S&W Chronology of Changes

This Appendix was omitted from the 6th Edition of Standard Catalog of S&W due to lack of space. Copyright Richard Nahas and Jim Supica.

Do not copy or reproduce without permission. For permission, contact SupicaLLC@outlook.com

By James J. Carter

This list of changes focuses primarily on the Hand Ejector Models. Where a month and day are listed, that will generally be the date that the factory change order was issued to implement the change. This is not a comprehensive list of changes. It also needs 2008-present updating.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Smith and Wesson dates of change are never absolute and there are almost always transition periods when changes are sporadic until completed. This list is not intended to be all inclusive. As with serial number ranges, this list of changes are presumed to be trends, and should not be taken as rules.

1857 – Serial number on stocks stamped on the inside of the right panel on wood stocks.

1893: Premium stocks medallions – S&W logo medallions are inlaid on factory produced pearl and ivory stocks (later India Sambar Stag as well). They are genuine gold plate over brass, small, round, and recessed. S&W medallions distinguish factory original premium stocks from non-factory stocks until after WW II when medallions were deleted from factory premium stocks.

1896 - Serial # on the butt or forestrap of the Pre war hand ejectors reads with barrel pointed to the right. After WW II it reads with barrel to the left except for serial #s on the forestrap which continue to read with the barrel to the right.

1890s to early 1900s - Factory oak cases were available.

1900 - Serial numbers on stocks were changed to penciled #s. The factory changed back to stamped #s in 1929. Numbers can be scratched, penciled or stamped on hard rubber grips.

1901 - Forestrap Serial number stamped on I frame models with stocks that cover the butt and began with the 1st Model Single-Shot, Model of 1901.

1907 - Smokeless powder guarantee was issued by Smith & Wesson stating that factory loaded smokeless powder was safe for use in their guns.

1910 - Barrel caliber roll mark is on the left side with nothing marked on the right side. This was changed to the right side and “SMITH & WESSON” was added to left side of I frames and K & N frames in 1915.

1910 - Stock medallions were not used on wood stocks until 1910, and used on all stocks thru 1920.

1915 – 1st style hammer block safety mounted in the side plate was introduced in the I frame .32 and .38/32 and K frame service revolvers April 20th. This style corresponds to the Dec 29, '14 patent date on barrels. It was not used in the I frame .22/32 Kit Gun or Heavy Frame Target.

1917 - Circassian Walnut use for stocks was discontinued Pre WW I.

1917-1920/21 – S&W logo was not stamped on any S&W hand ejectors..

1920: No medallions in wood stocks only, approx. 1920-1929.

1920 - Heat treated cylinders were introduced on all models but began on the 1917 Army Model.

1922 - MADE IN U.S.A. stamp was introduced on right side frame in May and used until 1948. Be alert for 4 line address blocks on pre-war revolvers factory re-finished after the war. S&W re-stamped with the 4 line for a short time until Roy Jinks put a stop to it.

1922 - Forcing cones were ordered on hand ejector barrels and did not exist until this engineering change order of Aug. 22.

1923 - Serrated triggers and grip straps ordered on all K frame Target Model .38 & .32 Winchester hand ejectors, Aug. 14.

1925 - 2nd style hammer block safety was ordered for the I frame Nov 6th to improve the action. It was not used in the .22/32 Kit Gun or Heavy Frame Target. There is no new patent date for this style.

1926 – 2nd style hammer block safety was ordered for all K frame models in December. There is no new patent date for this style.

1926 - REG.U.S.PAT.OFF. was stamped on Hammer and trigger, K & N frames beginning June. This is not a patent notice on mechanical design, but for the color case hardening process. It was dropped during WW II production.

1926/1927 – Flat top strap with square notch rear sight was introduced on N frames.

1927 - Hammer block safety mounted in the sideplate was added to the 2nd and 3rd model 44 Hand Ejectors at about #29000.

1927 - Stepped 'mushroom' extractor knob was ordered replaced with the ‘Barrel’ style and single milling cut under barrel on all hand ejector models, Jan. 22.

1927 - Serrated grip straps were introduced on N frame Target models, Oct. 17.

1929 - Stock numbers were changed back to stamped #s.

1929 - Bright blue as standard finish was resumed on all models following post war hiatus, Feb. 11.

1929 – Recessed medallions of gold plate over brass on stocks were reinstated but in 'convex' wood stocks on Feb. 11. Soon after, on March 18, this was changed to flush mounted gold plated medallions. In April, this was changed again.

1929 - Flush mounted, flat chrome plated over brass of ½” diameter were ordered on K & N stocks and 3/8” on I stocks in April.

1929 - Serrated trigger was ordered on all .32-20, .38, and.44 Hand Ejectors, March 18.

1930 - Large chrome medallions on K stocks were changed to 3/8” in the #61X,XXX serial range due to stocks cracking.

1933 - Hammer block safety mounted in the sideplate was added to the 1917 Army at about #185,000.

1934 - Pre war rear sight elevation check screw was first observed shipped on K22 #646390 in April.

1936 – Frame logo stampings, December.

Logos on frames ordered changed from small logo on the left side of the frame, to large logo on sideplate, for I, K and N frames.
Both logos are on models stamped in Dec 1936 and assembled in early 1937.
Small logos resumed on left side frame post war on I frames. When J frames were introduced in 1950, they had the same style logo marking. This marking continued into the 1980s.

1942 – Stock screw/escutcheon and side plate screw thread was standardized March 4 to #5-44 NF. This does not include the top side plate screw which is 4-48 NF.

1945 – Cylinder heat treatment was eliminated for the .22 & .32 ‘I’ frames, K22, K32 & K38, and the .44 & .45 N frames, Oct. 12.

1946 - Pressed hammer stud on Military & Police models replaced threaded type, Jan 18.

