Question for you S&W guys?

[Danny Bear Claw]

As those who read my posts know, I lost my Dad this past May and as I am the only "gunist" in the family, I inherited Dad's gun.  It is a S&W model 36.  It has an amature nickle plate job on it.  I intend to have it restored to original blue finish and have a set of ivory grips fitted to it with Dad's name scrimshawed on the left grip panel.
I took it out today to clean it.  Some guys clean their guns and some guys don't.  I didn't know which group my Dad was in.  Apparently he was a clean gun guy.
My question is - where did S&W put the serial numbers on their double action revolvers?  Dad's gun has a 6 digit number on the bottom of the grip frame and a completely different 6 digit number on the cylinder yoke.  Is this normal?  Was there a change of cylinder and yoke at some point?  I'm confused.  Any help would be much appreciated.  

[Mossyrock]

The one on the bottom of the grip frame is the serial number.  The rest of them are assembly numbers....they aren't going to match the serial number.

[Danny Bear Claw]

Thanks Mossyrock.   So this number on the yoke is probably just a parts number?  Dad never said anything about a change of cylinder to me.

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[St. George]

It's an assembly number - nothing more.

There should also be a serial number on one of the grip panels.

You might want to contact Smith & Wesson about doing the work - the nice thing is that they'll mark it under a grip panel and you'll 'know' the work was done right.

As to the plated finish - do you know if your Dad had it done - or did he buy it that way?

At any rate, a nickelled S&W appealed to him, so having it re-plated might be the best course.

If you send a PM - I can tell you when the piece left S&W.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Danny Bear Claw]

St. George...  you are always a wealth of information and your help is much appreciated.  Dad let a friend of his nickle plate the gun.  The guy was just starting out plating at the time.  I told Dad at the time he should let the guy get some experience before letting him do his gun, but Dad wanted to help out a friend getting his buisness up and running so he let him do his gun.  It came back looking like an amature job from the start.  Dad was a high ranking securitly officer so always carried concealed.  I don't know if he ever regretted his decision to get the gun plated but over the ensuing years it's only gotten to look worse.
I'm sending you a private message with the serial number.  I'd be grateful for any info you can find and send back to me.