Nickle Plated Model 10

[Driftwood Johnson]

Then I think I'd definitely pop for the S&W letter if you are financially able. Probably won't add a hundred bucks to the gun but would legitimize the nickel and show the LE destination for your Uncle's purchase.

Howdy

A letter will not add any value. Some folks think it will but it will not. But it is certainly worth the $100 just to have the information.

Here is a link to the S&W Firearm History Request. I see they now have two types of letters, used to be there was only one. You want the first one.

https://www.smith-wesson.com/firearm-history-request

If you don't want to spring for a letter, post the serial number, substituting Xs for the last two digits and I will see what I can come up with for a shipping date.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

Howdy

A letter will not add any value. Some folks think it will but it will not. But it is certainly worth the $100 just to have the information.

That's a broad and inaccurate statement. Destination, configuration, options can and quite often do add value and in some cases, quite significantly.
Probably, in this case, it will add little unless the shipping info offers something interesting regarding a LE pipeline.


Todd.

 

[ThomasT]

It should have an “N” stamped on the grip frame under the grips, and another on the back of the cylinder.

I would lose the rubber grips and get some vintage S&W wood.

Sho Nuff' there is an "N" stamped on back of the cylinder. Thanks for that. I did have the rubber grips off but didn't see an N stamped on the frame but I didn't look for it either.

I have the wood grips off the 6" model 10 I have and may put those on there just for kicks. I looked on ebay for a set of Magna grips and those are expensive. Anything by S&W was expensive. I was trying to find one of the guys in the orient who makes after market wood grips for a decent price but after 5 pages I gave up. Here is the nickle plated model 10-8 on GB I mentioned earlier.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/842454588

 

[ThomasT]

If you don't want to spring for a letter, post the serial number, substituting Xs for the last two digits and I will see what I can come up with for a shipping date.

Thanks Driftwood. The serial # is 30383xx. And there is an "N" stamped on the frame. So its official. Its a factory nickle finish.

I won't spring for the letter. Its not a big deal to me. I remember my uncle buying the gun and the rest of the story to go along with it. The gun and story will be passed down to my sons so they can retell the story. And I will never sell it. You don't sell guns with no paper trails.

 

[ThomasT]

OK I dug around in my cabinet and found some Turtle Wax Polishing Compound that cleans and removes scratches per the can. So I used that on the nickle and it did clean the gun up. There are still a few small scratches that I guess are going to stay there. I went in the attic to my Box-O-Grips and found some Diamond center Magna grips and put on the gun. Here are a couple of quick pics. Its rainy and cold outside so just a couple on my workbench.

Next I am going to add some Lime Green to the front sight and rub some linseed oil on the wood grips. They look a little dry.



What do y'all think about some Pearl or Ivory grips? Or would that be too much N.O. Pimp?

 

[gotboostvr]

That's a broad and inaccurate statement. Destination, configuration, options can and quite often do add value and in some cases, quite significantly.
Probably, in this case, it will add little unless the shipping info offers something interesting regarding a LE pipeline.


Todd.

The only time it really adds value is if it verifies a very unique configuration. A properly "N" nickle 4" M10 wouldn't really benefit from it.

Something like a 5" M19 might, or a "Pinto" would also if the letter verifies it left the factory that way.

I doubt WHERE it was shipped would increase the value any unless it went to John Javino or someone similar.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

The only time it really adds value is if it verifies a very unique configuration. A properly "N" nickle 4" M10 wouldn't really benefit from it.

Something like a 5" M19 might, or a "Pinto" would also if the letter verifies it left the factory that way.

I doubt WHERE it was shipped would increase the value any unless it went to John Javino or someone similar.

I guess your mileage has varied.


Todd.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

hanks Driftwood. The serial # is 30383xx. And there is an "N" stamped on the frame. So its official. Its a factory nickle finish.

I'm not finding that Serial Number.

Is there a letter in front of the SN?

Specifically, a K, C, or D?

