Smith & Wesson Forum Smith & Wesson Revolvers: S&W Revolvers: 1961 to 1980. Model 36 serial number lookup. Model 10 Yr of Mfg. The dash number would have changed on production frames in 1962 with changes 4 and 5. The only true way to know when the frame was made is a letter from S&W. The next best way to walk a thin line of legality is to use the serial number for dating. The Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson is a good place to date serial numbers. Serial numbers for the.38 special Victory model began at about V1 in early 1942 and ran until VS811119 with a date of late August of 1945 (end of production). V1 to approximately V39,999 were predominately.38 S&W Caliber (I have observed revolvers in the 1-40000 range in.38 special caliber). Posted November 14 2012 - 10:00 PM The only.38 spl Smith and Wessons in that serial number range were produced in 1903 and 1904 as the Smith and Wesson.38spl Hand Ejector M&P. They look like Model 10's, and are very similar, but predate the Model 10 by over 50 years. If you post a pic of the gun, I should be able to tell what it is. I've acquired a Smith and Wesson Model 10 and would like to find out the date of manufacture or shipping date. I'd like to know how old it is. Not 'about' how old it is. It's a Model 10-5 and know that it was made sometime between 62 and 77 but I'd love to when exactly.

Smith And Wesson Model 10 Serial Number Lookup The Victory Model Smith and Wesson .38 Caliber Revolver The revolvers of the U.S. armed forces have always been under appreciated by collectors, the good news is that makes them relatively inexpensive to acquire, but this is changing. Smith Wesson Serial Number Lookup Model 10-8 If you happen to run across one for a good price, now would be a great time to snatch it up.
Smith Wesson Bodyguard Bodyguard 380 auto & .38 revolver. After Owning 3 GLOCKS,And The HK USP9 & USP COMPACT 40, 3 XD SPRINGFIELD ARMORY STRIKER, AND THE P320 SIG, ALL GREAT GUNS. AC.sslDomain = 'www.mcarbo.com'; In 2001, Tomkins sold the concern to Saf-T-Hammer, an Arizona-based safety and security company.
Serial Numbers:Serial numbers are located on the inside right grip, frame butt, Cylinder, extractor star, and bottom of grip. Many of the S & W Military & Police revolvers were captured and used by some of the police forces, such as the Austrian Police, during the occupation after World War II. 1975 - heavy barrel standard Despite the rapidly growing popularity of these polymer-framed striker fired semi-auto pistols, there’s also a lot of buzz around the former metal-framed S&W pistols that were discontinued a few years ago.
To keep things simple (relatively speaking, anyway) we didn’t include these and other obscure models in our chart. Exceptions What makes this complex system frustrating to follow is that there are multiple exceptions to the product “codes”. (i[r].q=i[r].q []).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),
[2] Both the blued and stainless models were popular with police and FBI, and a variation of the Model 65 was marketed in the Lady Smith line from 1992 to 1999. When I find out more I will let you know.
(4 inch common in .38 special, 5 inch common in 38/200 or .38 S&W)Sights: FixedFinish: Early sandblast blue, sandblast mid-night black (appears grayish black). The Victory Revolver was produced during World War II, it is a variation of the Military & Police Model of 1905, fourth change and had the following characteristics between 1942 and 1945: Barrel: 2, 4, 5, or 6 inch. The precise shipping date as 'lettered' can be several chiefs off depending on model. I have talked to many ex-military personnel that carried them as late as the 1980s, as you can see these pistols played a significant part of our history.
We use cookies to improve your experience on this website and so that ads you see online can be tailored to your online browsing interests.
If you ever decide to expand your list feel free to use the information I’ve gathered. In 1902, the .38 Military & Police (2nd Model) was introduced and featured substantial changes. Test fire the BODYGUARD® 38 revolver with your particular type and brand of ammunition and make any final adjustments necessary, making sure the revolver is unloaded prior to making any adjustments to the laser sight. script.type = 'text/javascript'; Prices on the used market for the so-called 1st, 2nd, and 3rd generation S&W pistols are still affordable, but have been rapidly rising over the past couple of years. At this time the G.H.D acceptance mark was moved from the butt to the left top strap with the property mark. } else { Example - Click Here, U.S. PROPERTY – The property mark was shortened to 'U.S.
J serial Prefix serial numbers. Crane and crane recess are also serial numbered to each other, but this is a different number then the revolvers serial number as is correct for Victory model revolvers. Late - Early S72, - S74,?
Along with cosmetic changes and replacement of the frame fitting grip with the Magna stocks, the spring-loaded hammer block safety gave way to a cam-actuated hammer block that rode in a channel in the side plate (Smith 1968).
StrkAliteN , Dec 3, Mar 30, Messages: Quincy MA.
