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November 29, 2010
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Correction. It has the six inch barrel on it. Here is a close up.
May 17, 2010
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Seems to be a Model 744 6VH as pictured. The S would be stainless, I assume as my 715 is marked SDXXXXX. Not sure about the B versus D thing. BTW .. that is a gorgeous gun!
Soap Box, Ballot Box, Ammo Box
in that order.
4 Monson Model 15's
1 Palmer FB 15
1 Rossi 357 Model 92 (lever)
1 CZ 75B
November 29, 2010
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It is a nice piece. Do you know what your "D" stands for?
Thank-you.
Matt
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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I don't think there is a lot of rhyme or reason (that we can figure out now) about some of the DW Serial Numbering. Some of it has some logic, some of it seems like they woke up one morning and decided to change things up, just for the heck of it. Unfortunately, DW Serial Number records are gone somewhere in BATFE "never-never land".
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
November 29, 2010
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I don't know. But Pinetor's model has a "D" after the "S" serial. I'm wondering if there was a production series with A-B-C-D..., followed by the lot number and the total production run. Hence 008 of 250 in run B. What A through D (or more) and the uniqueness of the run was that made each A-D is??? I'm just guessing here...
Matt
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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Just no way to know about any of this, but trying to correlate S/N's between Small and Large frame DW's is a little "iffy".
Dan Wesson also did custom Serial Numbers. I have one custom S/N list that shows a 15-2 VH dated 12/26/78 with the S/N "Celtic-xx" described to have been made as a gift for Boston Celtic great John Havlicek.
If anyone ever encounters a 3 letter/1 digit S/N (ie: ABC-1) give me a shout, I've got good info on some of those.
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
November 29, 2010
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Interesting. I didn't obtain the paperwork for this nor did I get the tool to change barrels or the feeler gauge. It would sure be nice to have had these with this.
Matt
P.S. Whats interesting is that the owners of these revolvers, having felt the weight of them in their hands and knowing how LARGE and weighty these things are, only after holding one in their hands can truley appreciate the beauty of these firearms. The pictures don't give justice to the size of these. They are truley amazing pieces...
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Moderators
January 24, 2009
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Regarding the letters in the serial numbers, a while back I started taking notes from my own guns & guns on auction sites. The "S" in SD denotes stainless, a blued .357 would simply be D. This is mainly on late Monson guns & some early Palmer's. *EDIT* Correction...that underlined statement should say mid-to-late Monson guns. Woops!
This is what I came up with;
SA = .22LR
SB = .44 Mag
SC = .41 Mag
SD = .357 Mag(both 14-2 & 15-2 use this)
SE = .357 SuperMag
SF = .32 Mag
SG = .445 SuperMag
M = .375 SuperMag(no stainless .375's)
There were some auction pics that weren't completely clear & I swear I saw one .45 Colt marked "SC", plus a blued .375 marked "SM". After a while, I decided I was going 
trying to figure this out, so I stopped. Maybe I'll try to research it a little further later on.
January 22, 2008
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Thanks CF... I'll look at my guns today to see if anything varies.
DWF Supporters
Dans Club
Moderators
November 17, 2008
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CF, I have been doing the same thing and yes it will drive someone nuts.
Most of what I have is in line with yours with a few anomalies.
Most 375s I listed have an SM prefix even though they are all blue, I remember reading somewhere that it stood for super-mag.
When you move to Norwich it gets stranger. Some 41s have an E, 44s an F, 445s a Z, and 460s a R. Plus a few 7445s have RV which I read somewhere stands for revolver?
It just gets crazier the more I find out!!! 
LB
But I guess that helps keep it fun!
Someday we need to get together and compare lists.
Wisdom is merely the realization of how little one knows, therefore I am wise.
November 29, 2010
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I think we're getting somewhere here. I had found a list which showed some models listed with ser #'s and dates they were purchased. Given CF's SB for .44 cal, and the dates of the models I had seen on an online list, the 008 could represent the year it was made. (In Monson-1988) The last three digits could be XXX of 500 made that year?
