Dating a Smith & Wesson Revolver: This list is merely a general guide and not meant to be exact. There is some dispute regarding the dates on some serial numbers. Your gun may actually be a year off from what is listed. The precise shipping date as 'lettered' can be several years off depending on model. .NOTE: The one TRUE place you can be sure of reading the original serial number for all Hand Ejectors of any vintage with stamped numbers, (which includes any letter prefixed #s after WW II,) is the BUTT of the gun, (or front grip strap on non-round butt.22/32 Kit guns and Targets,.32 &.38 S&W Regulation Police pre Model of 1953 I frames. Just bought a 15-4 today. The serial number is a bit unique as it starts with 'AHUxxx' the number is four digits. Just to the front of the barrell and above the trigger on the left side of the gun there are some initials that look very professionally engraved. Please enter the serial number below: Please enter the serial number below.
The serial number you provided proves your Fathers gun is from 1958 see the sequence. It should have a number 17 in the crane area when you open the cylinder it would be on the guns main frame. It is a Four Screw model meaning Three on the side Plate and one in front of the Trigger Guard.
The Victory Model Smith and Wesson .38 Caliber Revolver
The revolvers of the U.S. armed forces have always been under appreciated by collectors, the good news is that makes them relatively inexpensive to acquire, but this is changing. At a recent trip to the 2003 Louisville gun show I noticed prices on Victory revolvers had increased noticeably. That being said you might want to consider adding a few Victory models to your USGI collection.
While the information I provide below can be helpful please see the list on the bottom of this page for reference material you should have if you are going to collect these historical pieces . The Victory model revolvers participated in various roles from guard duty to riding in a shoulder holster with fighter and bomber pilots. I have talked to many ex-military personnel that carried them as late as the 1980s, as you can see these pistols played a significant part of our history. To this day the Victory model is a very enjoyable shooting collectible, mainly due to its inexpensive cost, light recoil, and good accuracy.
Enjoy and happy collecting, Ty
The Victory model was so named for the 'V' prefix which was placed before the serial number and represented 'Victory' against the Axis powers in World War II.
Serial numbers for the .38 special Victory model began at about V1 in early 1942 and ran until VS811119 with a date of late August of 1945 (end of production). V1 to approximately V39,999 were predominately .38 S&W Caliber (I have observed revolvers in the 1-40000 range in .38 special caliber). Serial numbers are located on Inside right grip, frame butt, Cylinder, extractor star, and bottom of barrel. Crane and crane recess are also serial numbered to each other, but this is a different number then the revolvers serial number as is correct for Victory model revolvers.
The Victory Revolver was produced during World War II, it is a variation of the Military & Police Model of 1905, fourth change and had the following characteristics between 1942 and 1945:
Barrel: 2, 4, 5, or 6 inch. (4 inch common in .38 special, 5 inch common in 38/200 or .38 S&W)
Sights: Fixed
Finish: Early sandblast blue, sandblast mid-night black (appears grayish black). And finally a parkerized finish. Hammer and Trigger are case hardened.
Grips: Checkered walnut with medallion until early 1942, post February of 1942 they are smooth American Walnut with out medallions.
Ordnance acceptance marks:
The acceptance mark varies with the particulars of the order placed. With U.S. Navy orders you will find no acceptance marks on the original two contracts they placed. On later Navy revolvers, ordered through the Army they will be found with the more typical Army G.H.D. acceptance mark. Below you will find some of the common stamps with links to examples.
W.B. - The acceptance mark of Ordnance officer Waldemar Bromberg is located on the butt (to about serial number V145000). Just to the right of the acceptance mark (W.B.) is usually found an ordnance bomb and proof mark. The 'P' proof mark indicates this revolver has passed military proof testing. EXAMPLE – Click Here
G.H.D – From approximately 1942 to about May 1943 the acceptance mark of Ordnance officer Guy H. Drewry is found on the butt. From approximately V300000 to end of production G.H.D is found on the left top strap; EXAMPLE – Click Here
Property marks:
The most common property marks found on the Victory model are the UNITED STATES PROPERTY, US PROPERTY, and the US NAVY markings.
UNITED STATES PROPERTY – Found on left top strap to approximately V300000 and on the M&Ps pre Victory. Applied at the S&W factory. Example - Click Here
U.S. PROPERTY – The property mark was shortened to 'U.S. PROPERTY' at about serial number V300000. At this time the G.H.D acceptance mark was moved from the butt to the left top strap with the property mark. Applied at the S&W factory. EXAMPLE – Click Here
U.S. NAVY – Found on the revolvers left top strap as per the two Navy contracts. The Navy also applied a Property mark on the left side plate on some revolvers; these were filled in with red paint. This is not an S&W applied marking. EXAMPLE – Click Here and Here for the Navy applied mark.
Victory models have also been produced with out property marks, these revolvers were probably delivered by the U.S. Defense Supply Corporation (DSC) to defense contractors and public agencies that required them for guarding war sensitive materials.
