Hi folks, new the the forum and collecting handcuffs.
I have a question regarding serial numbers. When did Peerless start using the # preceeding the serial number?

Thanks,
Mike

There's an old thread on here that tells each and every change that Peerless made. I'll see if I can find it and post a link.

Excellent, Thank you so much.

Fantastic reference material. Thanks for all the work put into this.

Is there a year asscociated with each model change and within each model difference.

What year was the requirement to have a Model number applied?

Thanks,

Mike

Also, Approx. what year did Peerless start using spun rivets?

Thanks,

Mike

When the NIJ standards for handcuffs were adopted in 1974, they required handcuffs to be stamped with the manufacturer's name or trademark, a model number and serial number.

The Peerless list is pretty cryptic, but if you match the patent information (date filed, date granted) on the lock mechanisms with the patent information stamped on the cuffs (patent pending, patent date/patent number), you come up with the following, within a year or so:

Model 1 - 1914
Model 2 - 1922-1923
Model 3 - 1931-1932
Model 4 - 1956

These model number were never used by Peerless; I think they were first used for convenient reference purposes by Dick Norman to distinguish the different lock mechanisms used when he wrote his book on handcuffs. When NIJ required a model number, Peerless was then manufacturing the model 3 (model 4 had been discontinued) and they gave it the model number of 300; hinged cuff was 301, leg iron was 303. Thereafter, when they changed lock mechanisms, they changed the model number (400, 500, 600, 700). The model 400 is not a model 4 renumbered; they were entirely different locks. The model 600 was a prototype that never went into production; it had horizontal keyways (like a S&W cuff) rather than the traditional vertical keyways. The model 700 was the first to have exposed spun rivets.

As far as I know, Peerless is the only one to put the serial number on the box, so it makes collecting them really challenging to get the matching box. I haven't tried to count it all up, but if you had all the model and versions of cuffs with the different boxes and inserts, you'd have a pretty big pile of handcuffs. Add in the various cuffs in the different finishes (nickel, blued and chrome in the early days) with the later hinged versions and you'd probably have around 200 cuffs.

Anybody out there have a complete collection?

Thanks Marty,

Mike