I have a Model 60 Chief's Special stainless that I know is pre 1980 (pinned barrel).

I think it was made in 1976.

Why does it have to be so damned hard to get a simple answer to this?

Why does Smith and Wesson insist on keeping this top secret unless you fork over $$$ to them for a certified letter?

All I want to know is the year it was made, with certainty.

Thanks in advance if anyone has any leads or can point me in the right direction.

Heck you won't even get that with a factory letter. Just the ship date.

What's the S/N??? With any popular model that's built and shipped quickly, the year can be pinned down most of the time unless it's right near the turn of the calendar.

Also keep in mind build date and ship date can be years apart.  Especially on some of less popular models it's not unusual for Smith (and other manufacturers)  to make a batch and then take years to sell them all.  

I go by the Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson.  It's close enough for my purposes.  If you think dating a Smith is bad try getting a date on a post 1978 Colt.  Ruger has a decent system on their website but for older models it can be spotty.

R1573XX.

(Last two digits omitted for privacy).

Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson says 1974-1977 for that serial number. As said above though, this is really a best guess of the authors, a letter is the only ways to know for sure.