Other common markings:
S - Revolvers that have the 'S' marking on the right side plate as well as before the serial number on the butt have the improved hammer block installed. If the 'S' in the serial number on the butt appears to be machine applied this would indicate it was produced with improved hammer block, and that it was not added later or it would have been hand stamped. The improved hammer block was put into production after an accidental discharge killed a sailor during World War II. This improved hammer block is still utilized in today's commercial Smith and Wesson revolvers. EXAMPLE – Click Here
P – Proof marking. This can very depending on the contract. Navy marked pistols usually have none. But C.W. Pates books indicate that some delivered under an Army contract could be found with a P mark. Post the V400,000 serial number range they are located on the underside of the barrel, back of the cylinder and left side plate. The later appear to be Army Supply Program contract revolvers. EXAMPLE – Click Here
Serial Numbers:
Serial numbers are located on the inside right grip, frame butt, Cylinder, extractor star, and bottom of grip. Serial numbers should be matching on all revolvers. Crane and Crane recess are also serial numbered to each other, but this is a different number then the revolvers serial number and is correct for Victory model revolvers.
Grip/StockEXAMPLE – Click Here
Barrel EXAMPLE – Click Here
Cylinder EXAMPLE – Click Here
Extractor Start EXAMPLE – Click Here
Butt EXAMPLE – Click Here
Production:
38/200 British Service Revolver (S&W Caliber) - There were over 571,629 of these models produced between October 1941 and May 1945 for the British Common wealth countries. These countries include the Union of South Africa (21,347), Canada (45,328), and Australia (8,000). The remaining 384,100 shipped between 1941 and the end of World War II were supplied by the U.S. Army Ordnance through the lend lease program to Britain for distribution.
Victory model 38 Special – 352,000 shipped to the Army and Navy. Some of these were shipped to a commission responsible for supplying the civilian industries. They will usually have no property marks. Uses included guarding factories, ports, and federal/local government agencies.
Note: You can find all kinds of variations, with additional war and post war markings. These include rebuild markings, country ownership markings, unit markings, and much more. For a complete listing see the books referenced below.
Recommended reading:
US Handguns of WW II - The Secondary Pistols and Revolvers by Charles W. Pate
Americas Right Arm - The S&W Military and Police Revolver by John Henwood
Smith and Wesson 1857 - 1945 by Robert J. Neal and Roy G. Jinks
HISTORY OF SMITH & WESSON
Horace Smith and Daniel Baird Wesson formed a partnership in 1852 to manufacture a firearm that could fire a fully self-contained cartridge. From the beginning, Smith & Wesson® firearms were noted for their innovative design, high quality production and reliability. The accomplishments of Smith & Wesson are numerous and its contributions to the history of firearms are vast. Smith & Wesson was an industry leader in 1852 when it was first founded and continues to lead the world today with innovations into the 21st century.
Over 165 Years of Excellence.
1852
A Partnership is Forged
Horace Smith & D. B. Wesson form a partnership to manufacture a firearm that can fire a fully self-contained cartridge.
1854
The Volcanic Pistol
The first American firearm capable of firing a fully self-contained cartridge was manufactured by Smith & Wesson in 1852. This repeating pistol fired as quickly as the shooter could operate the lever and it was dubbed “The Volcanic,” since the rapid-fire sequence appeared to have the force of an erupting volcano.
Model 1 Revolver
Originally called the Seven Shooter, the Model 1 was introduced in 1857. This .22 rim fire revolver was the first practical cartridge revolver and its introduction heralded the end of percussion firearms.
1870
Model 3 American Revolver
Introduced in the summer of 1870, the Model 3 American was the first large caliber, centerfire, cartridge revolver manufactured in the United States.
1880
.38 Double Action Revolver
By 1880, the demand for self-cocking revolvers was so great that Smith & Wesson introduced a complete series in three different caliber sizes.
1887
● .38 Safety Hammerless Revolver
In the early 1880s, D.B. Wesson and his son, Joseph, began developing a revolver that didn’t have an external hammer. The Safety Hammerless, which debuted in 1887, was the world’s first double action concealed hammer revolver.
1899
.38 Military & Police Revolver
In 1899, Smith & Wesson introduced what would become its most successful revolver, the .38 Military & Police. Everything about this firearm was innovative, from its solid frame and its hand ejector system to the cartridges it fired. The .38 Military & Police, now known as the Model 10 revolver, has been in continuous production since 1899, and over six million units have been produced.
1913
.35 Automatic Pistol
After years of development and testing, Smith & Wesson produced its first automatic pistol on May 3, 1913. The .35 Automatic featured two safety devices and was available in blue or nickel for $16.50. The odd caliber and production stoppages due to the more important war time production of World War I, kept sales of the .35 Automatic relatively low. A total of 8,350 units were manufactured until 1922.
1935
.357 Magnum® Revolver
Initially conceived of as a custom-built, heavy load, deluxe handgun in 1934, the .357 Magnum revolver quickly caught the interest of law enforcement agencies. Handgun cartridges of the day could not penetrate bulletproof glass and armor-plated vehicles, but the .357 Magnum cartridge could. Many of these revolvers were purchased by numerous law enforcement agencies, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
1942
Victory Model M&P® Revolver
During World War II, the British Commonwealth approached Smith & Wesson for revolvers. The guns, which were basically an updated version of the .38 Military & Police revolver, were eventually given a V prefix on their serial number and called Victory Models. By the war’s end, Smith & Wesson had made over 800,000 revolvers for Allied troops.
