Welcome to the forum. Yes they are great pistolas. I had a couple of used 83s for a few years and they worked great. Have a Thunder now that I use as a beater, It is used and has never failed. Lotta good info here. Good people too.
You should be able to attain the year of manufacture by submitting the serial number to a local gun shop. I bought 2 Marlin rifles from an estate sale. Both rifles are centennial edition. The 30-30 has the date stamped into The barrel. The 22mag needed to be decoded. Both are 1971 manufacture.I am guessing that the Model 83 is an older firearm. Curious as to how to tell the year of manufacture.