Smith and Wesson 5906 serial numbers

[fireman5069]

My local shop has gotten seven S&W 5906 in and I will be getting one of these this weekend. My question is this. Is there a resource online or in print that I can use to determine date of manufacture before I make my purchase? I would like to know what to look for on the serial number as not to make the guy get all of them to give me the numbers to research. I would like to pick the newest one in an acceptable condition. Thanks.

 

[Radagast]

The Model 5906 was produced from 1989 to 1999. The Standard Catalog of S&W notes the following serial numbers / ranges for those years:
1989: TEDxxxx
April 1990: TEPxxxx to TFAxxxx
1989-1990: TFJ1141 to TFP0372
1990 TFNxxxx
1991: TFRxxxx to TFSxxxx
1991: THA1016 to TVC7046
1993: TZUxxxx
1994: VAMxxxx
1997: UAMxxxx
1998: VHNxxxx

The above is not comprehensive, but it's the best you will get.

 

[plainsbilly]

any idea where a 5906 with TCHxxxx wuold fall just wondering because the s&w numbering system doesnt make a whole lot of sense

 

[deadin]

TCHxxx was probably made in 1989. The SCSW notes that "Certain prefixes were already reserved for future production."
It also could have been actually "made" in 1988 but not released until 1989.