Except in very few cases, actual production dates by serial number are not available I am a m&p full size and compact fan thru the years but never liked the different shield models or other micro 9mm enough to invest in one Approximate production dates for postwar guns have been published, most notably in the standard catalog of smith & wesson
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The 5th edition is the most recent and is available on amazon.
This past weekend i attended a revolver class given by kyle yount of surprise break
The revolvers used were, 686+, 340, 60 3 barrel,431 and me with a 432 uc Kyle keeps a good pace with relevant drills Everyone was safe, experienced and fun I chose the 432 because of the reduced recoil.
Hand ejector serial # 5041xx no letters only assembly number behind yoke barrel says 38 s & w special ctg (stamped exactly like that) barrel length is 5 1/4 inches fixed sights strain screw is present no butt swivel or lanyard ring 5 screw any help on age / value would be appreciated thanks I i do like the longer grip and grip texture design of the new sheild x but wait for the beta testers to decide how reliable it is before running out and buying one early on Surely s&w will add a compensated model too