New to me S&W

[Bic]

If anyone has their Big Boys Book O' S&W serial numbers handy I'd like to know it's age # 6J 7XX

[fatbaldguy]

You must have a magnetic personality, you keep attracting S&W revolvers lately.

[alfsauve]

If anyone has their Big Boys Book O' S&W serial numbers handy I'd like to know it's age # 6J 7XX

There's a gap in the book.  The 1Jnnnnn started in 1982, but the book doesn't list what happened after that.

Give me some more hints.  36 or 37. (I'm not that good at the nuances between some models.)  What "dash" number? 

Very nice.

[Bic]

36,no dash, pinned bbl. 3" 

[kmitch200]

I haven't looked for a born on date yet but let me be the first in this thread to say we hate you.

[Sponsor]

[TAB]

^ seconded.

[alfsauve]

The Book is a little sketchy about this model and period.   And some things don't jive.  That's not unusual as S&W didn't strive for any consistency with s/n.  There are a lot of undocumented "runs" and yours could have been made special for Lew Horton or another distributor.

Here's what I found.

1969 - Begin "J" serial prefix
1975 - Heavy barrel standard
1982 - Eliminated pinned barrel

Serial number sequence doesn't show a "6Jx..x" at all.  It shows "1Jx..." starting in 1982 and evidently continuing on till today.  But that would put a "6J" well after your model

However, "J70000" started around 1979-1980.

Hope that helps some.

Alf

[Bic]

Thanks for your help Alf, I was sorta thinking 1970.

kmitch & TAB, I feel the vibes coming through my laptop, but you'll feel better knowing that I had to give almost $300!!!! for it!...and it's only in about 98% condition   ----OK perhaps 99......and a 1/2

edit: I just came across this:

4K1,628 – 4K54,104.....1973
 5K6,617 – 5K73,962.....1973
 4K54,105 – 4K99,999....1974
 5K73,963 – 6K58,917....1974
 7K1 – 7K26,043.........1974
 7K26,044 – 7K70,577....1975
 6K98,918 – 8K20,763....1975

stating that if it were a 'K' frame it would be 1974, there was no info about J's but it might make sense that they used the same system?

[alfsauve]

S&W Doesn't make a lot of sense about any of their serial numbers.  The book, is trying to reverse engineer the numbers and has gaps.  You can't apply any particular logic between one set of s/n, like the K frames to another like your J.

Make sure you're looking at the s/n and not a lot number.  s/n on those guns are on the butt under the grips.

Here's the list of "J" s/n's *:

1969-1970 J1-J99999
1971-1972 J1-999J99  (??)
1973-1974 J100000-J250000
1975-1976 J250001-J370000
1976-1977 J270001-J610000
1977-1978 J610001-J670000
1979-1980 J670001-J760000
1981         J760001-J915400
1982         J915401-1J18600
1983         1J18601-

These are ranges and don't mean they produced any specific number of guns. (i.e., they may not use all the numbers in a range.)  By this chart a 6J would be after 1983, but we know that can't be yours since you have a pinned barrel.    Unless of course they made a special run of pinned barrels for a distributor as a "classic recreation".   Double check the s/n on the butt.





* Standard Catalog of S&W, 3rd edition, James Supica

[Timothy]

I sent Remington an email with the sn from my 870.  Within a day the had a born on date.  Maybe sw will do the same.