S&W serienummer

*** Note ***
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.
For the exact date on your gun request the letter from the S&W Historian.

"K" Frame Revolvers - 1899 to 1983:
(Years/Serial Number Range)

Pre-War Years:
1899-1902...........1-20,975
1902-1903...........20,976-33,803
1903-1905...........33,804-62,449
1905-1906...........62,450-73,250
1906-1908...........73,251-120,000
1908-1909...........120,001-146,899
1909-1915...........146,900-241,703
1915-1942...........241,704-1,000,000

War Years:
1942-1944...........V1-V769,000

Post-War Years:
1944-1945...........S769,001-S811,119
1945-1948...........S811,120-S990,184

- C Series:
C1 - C233,999………….....1948 – 52
C236,004 – C261,483…….1953
C277,555 - C402,923….…1954 – 56
C402,924 – C405,018…….1957
C405,019 – C429,740…....1958 – 59
C429,741 – C474,148…….1960
C474,149 – C622,699…….1961 – 62
C622,700 – C810,532…….1963 – 65
C810,533 – C999,999….....1966 – 67

- D Series:
D1 – D90,000…………….....1968
D90,001 – D330,000……..1969 -70
D330,001 – D420,000………1971 – Early 72
D420,001 – D510,000………Late 1972 – Early 73
D510,001 – D659,901………Late 1973 – Early 1974
D659.902 – D75000………..Late 1974 – Early 1975
D750,001 – D870,000………Late 1975 – Early 1976
D870,001 – D999,999………Late 1976 – Early 1977
2D00001 - 2D80,000……….1977
2D80,001 – 2D99,999………1978
4D00001 – 6D10,000……….1979
6D10,0001 – 7D10,000……1980
7D10,001 – 9D44,500…..1981
9D44,501 – 17D8,900………1982
17D8,901 – 21D0883……….1983

- K Series:
K101 – K614……………......1946
K615 – K18,731…………....1947
K18,732 – K73,121……..…1948
K73,122 – K84,149……..…1949
K84,150 – K104,047…...1950
K104,048 – K136,690...1951
K136,691 – K175,637...1952
K175,638 – K210,095...1953
K210,096 – K231,255...1954
K231,256 – K266,154...1955
K266,155 – K288,988...1956
K288,989 – K317,822...1957
K317,823 – K350,547...1958
K350,548 – K386,804...1959
K386,805 – K429,894...1960
K429,895 – K468,098...1961
K468,099 – K515,478...1962
K515,479 – K553,999....1963
K555,000 – K605.877....1964
K605,878 – K658.986....1965
K658,987 – K715,996....1966
K715,997 – K779.162....1967
K779,163 – K848,781....1968
K848,782 – K946,391....1969
K946,382 – K999,999....1970
1K1 – 1K39,500.........1970
2K1 – 2K22.037.........1970
1K39,501 – 1K999,999...1971
2K22,038 – 2K55,996....1971
3K1 – 3K73,962.........1971
2K55,997 – 2K99,999....1972
3K31,280 – 5K6,616.....1972
4K1 – 4K1,627..........1972
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
8K20,764 – 9K1.........1975
8K20,000 – 9K100,000...1975
9K1,001 – 9K99,999.....1976
10K001 – 24K9,999......1977
25K001 – 56K9,999......1978 – 79
57K001 – 91K6,800......1980
91K6,801 – 124K000.....1981
125K000 – 269K9,999....1982
270K000 – 311K273......1983

