Help with age of S&W M-100s

Ok here's the deal.

I have a pair of S&W cuffs from 1984 or so, carried them in high school. Yeah I know...don't ask.

I bought a pair off a friend last year that look almost identical except for the serial no., the marking "M-100" and the marks "Pats Pending". The Letter stampings are somewhat different, but the wording is the same on both.

He wants to trade for his back, and I want to keep my old ones for sentimental reasons. Yes, sentimental about handcuffs...that's why I'm here, thought you would understand...

Cuffs A: Marked "M-100" and ser no 106xxx and DO NOT say "Pat Pending" on the curved part.

Cuffs B: Same as A, but NO "M-100" and DO say "Pats Pending" and are ser no: 651xxx

Seems obvious to me, the older are cuffs A and are mine. He says otherwise.

Any help clearing this up?

Thanks much, and keep on restraining...

Looks like the ones made in Springfield are older...despite the huge ser no difference.

The newer ones (and current production is made here) are made in Houlton, have the "M-100" on it, and don't say "Pat Pending".

Dangit...all this for a $20 pair of cuffs...

Ok here's the deal.

I have a pair of S&W cuffs from 1984 or so, carried them in high school. Yeah I know...don't ask.

I bought a pair off a friend last year that look almost identical except for the serial no., the marking "M-100" and the marks "Pats Pending". The Letter stampings are somewhat different, but the wording is the same on both.

He wants to trade for his back, and I want to keep my old ones for sentimental reasons. Yes, sentimental about handcuffs...that's why I'm here, thought you would understand...

Cuffs A: Marked "M-100" and ser no 106xxx and DO NOT say "Pat Pending" on the curved part.

Cuffs B: Same as A, but NO "M-100" and DO say "Pats Pending" and are ser no: 651xxx

Seems obvious to me, the older are cuffs A and are mine. He says otherwise.

Any help clearing this up?

Thanks much, and keep on restraining...

Click to expand...

I agree, if you had them in '84 then yours should be the older "PAT'S PENDING" cuffs. I don't believe the Houlton address appeared until later.

That said, if you 'bought' the cuffs from him then they are technically both yours to do with (or not) as you see fit. Keep the pair YOU want and trade him the others.

Ok here's the deal.

I have a pair of S&W cuffs from 1984 or so, carried them in high school. Yeah I know...don't ask.

I bought a pair off a friend last year that look almost identical except for the serial no., the marking "M-100" and the marks "Pats Pending". The Letter stampings are somewhat different, but the wording is the same on both.

He wants to trade for his back, and I want to keep my old ones for sentimental reasons. Yes, sentimental about handcuffs...that's why I'm here, thought you would understand...

Cuffs A: Marked "M-100" and ser no 106xxx and DO NOT say "Pat Pending" on the curved part.

Cuffs B: Same as A, but NO "M-100" and DO say "Pats Pending" and are ser no: 651xxx

Seems obvious to me, the older are cuffs A and are mine. He says otherwise.

Any help clearing this up?

Thanks much, and keep on restraining...

Click to expand...

I know this might sound like a dumb question, but I have seen the earlier ones made in Springfield that have the rounded over rivets with a bit of a duller finish. The new ones and current production have the spot welded pins with the recess.

I am wondering if there is a collector out there that has keep track of all the changes over the years and has been able to date when the changes were made?

-Dorson

Ok here's the deal.

I have a pair of S&W cuffs from 1984 or so, carried them in high school. Yeah I know...don't ask.

I bought a pair off a friend last year that look almost identical except for the serial no., the marking "M-100" and the marks "Pats Pending". The Letter stampings are somewhat different, but the wording is the same on both.

He wants to trade for his back, and I want to keep my old ones for sentimental reasons. Yes, sentimental about handcuffs...that's why I'm here, thought you would understand...

Cuffs A: Marked "M-100" and ser no 106xxx and DO NOT say "Pat Pending" on the curved part.

Cuffs B: Same as A, but NO "M-100" and DO say "Pats Pending" and are ser no: 651xxx

Seems obvious to me, the older are cuffs A and are mine. He says otherwise.

Any help clearing this up?

Thanks much, and keep on restraining...

Click to expand...

The Model 103 handcuffs were also made during the Springfield period. They have the rounded rivets that you described and the stainless steel does have a slightly different appearance than the nickel plating on the M-100.

Ok here's the deal.

I have a pair of S&W cuffs from 1984 or so, carried them in high school. Yeah I know...don't ask.

I bought a pair off a friend last year that look almost identical except for the serial no., the marking "M-100" and the marks "Pats Pending". The Letter stampings are somewhat different, but the wording is the same on both.

He wants to trade for his back, and I want to keep my old ones for sentimental reasons. Yes, sentimental about handcuffs...that's why I'm here, thought you would understand...

Cuffs A: Marked "M-100" and ser no 106xxx and DO NOT say "Pat Pending" on the curved part.

Cuffs B: Same as A, but NO "M-100" and DO say "Pats Pending" and are ser no: 651xxx

Seems obvious to me, the older are cuffs A and are mine. He says otherwise.

Any help clearing this up?

Thanks much, and keep on restraining...

Click to expand...

Well I picked up a current pair of 100s today and they have a ser no of 882xxx with the first "8" a full letter height too low. QC seriously slipped on this one.

It's interesting how they haven't changed much in 20 yrs. And interesting how the ser numbers don't go sequential.

Ok here's the deal.

I have a pair of S&W cuffs from 1984 or so, carried them in high school. Yeah I know...don't ask.

I bought a pair off a friend last year that look almost identical except for the serial no., the marking "M-100" and the marks "Pats Pending". The Letter stampings are somewhat different, but the wording is the same on both.

He wants to trade for his back, and I want to keep my old ones for sentimental reasons. Yes, sentimental about handcuffs...that's why I'm here, thought you would understand...

Cuffs A: Marked "M-100" and ser no 106xxx and DO NOT say "Pat Pending" on the curved part.

Cuffs B: Same as A, but NO "M-100" and DO say "Pats Pending" and are ser no: 651xxx

Seems obvious to me, the older are cuffs A and are mine. He says otherwise.

Any help clearing this up?

Thanks much, and keep on restraining...

Click to expand...

The six digit serial numbers on S&W cuffs are obviously cycled over and over. I have newer pairs with very low numbers and older pairs with very high numbers.

The only serial numbers I trust as a true indication of age are the ones from the '50s with less than six digits. Otherwise I don't depend on them, but on the model changes and slight variations in the cuffs themselves.

In the M-100 alone there are several distinct variations from their intrduction to the present day.