Each factory would have some type of serial number convention to identify each firearm made. Sounds like each factory, as DW moved factories and changed ownership, chose different serial conventions unique to each factory. So, Monson had theirs, Palmer their own, CZ... etc.
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January 24, 2009
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Kestrelman said:
I had seen on an online list, the 008 could represent the year it was made.
Do you have a link to this list? I'm wondering if it's something put together by aficionados like us, or if it's something more official. It's possible that your theory that 008 represent's 1988 could be correct, however that would mean that they would have been limited to 999 of each model gun manufactured per year...that part I'm apprehensive about. I am fairly certain that they cranked out way more than that number per year, probably closer to 2-2.5K per year, especially in .44 & .357's.
I'm sure that numbering system is what Norwich uses, but they also produce (and produced) fewer guns than Monson did during their heyday.
LB, I'm glad you said that regarding the .375's, I had to slap myself this morning when I looked at my own .375...yes, it has "SM" on it. Duh! 
I was obviously half asleep last night, that's what I get for posting without verifying my facts first. It's always good for me to start the day by having to tug my foot from my mouth.
Here's two pics showing the style change...mid & late Monson.
Also, while we're trying to make sense of the possible production numbers, we have to take into account some of the x-amount of guns that were ordered with custom serial numbers. There are a bunch of different custom s/n variations out there, that shipped alongside with the standard numbers...
BTW, this isn't the first time we've discussed this stuff. Here's another thread on this matter, as we were trying to make sense of this stuff.
December 3, 2010
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Go figure. I have been using Lycos mail for years and now they want to charge for the service... Since I didn't save the PSWD for this forum I am now registered as Kestrelman1. Matt
CF. I cannot find the link I saw with the serial #'s and dates, but it is most likely an afficionado's list. The more I research, the more conflicting info I find...
Supporter
Moderators
January 24, 2009
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kestrelman1 said:
The more I research, the more conflicting info I find...
I hear that.
That's why I decided to give it a break, it was driving me nuts.
Well if you do happen to find that list again, it would be good to see it. If for no other reason than to help pool info here at the
and hopefully figure it out one day.
December 8, 2010
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I just purchased my first ever Dan Wesson revolver, I have been a hard-core Ruger man for years. I was in a gun shop looking for a Ruger Alaskan .44 mag with 2" bbl for bear backup, and I saw a Wesson blued .44 with 2" bbl, adjustable sites and what looks like a custom wood grip with finger grooves. The bluing was pristine, the trigger was a dream and the balance was perfect. I fell in love immediately and bought it. The serial # is 44B00218x. Can any one enlighten me as to what I just bought, and the quality of these guns?
I sure appreciate it.
Range Officer
Range Officers
Dans Club
March 27, 2009
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Pictures would help alot, Sounds like a Palmer made, 2" has been disscussed on here a few times though not sure on that one. If you can get pics get a clear one of the muzzle as most Dans are interchangeable barrel system and work well with any length. 4"/ 6" 8" 10" are the most likely lengths although there was a Dan up with a fixed barrel of 2" of Gunbroker it was a Palmer made gun! serial numbers dont really do much as to when made though Wesson tells us somewhat when. Great shooters wonderful trigger pull da or sa. Pictures Please!!! 
to
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Moderators
January 24, 2009
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aboard, Alaskapacker.
I sounds like you have either a late Monson or early ~ mid Palmer gun. The plant location will be rollmarked on the right side of the frame. Being a 2" barrel, I assume it's a Palmer gun, like the one DWA_Midwest described. Most DW's are an interchangeable barrel design, there are a few Fixed Barrel (non-interchangeable) guns too (Palmer only)...
They were also made without a gold trigger...
Check here to determine if you have a "FB" gun or standard, the bottom pic is of a FB.
December 15, 2010
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What is this? No model number on it. Appears to be 4" fixed bbl. Recess in cylinder.
Frame says:
Wesson Firearms
Palmer, Mass. U.S.A.
357 S0050XX
Barrel says:
357 MAGNUM CTG.
Thanks in advance for your time.
December 15, 2010
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Sorry, don't know how to post pics properly.
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