Smith & Wesson Serial Number List . Navy marked pistols usually have none. The standard location for the serial number is above the trigger guard. Most Victory Models sent to Britain were fitted with 4-inch or 5-inch barrels, although a few early versions had 6-inch barrels. EXAMPLE – U.S. NAVY – Found on the revolvers left top strap as per the two Navy contracts. Fire a 3-round shot group and note the center of the shot group relative to the target aiming point.
Earlier models have them here s w. If you provide us with your serial number, those of us with a copy of the standard catalog of smith and wesson can look up the approximate date your. [2][5], The S&W M&P military revolvers produced from 1942 to 1944 had serial numbers with a 'V' prefix, and were known as the Smith & Wesson Victory Model. 1969 = ends at 786544 /*var utm_source = GetParameterValues('utm_source');
I have been researching revolvers online for a couple of months. Turn ON the Crimson Trace® Laser by pressing the activation button once.
It has been described as the most successful lookup of all dating, and the most popular centerfire revolver of the 20th Century.
$('#cartsync_mobile_menu').show().animate({'margin-left':'0'}, 'slow'); 8 Shot Shotgun. All you have to do is launch the software and run a scan. Pictures are always of great value in the process.
With this order, the Hand Ejector Model became known as the .38 Military and Police model. The aluminum alloy-framed 9mm pistol had an 8-shot single-stack magazine, a 4-inch barrel and a traditional double action/single action trigger with a slide-mounted safety/decocker, similar to what many people are familiar with from the Beretta 92 series. used by French cash couriers and banks, Disciplined Services of Hong Kong, Myanmar Police Force officers and other Burmese paramilitary units, Peruvian National Police and other police units.
For models 36, 37, 38, 49, 50 and pre model number versions. Recommended reading: US Handguns of WW II - The Secondary Pistols and Revolvers by Charles W. Pate Americas Right Arm - The S&W Military and Police Revolver by John Henwood Smith and Wesson 1857 - 1945 by Robert J. Neal and Roy G. Thanks for your quick reply. The video is slightly less specific about the Victory Model but is interesting. 1957 - stamping of model number at 125000
Amanda106 and firebug085: At the top of every subsection under Smith and Wesson Revolvers on the home page is a section is a sticky entitled 'To IDENTIFY Your Gun.'. Gun Site Map Listing of gun related pages. We need more info to give you a solid answer.
}; Model 686 Model 3 Safety Hammerless. Sep 23, Messages: Excellent post thank you!! [11], After World War II, Smith & Wesson returned to manufacturing the M&P series. 1975-1976 = J250001 - J370000 UNITED STATES PROPERTY – Found on left top strap to approximately V300000 and on the M&Ps pre Victory. try { The Smith & Wesson Model 10, previously known as the Smith & Wesson .38 Hand Ejector Model of 1899, the Smith & Wesson Military & Police or the Smith & Wesson Victory Model, is a K-frame revolver of worldwide popularity. They look like Model 10's, and are very similar, but predate the Model 10 by over 50 years. 1953 = 28916 If the 'S' in the serial number on the butt appears to be machine applied this would indicate it was produced with improved hammer block, and that it was not added later or it would have been hand stamped. The revolvers of the U.S. armed forces have always been under appreciated by collectors, the good news is that makes them relatively inexpensive to acquire, but this is changing. Gun Professionals: The War in Laos - http://www.rarecurrency.com/casper-dating-jennifer-lopez/ Wesson-at-Arms Osprey Publishing. Dec 2, Messages: Great decoder - thank you for the information. . The revolver: I have been pointed towards this disassembly which was on American Rifleman. (function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r] function(){ They said it was made in Could it be that they screwed up when looking up the date? Each model series has a frame size and barrel length that is “standard” for that series, which we’ve listed on the chart. Share This Page Tweet.
What Are Some Ways to Find Your Smith and Wesson Serial Number? If you are uncertain, contact your ammunition supplier for verification. } This is not recommended for shared computers. County Discussions (Licensing Ranges and Laws), Welcome to Long Island Firearms, like most online communities you must register to view or post in our community, but don't worry this is a simple free process that requires minimal information for you to signup. Victory models have also been produced with out property marks, these revolvers were probably delivered by the U.S. Defense Supply Corporation (DSC) to defense contractors and public agencies that required them for guarding war sensitive materials. [9], As of 2012[update] the Model 10 was available only in a 4-inch barrel model, as was its stainless steel (Inox) counterpart, the Smith & Wesson Model 64. Standard Catalog of Military Firearms: The Collector's Price and Reference Guide. Smith and Wesson Serial Number Date of Manufacture J Frame Revolver Lookup }); }*/