1946 - Barrel extractor rod knob deleted from barrel lengths of 4", 5" & 6", Oct. 4. It was replaced with the knurled tip on straight extractor rod introduced pre-war on 2” barrel models.

1946-49 – Sliding bar hammer block safety was introduced on all models.

1948 - Extractor rod thread direction changed to left hand thread on the I frames.

1948 - Four line address block change order was issued to add the phrase "Marcas Registradas" and the S&W name and address to the MADE IN U.S.A. frame stamp in April.

Late 1940s - Nickel plate over brass stock medallions, curved to match the stock curvature were introduced. Pre war flat chrome medallions will be observed sporadically into the 1950s until pre war inventory was exhausted.

1948 - Short action hammer (speed hammer/speed lock) introduced on fixed sight K frame .38, April 7. Other models received the short action by 1950. The I frames did not change.

1949 - Target hammer .500” width became available as an option for K frames.

1950 - Target hammer became available on N frames.

1952 - Ramp front sight replaced round sight on the M&P model.

1952 - K22 Masterpiece .125(1/8") front sight became standard replacing the 1/10" sight.

1953 – Target hammer introduced as standard on Kit Gun and Target .22/32 I frame models. It was an option for J frame center fire models much later.

1955 - K& N Target trigger .500” width was introduced. It was followed later by the .400” grooved target and smooth combat trigger.

1955 - Upper sideplate screw was ordered to be eliminated from I & K frames.

1956 - Upper sideplate screw was ordered to be eliminated from N frames.

1956 - Ten groove grip frames replaced 6 grooves on target revolvers.

1956 - “Coke” target stocks with black washer were specific to .44 Magnum thru the 29-2 model and during the early years of the Model 57. They were special order only on pre 24s, 27s, etc., until discontinued in 1967-68.

1956 – Bright blue as standard finish was resumed on all models following post war hiatus.

1957 - Soft Fitting Operation was eliminated May 1. This deleted stamping the serial # on the barrel, cyl & yoke.

1957 - Model # designation stamping in the yoke cut was ordered June 12. The model # stamping was not observed on shipped guns for many months while those unstamped and in production were completed.

1957 period - Optional I & J frame .400” grooved target trigger was offered.

1958 - Owners’ Manuals/Specification sheets were first included with some Model numbered guns. They were included with all models by early 1960.

1958 - Target sight updates for all revolvers were introduced by change order for finer adjustment, May 29. The changes are:

Change from 6 to 12 clicks for one complete screw revolution.
Windage screw: add .286” Radius crown and relocate plunger hole.
Elevation nut: add .286” Radius crown and relocate plunger hole.

1959 – Serial number stamped in the yoke cut began to be phased in. Simultaneously the frame assembly number was moved to the left side of grip frame.

1959/60 - Hole in the grip frame used to secure the frame during manufacturing was deleted. This was at c. #S196000 on N-frames.

1959-60 - Extractor rod thread direction changed to left hand thread on the K and N frames. These are identified by their dash #. As always with Smith, beware of those models with the dash # for LH thread, but that still have the RH thread and vice versa. During the period of change an L is stamped on the rear face of the cylinder and/or a groove is cut between the knurled tip and straight part of the rod.

1960s - Refinish and date stamp usage is generally accepted to have declined in the early 1960s and was sporadic until reportedly eliminated altogether. None have been observed since about 1983.

1962 – J frame hammer to spring strut junction changed from ball/socket to the fork/pin type, c. #295,000 on the Chiefs Spl.

1965 - Bangor Punta on boxes and paperwork.

1966 - 3rd style flat latch change to standard thumbpiece on J frames and Airweight K frames.

1967 – Rear sight front tang screw relocated forward on models 14-3, 15-3 & 18-3.

1966 – Magna stock diamond around screw deletion began long transition by order October 11, 1965.

1968 – N & K Target stock diamond deletion began by order dated December 28, 1967.

1973 – Stock medallion washers changed from black to stainless.

1973 - Countersunk silver screw escutcheons changed to flat brass.

1977 - Gas ring on yoke changed to cyl. and back again; Models 10-7 & 8, 14-4, 15-4 & 18-4, etc.

1979 - Stock serial numbering ceased.

1980 – L frame introduced.

1980 – New style extractor star introduced and serial numbering ceased. This left only the butt and frame yoke cut locations to this day.

1980 - The hot oven or carbona blue process was eliminated.

1980-1983 – Triple alpha-4 digit numeric serial number phased in.

1981-1999 - .400” smooth and grooved trigger introduced on K, L & N frames.

1982 - Pinned barrels and recessed chambers eliminated.

1984 – J-frame trigger changed to .312" grooved or smooth trigger.

1984 - Lear Siegler on boxes and on paperwork.

1984-1985 - Stock washers eliminated.???????

1984-1989 – Wide target triggers deleted: .500” trigger from K&N frames; .400” trigger deleted from J frame.

1986 - Combat trigger, smooth, .312” wide became standard on J & K models.

1987 - S&W purchased by Tompkins PLC.

1988 - Yoke retention screw with plunger introduced.

1994 - CNC made revolvers introduced -640

1995-1996 - MIM parts introduction: shaved lower half style thumbpiece; date varies by model.

1995-1996 – Square butt N frames deleted.

1996 - New ratchet shape introduced.

1996 - J Magnum JM frame size introduced, August.

1997-1998

MIM hammer and frame mounted firing pin introduced and date varies by model.
Serrated grip frame tangs deleted.
Cylinder stop stud made intragal to frame.

2001 –

Internal lock introduced.
Fired case inclusion began.

2003 – Model 500 “X” frame introduced.

2007 Govenor “Z” frame introduced

Xxxx M&P Pistols introduced