Searching for Pistol Manufacturer

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sonofagun

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My story is I have this 38 special revolver, used by my Police Chief father in the 1950s that closely resembles the S&W Model 10 Military & Police Revolver of 1945. Except, it doesn’t say S&W anywhere on the pistol. I wrote S&W and here is my description: It appears to be a K frame with 4 screws on the right side. Also on the right side at the front of the frame, the word “SPAIN” is stamped.

On top of the barrel it says, BEST AMERICAN CARTRIDGES ARE THOSE THAT FIT BEST THE T.A.C. REVOLVER. There is a TAC Trade Mark just below the cylinder release button on the left side of the frame where the S&W Trademark would normally be located. The SN: 181395 is on the bottom of the butt. On the inside of the cylinder are the numbers 6 8 5 under the ejector.

S&W has no information on the handgun. Is there a way to trace this pistol? I would appreciate any help.
 

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TAC was a Spanish maker of S&W copies, in the 1920s as I recall. Which could be the reason it is marked TAC and Spain. And the reason S&W can't tell you anything, because they didn't make it.

Hang on, somebody will come along who knows what TAC stands for.

I do recall that among their S&W copies was a clone of the Triple Lock, which kind of puts them above the rest of the Spanish knockoff shops.

Tracing it back beyond your Father is pretty hopeless. TAC is long gone and those cheapo operations were not known for recordkeeping.
 
If I remember correctly they had a V shaped mainspring that was hammer spring and trigger return spring in one.

Gparrish
 
Spanish copies

I have a book on Spanish handguns. I'll try to remembr to bring it in Tuesday after the weekend. We'll see iof it's in there.
 
The Trocaola S&W clones are also referenced in the A.B. Zhuk book of line drawings, at least in the 1st edition (red cover).

If I remember correctly, they were considered to be of at least reasonable quality.
 
Spanish TAC 38 spl

Thanks for all the information to help in my manufacturer search. It basically appears very likely to be a 1905 version made by the Orbea brothers of Eibar, according to some line drawings.
 
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