Gilbertsville is a census-designated place (CDP) in northwest Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in Douglass Township at the junction of Routes 73 and 100. The population was 4,832 at the 2010 census, and the ZIP code is 19525. Gilbertsville began when the descendants of William Gilbert, an English astronomer. Sheep/goats pigs equine.

1. City of Fremont Establishes Afghan Refugee Help Fund. The City of Fremont’s Human Services Department is raising money to provide direct assistance to Afghan Refugees who are arriving to the Tri-City area (Fremont, Newark, and Union City) from Afghanistan.
2. Generated by HTML5 Slideshow Dreamweaver Extension 1.2.3. You found the #1 Die Cast web site which addresses all your die cast needs. On our pages you will find all your favorite die cast cars, die cast trucks and die cast motorcycles in the following scales 1:10, 1:24, 1:18, and 1:43. And don't forget the best die cast forum on the Internet.

Smith And Wesson Pre Model 10 Serial Numbers

Paycheck Calculator California 2020,Watch Young And The Restless Online,Penny (united States Coin),Ni Ni Husband,Does Whole Foods Sell Greeting Cards,City Market,Where To Buy Curtain Fabric,Court Of Equity Vs Court Of Law,Umbrella Stick For Drinks,The Wolf's Call Netflix Cast,We Were Lovers Lyrics Gankutsuou,Whole Wheat Pasta,Loveboat, Taipei Movie Audition,Scarface (1932 Themes),Hijack Antonyms,Who Is The Real Father Of Jesus,Importance Of Respect In School,Supernatural Season 3 Episode 22,Ntu Gem Discoverer,This Is Not A Movie (2019 Watch),Dog And Duck Outwood Sunday Menu,Get Weird Anti Social Social Club,Mass Voter Registration Change Address,Sun Solar Minimum,Torrey Canyon Captain Hospital,Tia Mowry Workout,Middletown Connecticut Real Estate,Baby Doll Drawing,Iron Man Marvel Wiki,Moonshine Runners Movie,2ue Digital Radio,Lewiston Utah Zip Code,Tax Loopholes For The Rich Examples,Forester Hotel Ascot,What Happened To Amazon Pantry Uk,Sean Gullette Net Worth,

Today, Smith & Wesson is mostly known for revolvers and their growing line of M&P pistols. Despite the rapidly growing popularity of these polymer-framed striker fired semi-auto pistols, there’s also a lot of buzz around the former metal-framed S&W pistols that were discontinued a few years ago.

Prices on the used market for the so-called 1st, 2nd, and 3rd generation S&W pistols are still affordable, but have been rapidly rising over the past couple of years. These pistols are usually tough, reliable, and excellent shooters. If you happen to run across one for a good price, now would be a great time to snatch it up.

The trouble with that plan is the absurdly confusing system that S&W used to assign the model numbers for these pistols. Today, their M&P pistols follow a pretty logical formula. I carry a M&P9c — a compact 9mm. Makes sense, right? Well, the 3rd Gen equivalent of that pistol is the 6904. But if it was made before the late 80’s, it would be the 2nd Gen version — the 469. And the single stack version would be the 3914, which is virtually identical to the 908. Confused yet?

