the range of serial numbers that ran from C277555 in 1954 to C402293 in 1956.

Jim
 
How about a little info on a S&W I picked up today. It has a 5" Brl and Parkerized (Spelling) marked .38 S&W CTG Ser #581551 and CIV ..There is an import mark under the Brl C.A.I. ST ALB. VT. Thanks in advance..
Here are a few pic's..



 
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Fredrader,

I'm not positive on yours but it's a .38 Military & Police. The serial number (581xxx dates it around 1930.
That said, you say the caliber marking is .38 S&W vs. .38 special. That, the hole for a lanyard and the CIV marking "could" mean a Victory model (SN V581xxx) with CI added later. "If" thats the case then it was made around 1943/44 time range.

Jim
 
Thanks for the quick reply.. I was told it was a Victory model by the seller.Oh,I forgot to mention it has an import mark under the Brl C.A.I. ST ALB. VT..He said it was a lend lease gun from the war but I don't know anything about them.
 
Thank you!

Any idea how many 19-4's were made that year?

Also when were they made something like 78-82??
 
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need dates please

I have two S&W revolvers I would like to know the birth dates on. The first is an M15-1 K38 Combat Masterpiece (like the one I carried as an Air Force cop years ago) with s/n K4531xx. The other is a MOD 57 6" 41 Mag. with s/n N7871xx, and 1X1X5 over F24 on the cylinder carriage. Thanks in advance, Smitty.
 
Any idea how many 19-4's were made that year?
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It's really not possible to say from the information generally available to the public - there were many different models of revolvers using the same K-prefix range of serial numbers.

Also when were they made something like 78-82??
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The .357 Combat Magnum was introduced in 1955. It became the Model 19 in 1957 and continued in production until 1999. The 19-4 variation started in 1977 when the gas ring was moved from the yoke to the cylinder and it was produced until 1982 when the 19-5, which dropped the pinned barrel and cylinder counterbore (P&R) features, began production.
 
Oh,I forgot to mention it has an import mark under the Brl C.A.I. ST ALB. VT..He said it was a lend lease gun from the war but I don't know anything about them.
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Okay. Then no question it's a Victory model and made ~43/44.
Many of the Victory (WWII) models were chambered for 38 S&W and sent to the British during the war. After the war, many of them were imported back into the US and sold on the civilian market.
I like how they stamped the CI in front of the V (for victory) prefix to make CIV (civilian).

Jim
 
It's a 7rd 686+ 3" Serial Number DAS1035.
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The current edition of SCSW was published in 2005 and only covers serial numbers up to October of 2004, at which time they were at the CTA prefix. You could try calling S&W Customer Service, I understand they will look up the date for you at no cost.
 
I've got a model 10-8 that's number under the grip is 6d36xxx while the yoke have the number 55xxx and C75(it might be C15) on it. I'm'a bit confused by it and hoped that someone could help me out with it.
 
You rock. I apologize for not reading 100+ pages of posts to get the answer. So, the numbers on the yoke have to do with the assembly number, and it's not like my gun was put together with two different guns, right?
 
Up to about 50 years ago S&W would place the serial number on all the major parts of the gun (grip butt, cylinder, barrel, etc.). Then they went to the grip butt only for the SN and started using assembly numbers on the major parts. Not too long ago they would sometimes also put the serial number on the frame cut-out, but since the frame cut-out and the grip butt are on the same frame they would have to match. Otherwise, they're assembly numbers.

The one constant (with the exception of the Regulation Police models) has been the bottom of the grip butt so that's the "official" location.

Jim
 
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