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

That's a broad and inaccurate statement. Destination, configuration, options can and quite often do add value and in some cases, quite significantly.
Probably, in this case, it will add little unless the shipping info offers something interesting regarding a LE pipeline.

I stand by what I said.

In most cases, the presence of a factory letter will not increase the value of a S&W revolver, unless it is in an unusual configuration.

I have seen the factory letter for the S&W revolver that Teddy Roosevelt bought just before he left to fight the Spanish American War. As I recall it was a nicely engraved 44 Double Action, chambered for the 38 service cartridge. It sold at auction for a lot of money, sorry I don't remember how much. But in that case its provenance was already known. The revolver was valuable because it was owned by Teddy Roosevelt. The letter was just icing on the cake.

I have about a dozen S&W factory letters. Some of them came along with the revolver when I bought it used. Other revolvers I had lettered myself.

In none of these cases did the presence of a factory letter increase the value of the revolver.

One might ask then, why bother to letter a S&W revolver at all?

I can tell you that in a couple of cases I was intrigued and wanted to know the history of a certain revolver. I have an old, K-22, which I got dirt cheap because the finish was in pretty poor shape.






When I mentioned it to Roy Jinks, the official S&W historian, he said this revolver had an interesting history and I should letter it.

So I did. It turned out the revolver was shipped to the Providence Rhode Island Board of Public Safety in 1932. The letter goes on to state that this one was part of a shipment of 6, and it appears that the Providence police department bought them for their pistol team. They were billed at $22.19 each.

So the letter did not add any value to this old revolver, it just gave me some interesting history on it. I will add that I have several old K-22s, but this worn old one with its incorrect grips is the most accurate of the bunch.



A few years ago I ran across this nice New Model Number Three at a local gun show. I got it for a good price. When I started snooping on the S&W forum some members told me they thought it was part of a shipment to Japan.






I lettered it and the letter stated that it was part of a large shipment of revolvers shipped to Takata & Co., Yokohama, Japan in 1896.

It is interesting to speculate how it got back in this country, perhaps in the duffel bag of a GI returning from WWII. But that is just idle speculation.

If I ever sell it, I will include the letter. Other than offering some interesting information about the revolver, the letter will not increase its value.

However, if the letter showed the revolver had been shipped to the emperor of Japan, that would be a different, and very rare story.

 

[ThomasT]

I'm not finding that Serial Number.

Is there a letter in front of the SN?

Specifically, a K, C, or D?

Howdy. OK I guess I'm a goofball The correct SN is 3D38315. I mistook the D for a 0. Sorry about that. But thanks for looking for me.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

I'm still having trouble finding that SN.

2D80001 through 2D99999 were produced in 1978.
4D0001 through 6D10000 were produced in 1979.

I'm not finding any 3D numbers

What is the dash number?

where it says MOD 10 on the frame it will probably say something like MOD 10-8.

I might be able to make an estimate based on the dash number.

 

[gotboostvr]

I can tell you that in a couple of cases I was intrigued and wanted to know the history of a certain revolver. I have an old, K-22, which I got dirt cheap because the finish was in pretty poor shape.

View attachment 870374




When I mentioned it to Roy Jinks, the official S&W historian, he said this revolver had an interesting history and I should letter it.

So I did. It turned out the revolver was shipped to the Providence Rhode Island Board of Public Safety in 1932. The letter goes on to state that this one was part of a shipment of 6, and it appears that the Providence police department bought them for their pistol team. They were billed at $22.19 each.

So the letter did not add any value to this old revolver, it just gave me some interesting history on it. I will add that I have several old K-22s, but this worn old one with its incorrect grips is the most accurate of the bunch.

I also scored a very nice K22 due to it being "cosmetically challenged"

I might get it lettered just because it's the oldest handgun I own and am mildly curious about its origins. I doubt I'll find anything historically significant, just knowledge for knowledge sake.

 

[ThomasT]

Thanks for looking driftwood. I posted earlier it was a 10-8. I should have included that again. I was guessing it was made around 1980 or so. If you want I can post a picture of the dash # and SN if that helps. Thanks for looking for me.