Unless you’ve committed these models to memory, looking at the numbers stamped on the slide of an old S&W pistol in the case at a gun shop or an online ad doesn’t really tell you much. Even if you ask Google for some help, you might have to wade through a multi-page forum thread to get a straight answer.

Well, believe it or not, there is some logic to the old S&W numbering system, it’s just not particularly intuitive. So we whipped together this S&W semi-auto model number quick reference chart to make it a little easier for you the next time you misplace your S&W decoder ring.

Our chart covers most of the regular production models for the discontinued Smiths chambered in major service calibers. There are a few less common ones out there, but these are the pistols you’re most likely to run across today. Even with the chart, there might be a few confusing details about the numbering system, so keep reading for a little background info on each “generation” of S&W autos.

1st Gen Pistols

Smith And Wesson Model 10 Serial Number C

The first S&W semi-automatic chambered in a service caliber was the Model 39, which first saw the light of day in 1954. The aluminum alloy-framed 9mm pistol had an 8-shot single-stack magazine, a 4-inch barrel and a traditional double action/single action trigger with a slide-mounted safety/decocker, similar to what many people are familiar with from the Beretta 92 series. The Model 39 was developed as a potential replacement for the U.S. Army’s M1911A1. The Army declined to adopt the Model 39, but the pistol was a commercial success, and was even used by a few police departments as one of the very first semi-autos carried by American law enforcement.

In the early 1970s, S&W released a version of the 39 that used a double-stack 14-round magazine dubbed the Model 59. Together, the 39 and 59 are considered the “first generation” of S&W semi-autos. All of the following S&W 2nd and 3rd generation 9mm pistols are essentially derivatives of these two and in many cases, their model number provides some clue to that origin.

Smith And Wesson Model 10 Serial Number D

2nd Gen Pistols

In the late 1970s the S&W models 439 and 459 were released, which are considered the first of the second generation pistols. These were basically the 39 and 59 with a few small changes and the number “4” added to the begining of the model number. Steel framed versions of these pistols followed, available with either a stainless, blued, or nickel finish. Blued and nickel model numbers start with “5” (539, 559) and the stainless steel models start with “6” (639, 659).

In the mid 1980s, S&W released two alloy-framed compact versions of the 59 series; the 469 (blued or nickel finish) and 669 (stainless finish). Establishing the form factor that the third gen compacts would follow, these pistols had a 3.5-inch barrel and 12-round magazine.

Around this same time, S&W also began producing their first .45 ACP pistol — the model 645. This was a large frame, single stack pistol with an 8-round magazine, 5-inch barrel, and DA/SA with slide-mounted safety/decocker just like the 9mm pistols. There is one variant of the second gen .45 pistol — the single action only model 745, which was a special limited run intended for IPSC competition shooters.

I hope you caught all that because here’s where it gets complicated…

3rd Gen Pistols

The third generation of S&W pistols started hitting the market in the late 80s. They can be easily spotted by their four-digit model numbers. S&W continued the numbering trend they had started on the 9mm pistols — the 3900 series are full size and compact single stack pistols, the 5900 series are double stacks, and the 6900 series are compact double stacks.

Third gen pistols in other calibers are much easier to remember. The 4500 series is for .45 ACP, 4000 series for .40 S&W, and 1000 series for 10mm.

So, looking at the first two digits of a four-digit model number from a 3rd gen pistol, we can know the caliber, and if it’s a 9mm, we might also know the frame size. The rest of the info we’d need is in the second half of the model number.

The third digit indicates one of nine possible combinations of action type and frame size. Most S&W autos are DA/SA, but not all. Some are double action only (DAO), and a few were even made with a slide-mounted decocking lever and no external safety (similar to what you’d find on a Sig P220 series pistol). Each model series has a frame size and barrel length that is “standard” for that series, which we’ve listed on the chart. The third digit will tell you if a given model is the standard size, mid-size, or compact.

The final digit in the model number indicates the frame material and finish. Frames are either steel or aluminum alloy and the finish is either blued/black (sometimes with a nickel plating), or stainless/silver.

Exceptions

What makes this complex system frustrating to follow is that there are multiple exceptions to the product “codes”. Some are pretty easy to figure out like the “value” series pistols. These were budget versions of the third gen pistols that lack some of the finishing touches of the standard models and have a three-digit model number. The first two digits reflect the caliber (9, 40, or 45).