In 1980's the Three-Letter Prefix Series Began with AAA0
1980 AAA 000-2100
1981 AAD 2120
Oct 1982 AAF9000
Dec. 1982 ABL3 3999
Jan. 1983 ABL 40000
Oct. 1983 ADE 6700
Dec. 1983 ADT 2999
Jan 1984 ADT 3000 AET prefix 66-2 Grips dated 5/13/83 HG7568 from 2012
Nov. 1984 AEV-ARJ
Jan. 1985 AHA 0667
Jul. 1985 AHS-AHT
Nov. 1985 ALA-ALC
Jan. 1986 AHC1687
Apr. 2004 ASR Model 327
Jul. 1987 AVB 8654
Jul. 1987 AWW 7874
Dec. 1986 AYW 9023
Jan. 1987 AYC5788 – Grips dated 1/28/87
Jan. 1988 AYY 1139
Jan. 1988 AYE-AYM
Jul. 1988 BBF
Oct. 1988 BBT 2293
Feb. 1989 BDC
Apr. 1989 BDS
Apr. 1989 BCY
May 1989 BDY – BDZ
Aug. 1989 BEA – BED
Sept 1989 BFE
Oct. 1989 BEK
Nov. 1989 BEN
Dec. 1989 BEP
Mar. 1990 BFN
Jul. 1990 BFL 1101 – BFL 1535
Aug. 1990 BFN 4343 – BFN 4668
Aug. 1990 BFF 629 BFY (2) 2/91 Ashland 642 BFY (2) 2/91 Ashland BFV 3/91 Roper
Jan. 1991 BFW 3337 – BFY 8122
Feb. 1991 BFW
Mar. 1991 BHE
Jul. 1991 BHJ 8613 – BHJ 9628
Aug. 1991 BKN 533 – BKN 6905
Jan. 1992 BHT 6706 – BHT 7337
Feb. 1992 BKZ 1014 – BKZ 2310
Mar. 1992 BHP
Sep. 1992 BFV
Feb. 1993 BMB
Mar. 1993 BNW
Oct. 1993 BPD
Nov. 1993 BPE
Dec. 1993 BPK
Jan. 1994 BDY
May. 1994 BDY
Aug. 1994 BRF
Oct. 2003 BVA (329-1); CAF
Jan. 1996 CAM
Jan. 1996 CAN
Sept 1996 CBA; CBB; CBD
Feb. 1995 CLS
Aug. 1996 CBC
Mar. 1997 ULT/LGT Airlite 317. Exceptions: on 5/8/10, had a 57-1 SN Prefix AUL, grips dated Jan 1984.
Aug. 1997 CBN
Oct. 1997 CCD
Nov. 1997 CCE
Jan. 1998 CCK; CCM; CCN; CCR; CCW
Jan. 1999 CDB; CDD
Mar. 1999 CDE; CDF; CDH; CDJ CDM, CDN 08/99 RSR CDP, CDR 10/99 RSR CDT 12/99 RSR
Nov. 1999 CDR CBW 642LS from RSR 12/99
Jan. 2000 CDW CDW 03/00 RSR 686 (CDS) 12/99 RSR
Feb. 2000 CDY 637 CDZ 03/00 RSR
Mar. 2000 CEA
Apr. 2000 CEB
Oct. 2000 CEF CER 02/01 RSR
Jul. 2001 CEV 7-6-01 317
Feb. 2002 CFB 2-6-02 CFB 04/00 Dx Sh
Feb. 2002 CFC 2-18-02
May 2002 CFE 5-10-02
Jan 2003 CFF 1-15-03
Jan. 15 2003 CFF8265, 2 lines 37-2
Jun. 2002 CFH 6-17-02
Aug. 2002 CFJ 8-2-02
Aug. 2002 CFD 8-21-02
Dec. 2002 CFS 12-16-02
Apr. 2003 CFT; CFW 2 lines 37-2
May 2003 CFY 5-15-03, 5-9-03
Nov. 2003 CHB 11-907-03 332-1
Jan. 2004 CHD 1-29-04
Feb. 2004 CHE 2-9-04 2 lines
Apr. 2004 CHJ 4-8-04
May 2004 CHK 431 342PD 2 lines
Jun. 2004 CHL 6-23-04
Jul. 2004 CHM 432 7-9-04 642 6-23-04
Jul. 2004 CSR (327) 7-22-04
Oct 2004 CTA 342 CTA6329
Sep 2003 DEW (329-1)
Oct. 2003 JNM 500 PC
Oct. 2001 LRM (17-8)
Jun. 2000 RDA (646)
Oct. 2003 RGN0001
Jul. 2001 SCA0523 Scand. 340, 360, 386
Feb 2002 SCA9923 1994 SDE (460)
Sep 2003 SCC (625-10_ Sep 1996 SWC (29-4) 1986 TWT 544
Oct. 2003 VAR (647-1)