1950
Model 36, Chiefs Special® Revolver
This small revolver, designed primarily for plainclothes and off-duty police officers, made its public debut at a police conference in 1950. At the conference, the Smith & Wesson sales force asked the police chiefs to vote on a name for the new revolver. The most commonly suggested name was .38 Chiefs Special.1955
Model 39 Pistol
In 1955, the first American-made double action auto-loading pistol, the Model 39, was introduced. In 1968, the Illinois State Police adopted it and the Model 39 became the first 9mm Double Action auto-loading pistol ever used by any state law enforcement agency in the United States.
Model 29, .44 Magnum® Revolver
At the urging of handgunner Elmer Keith, Smith & Wesson developed the .44 Magnum. Completed in 1955, the .44 Magnum revolver was originally available in two barrel lengths, 4 inches and 6 ½ inches. The model sold well and in a few years a third barrel length of 8 3/8 inches was added. Demand for the firearm decreased in the 1960s but skyrocketed in the 1970s after the release of the film, Dirty Harry, starring Clint Eastwood. In 2005, Field & Stream rated the Model 29 revolver as the 5th best gun ever made, the only handgun to make their top ten.
1957
Model 41 Pistol
Prior to World War II, most competitive shooters shot revolvers. After the war the trend to use autoloaders became more popular. Smith & Wesson began the development of a high-grade .22 caliber rim fire target pistol in the late 1940s. The pistols were heavily tested, adjusted and modified for almost ten years. Finally, in 1957, the Model 41 pistol was made available to the public.
1961
Model 52 Pistol
In 1960, the U.S. Army Marksmanship Training Unit asked Smith & Wesson to build a pistol similar to the Model 39 pistol that could fire the newly developed .38 AMU cartridge. The Model 52 pistol was the most accurate target pistol of its day and featured an innovative ball-bushing barrel.1965
Model 60, Stainless Steel Chiefs Special® Revolver
S&w Revolver Serial Number Location
The Model 60 revolver was the first stainless steel handgun manufactured by Smith & Wesson. Originally available in a highly polished finish, the finish was changed to a satin polish after law enforcement agencies objected to the bright finish.
1979
Model 439 Pistol
Smith & Wesson debuts the first of the Second Generation pistols, updated and stainless steel versions of the semi-automatic pistol line. The Model 439 pistol is an updated version of the Model 39 pistol featuring an alloy frame. It is a Second Generation semi-automatic pistol, denoted by the three digit model number. First generation models have a two-digit model number, Second generation models have three digits, and Third generation models have four-digits.
1987
Third Generation Semi-Automatics
With 42 models in 121 variations, Smith & Wesson’s Third Generation Semi-Automatics were the broadest handgun line in the world.
1990
Model 4006 Pistol
The Model 4006 is a 3rd Generation pistol first introduced in January 1990 alongside the new .40 S&W cartridge. The .40 S&W cartridge was developed jointly with Winchester in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who had requested a 10mm cartridge loaded to less-than-full-power. The result was the shorter .40 S&W that allowed for a more comfortable grip when used in a double-stack magazine. Early detractors doubted the viability of the cartridge, but today it is one of the most successful law enforcement cartridges.
2003
Model S&W500™
An entirely new frame size was developed to fire the new .500 S&W Magnum cartridge. The Model S&W500 revolver is the biggest, heaviest, most-powerful factory production, double action revolver in the world.
Smith And Wesson Revolver Serial Number Location Online
2005
M&P® Pistol
Smith & Wesson debuts the M&P Pistol Series, a new line of polymer-frame pistols. Championed by law enforcement officials, the new line is adopted by over 100 departments in its first year.
2006
M&P®15 Rifle
The M&P15 rifle, a modern sporting rifle, was introduced. It is first in the highly successful M&P® Rifle Series.
2011
M&P®15 -22 Rifle
Smith And Wesson Revolver Serial Number Location Codes
Introduced in 2009, the M&P15-22 rifle offers the fit and feel of the popular M&P15 rifle, while chambered in the more economical .22LR ammunition. In 2010, ground-breaking rifle received the “Rifle of the Year” award from the Shooting Industry Academy of Excellence.2012
M&P Shield® Pistols
This slim, concealable, lightweight, striker fired pistol is released. Within three years, one million of these pistols were manufactured.
2015
SW22 Victory® Pistol
S&w Revolver Model Number Location
The SW22 Victory, a modular design, metal-framed pistol with fiber optic front and rear sights. This highly customizable and incredibly accurate blow back .22 pistol will keep you on target round after round, and provide years of unmatched performance.2017
Smith And Wesson Serial Number Search Site
Smith And Wesson Revolver Serial Number Location Chart
M&P® M2.0™ PistolBuilding on the proven reliability and success of the M&P pistol series, M&P M2.0 pistol is the culmination of a decade of research and design. Designed for professional, personal and sporting use, the M&P M2.0 pistol features upgrades to nearly every aspect including trigger, grip, frame, and finish.