The Chief’s Special pistols are also easy to spot, like the one in the header image of this post. They are single stack, sub-compact variants with a “CS” pre-fix and they’re some of the most sought-after 3rd gen pistols on the used market. There’s one model each chambered in 9mm, .40 S&W, and .45ACP called the CS9, CS40, and CS45 respectively.

Besides these obvious exceptions, there are a few sneaky model numbers that look normal but don’t follow the numbering trends. For instance, the 6906 should really be the 6903 — a “6” for the final digit normally means stainless steel, but the 6906 is an alloy framed pistol with a silver stainless finish.

The compact .40 S&W pistols can also be confusing. Most are double stack, but a few single stack versions were made. The model 4040PD in particular breaks multiple model numbering “rules” and seems to have been given its name arbitrarily.

Letter suffixes are another detail to watch for. A couple of letters tacked to the end of the model name might mean something minor like a new finish, but they can also indicate major changes like the “TSW” (Tactical Smith & Wesson) series of pistols which indicate the addition of features like improved sights and accessory rails. Sometimes, the TSW pistols were built with a completely different frame size and barrel length than the standard model.

Some of the oddball model names come from pistols developed by S&W’s in-house custom shop, the Performance Center. To keep things simple (relatively speaking, anyway) we didn’t include these and other obscure models in our chart. If you want more detailed information on any of these models, I highly recommend picking up the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson which was a huge help in verifying the info for the chart.

Hopefully, the next time you’re trying to track down a deal on an old Smith, this info will help your search go a little quicker. If we’ve missed anything important, or if you spot any errors in the chart, let me know and I’ll try to correct it ASAP. If you guys like this one, be sure to tell us in the comments and maybe we’ll tackle S&W revolvers in the next one!

The Smith & Wesson Model 10 Military and Police .38 Special Revolver

By Chuck Hawks

Smith & Wesson is currently marketing a semi-automaticpistol as a Military and Police (M&P) model, but the name is taken from thedouble action (DA) revolver that made it famous. Later, the same revolver wasassigned the model number '10,' when S&W stopped naming theirhandguns and gave them numbers, instead. To this day, shooters over 30associate the M&P name primarily with the forged steel Model 10 revolverthat is still going strong and was the mainstay of the S&W police (andcivilian) handgun line for decades, not the more recent plastic-framed semi-auto.

The S&W .38 Hand Ejector, fixed sight service revolverhas, in one form or another, been a best seller in the S&W revolver linesince 1899. The Military and Police tag was added immediately after the gun'sintroduction, as a result of an 1899 order from the U.S. military for thousandsof Smith & Wesson's new revolvers in the then U.S. service standard .38 LongColt caliber.

In addition, in 1899 S&W introduced a new caliber in the M&P,the .38 Special. (The actual bullet diameter is .357'). This was an enlarged andmore powerful cartridge designed to address the stopping power deficiencies ofthe .38 Long Colt service cartridge. The M&P revolver and the .38 Specialcartridge have been associated ever since.

As a historical note, the S&W Military and Police wasengaged in an intense competition with Colt's best selling Police PositiveSpecial service revolver for both the civilian and police markets during thefirst half of the 20th Century. Ultimately, S&W finally achieved market dominance dueto their ability to undersell Colt.

M&P revolvers have been periodically updated. Thefirst major change came in 1902, when the lock-work was simplified and anejector rod locking lug was added beneath the barrel, latching the cylinderinto the frame at front and back.

Starting in 1904, customers had a choice ofsquare or rounded grip frames. In 1915 the mechanism was again improved by theaddition of an automatic hammer block that rendered the revolver completelysafe with all six chambers loaded. The fixed sights were also improved at thesame time.

S&W began heat treating cylinders in 1919. M&P revolversproduced between 1942 and 1944 had a 'V' prefix added to their serialnumbers and were known as 'Victory' models. Incidentally, the S&WMagna grips were introduced after the end of World War II and, at some point,the hammer block actuation was changed from a spring to a cam.

The Model 10 designation was introduced in 1957/1958, so the revolver became known as the'.38 Military & Police Model 10,' the designation used by the Gun Digest, the Shooter's Bible and practically everyone else until 2010. Whateverit is called, this .38 Special, fixed sight revolver is the most popular in history, with over 6,000,000 sold and production continuing today.

