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dash, no dash -- Model 36

model1892
Can someone here tell me if I am correct. I have been looking at a few stores here lately and will be purchasing a Smith & Wesson Model 36 .38 soon.

Is this right?

Dash - means early model, early 50's, 1951-1952
No Dash - means late model, produced 1977-1978
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Comments

5 comments

Date Votes
  • Horse Plains Drifter
    What do you mean dash? Like a 36-8? I bought that 36-8 new in 1993 or '94. I just recently bought a 36-7 used.
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  • model1892
    Yes
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  • 22hipower
    The early 50s guns are not marked as Model 36; they are "pre-model 36s" or .38 Chief's Special. S&W started marking them as Model 36 in 1957. The "dash" models (engineering changes) started with 36-1 in 1967. So, generally speaking, the older they are the lower the "dash" number. . .or better yet, no number at all. Hope that helps.
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  • v35
    Do the mods make for a better gun?
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  • 22hipower
    "Better" depends on your point of view. Sometimes the engineering changes were made to correct perceived problems but often they were made to reduce S&W manufacturing costs. Usually the changes aren't major but can be significant. Are "pinned and recessed" S&Ws better than the later non-pinned and non-recessed versions? From a collector perspective the answer is usually yes. From a reliability perspective it may not make any difference or they may be better. In these cases the changes definitely saved S&W manufacturing costs.
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