How to find model of stolen S&W revolver

[jestertoo]

My mother's 6-shot stainless S&W S/N 74K1889 was stolen from her apartment last Thursday in Austin TX.
It was purchased from or through the Georgetown TX Police Dept in the early 80's. My mom keeps swearing it's some sort of chief's special, but those were Jframe 5shots, right?

I'm trying to find the model number.

J

 

[Technosavant]

"Chief Specials" are 5 shot J frames. I would expect that the firearm in question is a K frame .38 special, either a Model 10 or a Model 15 (the 15 has adjustable sights, the 10 doesn't). I have a Model 15-4 with the ser. no. "34Kxxxx".

Contact S&W. They should be able to help you locate the model number from the serial number. Even a peek at the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson should list serial number ranges for models and dash number revisions.

 

[jestertoo]

10 and 15 were blued, correct? This one was stainless.

I'll give S&W a call.

 

[jestertoo]

I called S&W and they said it was a K frame, but I would have to request a Jinks letter to get more info.

I've narrowed it down to a 65, but still trying to confirm if it had an adj rear sight or not.

 

[kraigwy]

Or..........

Model 64, its stainless and there were tons of those used by Police Departments and sold to the public. If it has fixed sights, more then likely its a Model 64.

 

[Technosavant]

10 and 15 were blued, correct? This one was stainless.

Duh. I missed the "stainless" part. That would make a difference.

Requesting a Jinks letter would work. So would the SCSW- I don't have a copy, otherwise I'd have a look for you. I've seen them at Barnes & Noble, so if you have one nearby, you could drop in and have a look.

There isn't a huge value difference between a 10/15 or a 64/65; on the used market such things tend not to be as big a deal when it comes to pricing (unless it's a really funky collector item, but this one won't be).

 

[carguychris]

It's not a Model 10, 64, or 65. The "K" in the serial number identifies it as a Target frame with an adjustable rear sight. A pre-1983 stainless K frame with a fixed rear sight would have a "D" in the serial number rather than a K.

The gun is most likely a Model 66 (.357 Magnum, shrouded ejector rod) or a Model 67 (.38 Special, unshrouded ejector rod) made in 1980. S&W also made a .38Spl model with a shrouded ejector rod, the Model 68, but these were more or less exclusively sold to the LAPD and the CA Highway Patrol in the late 70s, so it's unlikely that one would have found its way into the hands of the Georgetown, TX PD in the early 80s.