Model 10's made at various times between 1958 and 2010 wereavailable with 2', 3', 4', 5' and 6' barrels. Therewere also limited production 'distributor special' versions with2.5' barrels.

However, the 4' and 6' barrel lengths have alwaysbeen the most popular. These were elegantly tapered barrels, without atop rib and only a small bottom lug (about ½' long) to serve as a latchfor the tip of the ejector rod. There was also an otherwise identical 4'heavy barrel (no taper) M&P version.

Prior to 1981, the barrel wasthreaded into the frame and pinned in place, while current Model 10 barrels aresimply threaded into the frame sanspin. The gun reviewed here has a 6' barrel, my favorite length for .38 revolvers.

The caliber is marked on the right side of the test gun'sbarrel, reading '38 S&W Special Ctg.' while 'Smith &Wesson' is stamped on the left side. The serial number is stamped on thebottom of the grip frame.

Our test gun's serial number indicates that it wasprobably made in 1977, before the 10-7 engineering change took place(later in 1977). The model number is stamped inside the frame behind thecylinder crane; thus, the cylinder must be swung open to see the model number.In the case of the test revolver, it reads 'Mod. 10-5.' That standsfor Model 10, 5th engineering revision. The fifth engineering revision (-5) wasa change from a 1/10' wide 'half moon' front sight blade to a1/8' wide ramp style front sight blade; this was instituted in 1962. Ourtest gun was therefore part of the Model 10-5 production run, manufactured between1962 and 1977.

Between 1958 and 2012 there were a total of 14 engineeringrevisions made to the Model 10. The lockwork has remained the same after the -4revision, in which the earlier leaf spring powered trigger returnmechanism was replaced by a more durable coil spring powered slider.

The Model 10 was temporarily discontinued in 2010, only tobe immediately reintroduced in the current 4' heavy barrel version without the historic M&P tag. Theblued steel Model 10 revolver is offered today in pretty much its originalform, but only with a 4' heavy barrel and a rounded butt. All Model 10's from1958 to the present are suitable for use with .38 Special +P ammunition, aswell as all standard pressure .38 Special loads.

The M&P is built on Smith's medium size 'K'frame, which is an appropriate size for a six-shot, .38 Special revolver. Thesmall 'J' frame was designed for .32 caliber cartridges (such as the.32 S&W) and the big 'N' frame for .44/.45 caliber cartridges.

None of these S&W frame sizes were originally intended for use with Magnumcartridges. Thus it was that when the .357 Magnum cartridge was introduced in1935, it was chambered in a big N frame gun, which was unnecessarily large forthe caliber.

Later, the .357 was adapted to K frame guns, but it tended toshake them apart and the recoil is ferocious. It wasn't until much later, whenS&W copied the Colt Python size frame, calling it the 'L' frame,that they finally had a frame appropriate for the .357 Magnum.

The sights on the M&P are fixed (non-adjustable). Thefront sight is the angled (quick draw) front blade introduced with the -5series and the rear sight is the traditional square notch machined into the topof the frame. This is a durable, but limiting, sighting system that wasbasically regulated for use with the traditional 158 grain LRN 'policeservice' factory load. Good revolver sights should be user adjustable forwindage and elevation, since otherwise the sights can be properly regulated at the factory foronly one load at one distance.

The K38 Masterpiece (Model 14) is S&W's K-frame, adjustable sight .38 revolver.It is generally similar to the M&P, but supplied with a fully adjustablerear sight and undercut target type front blade that allows accurate use of thewide range of .38 Special loads on the market.

Most Model 10's came with a high polish, luster bluedoverall finish with a color case hardened hammer and trigger, although nickelfinish was also available for most of the gun's life. The nickel plated finishwas discontinued in 1991, well after the satin stainless steel Model 64 M&Phad been introduced, which effectively replaced the nickel finish. Thestainless Model 64 is otherwise the same as the Model 10. (S&W pads theirmodel list by using different model numbers for otherwise identical stainlessand blued finish guns.)

Previously supplied with a either a round or squarebutt and checkered wood grips, current production Model 10's come with a roundbutt (only) and wood grip panels, while Model 64 revolvers are supplied withUncle Mike's combat style rubber grips. The test gun has a square grip framewith S&W Magna walnut grip panels; it is in completely stock form.

2016 Model 10 Heavy Barrel Specifications

• SKU: 150786
• Caliber: .38 Special +P
• Action: SA/DA
• Capacity: 6 rounds
• Barrel: Threaded into frame
• Barrel length: 4' heavy
• Front sight: Fixed blade
• Rear sight: Fixed notch
• Overall length: 8-7/8'
• Frame size: Medium (K), exposed hammer
• Weight: 36 oz. (catalog)
• Grips: Wood, rounded butt
• Material: Carbon steel frame and cylinder
• Finish: Blue
• Purpose: Military and police service, home protection
• 2016 MSRP: $739

1962-1977 Model 10-5 Specifications (as tested)

• Condition: Used, excellent
• Caliber: .38 Special +P
• Action: SA/DA
• Capacity: 6 rounds
• Barrel: Threaded into frame and pinned in place
• Barrel length: 6' tapered
• Front sight: Fixed blade (1/8' wide)
• Rear sight: Fixed notch
• Overall length: 11-1/8'
• Frame size: Medium (K), exposed hammer
• Weight: 31 oz. (catalog); 32 oz. (actual)
• Grips: Walnut, Magna square butt
• Material: Carbon steel frame and cylinder
• Finish: Blue
• Purpose: Military and police service, home protection
• 1976 MSRP: $109

Like all S&W revolvers with swing out cylinders, thecylinder rotates counter clockwise, or out of the frame, because thehand that rotates the cylinder is on the right side of the frame and the cylinder swings out to the left. This is whyS&W revolvers have two cylinder locks, one in the form of a spring loadedpin at the front of the ejector rod and the second a hole in the recoil shieldat the rear of the frame window for the spring-loaded cylinder pin. The handtrying to rotate the cylinder out of the frame is also why S&W revolver cylindersare not quite as tight, with the trigger pulled back, as equivalentColt revolver models.

Look Up S&w Serial Numbers

The firing pin is pinned into the hammer using a roll pin.There is rebounding hammer with an internal hammer block that positivelyprevents the firing pin from hitting the primer of a chambered cartridge untilthe trigger is pulled back, thus rendering the gun safe to carry with thecylinder fully loaded. The main (hammer) spring is a leafspring inside the grip frame, secured by a screw in the lower front of the grip frame.

The trigger pull of the test gun measured a clean fourpounds, per my RCBS pull scale. Like all S&W revolvers G&S Online has reviewed,the DA pull exceeded the eight pound max reading of my scale. It is probably onthe order of 12 to 14 pounds, so heavy that when dry firing I could not keepthe sights correctly aligned, no matter how slowly and carefully I tried topull the trigger.

This revolver's DA trigger function is adequate for use at contact range and not much else. If you want to hit what you are shooting at, cock the hammer manually for a SA trigger pull.

It is no secret that S&W has turned out a lot of poorly machinedand fitted revolvers, especially during the 1970's and 1980's. However, thistest gun has a tight and uniform cylinder gap, tight cylinder crane to frame fitand a uniformly machined cylinder star. The frame is straight and the barrel iscorrectly aligned in the frame. The side plate fits the frame perfectly, with anearly invisible line where the two meet. The hand ejector rod is straight, theaction is tight and there is very little cylinder play. The locking bolt doesnot drag between the cylinder locking notches and the cylinder indexes correctlyduring rapid DA fire. The grip panels correctly match the shape of the frameand are a tight fit. It is one of the good ones!

For the shooting part of this review I had .38 Specialstandard pressure Remington/UMC 130 grain Metal Case (MV 790 fps) and Winchester/USA125 grain JSP (MV 850 fps) factory loads. To represent .38 Special +P loads I used the Winchester/USA 125 grain JHP Personal Protection factory load (MV 945 fps). Groups were five shots at 25yards at slow fire pistol (bulls eye) targets, fired from a sturdy shootingbench using a Pistol Perch rest.

Guns and Shooting Online staffers GordonLanders, Rocky Hays and Jim Fleck helped me with the shooting chores. We did our test shooting at the Izaak Walton outdoor shootingrange south of Eugene Oregon. Overcast skies with a high temperature in theupper 50's F during our day at the range with the Model 10 were typical ofWestern Oregon weather in mid-March. The maximum wind velocity was 10-15 MPH. At least it did not rain.

Shooting results

• Remington 130 gr. MC: Smallest group = 1-3/4'; Largest group = 2-3/8'; Mean average group size = 2.13'
• Winchester 125 gr. JSP: Smallest group = 1-3/4'; Largest group = 2-3/4'; Mean average group size = 2.08'
• Winchester +P 125 gr. JHP: Smallest group = 1-1/8'; Largest group = 2-1/4'; Mean average group size = 1.79'

AVERAGE GROUP SIZE FOR ALL LOADS: 2.0'

This time out Jim shot the smallest individual group. Notethat none of our test loads were the 158 grain LRN factory loads (MV approx.800 fps) for which the Model 10's fixed sights were presumably regulated. Idetest plain lead bullets and almost never shoot such ammo in my revolvers, soI don't keep it on hand. Unfortunately, none was available for sale locally,due to the Obama ammo shortage.

The sights, although fixed, present a decent, Patridge typesight picture in daylight conditions. Point of impact with a two hand hold, forme, was 1.5' low and 1' to the left at 25 yards with the 125-130grain standard pressure ammo. The Winchester 125 grain +P loads grouped about1.25' low and approximately centered in windage.

Shooting a bit low withthese 125-130 grain loads was not surprising, as I figured the gun was intendedfor use with 158 grain police loads. If only the Model 10 had an adjustablerear sight it would be easy to zero this revolver to hit dead on at 25 yardswith 125 grain +P JHP ammo.

The SA trigger pull releases the hammer crisply, without anytake-up and very little over-travel. All shooters appreciated the cleantrigger. At a measured four pounds, the pull weight is about 1.5 pounds heavierthan I would like, but it is so crisp it feels lighter.

The wide trigger has a comfortably gentle curve and a grooved face. I prefer a smooth triggersurface. Never in my life can I remember my trigger finger slipping on a smooth trigger!

As with all S&W revolvers, the checkering on top of thehammer spur is too sharp and tends to abrade the skin of the shooter's thumb pad after alot of single action shooting. All of our test firing for ourrecorded groups was done single action, of course, to maximize accuracy. I havenever understood the gun manufacturers' fascination with sharp edges on handguns.

S&W's two-piece Magna grips have to be among the mostuncomfortable ever designed from the standpoint of handling recoil and theyprovide no fill between the front of the grip frame and the back of the triggerguard. (Well, okay, they are better than the earlier S&W wood grips--faint praise, indeed.) However, the Magna grips servedsatisfactorily on the relatively heavy for caliber Model 10 with both standard pressure and +P .38 Special loads. Therevolver's 6' barrel and good balance helped minimize recoil and muzzle jump.

My only real complaint was that the S&W cylinder latch (slideforward to swing open the cylinder) was too tight and a bit difficult to operate. It tendedto hesitate or stick about half way when pressed forward, the only rough machine workwe found on this gun.

Despite its age, this revolver showed signs of havingbeing shot very little prior to this review, with no signs of wear due to use,or even from being carried in a holster. I doubt it had fired a full box ofammo (50 rounds) in its entire life. It had been purchased by G&S OnlineTechnical Assistant Nathan Rauzon's Grandfather for home defense and spentvirtually its entire life in a gun case. Thus, we had the pleasure of shootingwhat was functionally a new Model 10-5 revolver.

The S&W Military and Police Model 10 is a good choicefor police service and home defense, just as advertised. It is the right sizefor the .38 Special cartridge, which particularly in +P hollow point form, is anexcellent choice for both purposes.

Like any revolver, it can be leftfully loaded with all springs relaxed for years and still be ready forimmediate action at a moments notice, without any preparation. Just cock thehammer and squeeze the trigger to fire accurate SA shots, or simply pull thetrigger for very short range DA use in an extreme emergency.

Smith Wesson Serial Numbers Manufacture Date

For home defense, nothing is safer, more accurate, more reliable or more ambidextrous than a revolver. A good S&W Military and Police Model 10 is more than adequate for the job.

Staples

Note: This review is mirrored on the Product Reviews page.