 

[ThomasT]

I also scored a very nice K22 due to it being "cosmetically challenged"

I wish I could score a K-22 even one with wear on it. A gun doesn't have to be perfect for me to like it. Matter of fact if its a little beat up I feel better about dragging it through the brush and dirt and shooting the snot out of it. I have an old flat latch model 34 I suspect was made in the early 1960s and its a little worn but I love taking that gun on a trail walk. And what a shooter it is. And I only paid $250 OTD for it at a pawn shop.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Model 10-8 production started in 1977.
Model 10-9 production started in 1988.

I'm going to guess your revolver was made in 1978.

Yeah, if you can post a photo of the SN that might help.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

I also scored a very nice K22 due to it being "cosmetically challenged"

I might get it lettered just because it's the oldest handgun I own and am mildly curious about its origins. I doubt I'll find anything historically significant, just knowledge for knowledge sake.

Howdy

Your K-22 is not stamped Model 17 on the frame, right?

If not it is a K-22 Masterpiece, also known as the K-22 Postwar 3rd Model, also known as the Pre-Model 17. This model was first made in 1946. Production continued until 1957 when the name was changed to the Model 17.

Early K-22 Masterpieces had a slightly tapered barrel with a narrow rib, later ones had a barrel with no taper and a rib the width of the barrel.

This one shipped in 1950. Notice the slight taper to the barrel near the frame. Your photo appears to show a barrel with no taper, so I am guessing yours is a little bit later. Yours is a five screw (there is a screw for the side plate up near the hammer). This screw was deleted in 1955. If your Serial Number starts with a K I will try to figure out when it was made.



P.S. The pre-war K-22s were known as the K-22 Outdoorsman. Check out the photo of the worn K-22 I posted earlier for a comparison. No barrel rib and the rear sight had two very small windage adjustment screws, one on each side. Service grips were standard, mine is wearing an incorrect pair of Magna grips. This model was produced from 1931 until 1940, with about 19,500 produced.

There was a short run of K-22 Masterpieces produced in 1940 and 1941. Sometimes known as the Pre-War K-22 2nd Model. Pretty much the same as the K-22 Outdoorsman except the rear sight was the modern micrometer click rear sight. Short action on this model. Only about 1067 produced, they are pretty rare. So if you have a K-22 without a barrel rib, but with the modern rear sight, you have a pretty rare K-22.

 

[gotboostvr]

Howdy

Your K-22 is not stamped Model 17 on the frame, right?

If not it is a K-22 Masterpiece, also known as the K-22 Postwar 3rd Model, also known as the Pre-Model 17. This model was first made in 1946. Production continued until 1957 when the name was changed to the Model 17.

Early K-22 Masterpieces had a slightly tapered barrel with a narrow rib, later ones had a barrel with no taper and a rib the width of the barrel.

This one shipped in 1950. Notice the slight taper to the barrel near the frame. Your photo appears to show a barrel with no taper, so I am guessing yours is a little bit later. Yours is a five screw (there is a screw for the side plate up near the hammer). This screw was deleted in 1955. If your Serial Number starts with a K I will try to figure out when it was made.

View attachment 870441

Correct, mine is NOT stamped as a 17

If I remember, it's from about '51 or '52. I don't have the SN handy currently.

 

[bannockburn]

Ratshooter

I wish I could score a K-22 even one with wear on it. A gun doesn't have to be perfect for me to like it. Matter of fact if its a little beat up I feel better about dragging it through the brush and dirt and shooting the snot out of it. I have an old flat latch model 34 I suspect was made in the early 1960s and its a little worn but I love taking that gun on a trail walk. And what a shooter it is. And I only paid $250 OTD for it at a pawn shop.

I paid a little bit more for this LNIB Model 34 for my wife but I would have loved to have found a nice Model 17 for her.

 

[Old Dog]

I never knew there WERE any nickled M-10s. It is seriously cool.

Yeah, they are seriously cool ...

 

[Riomouse911]

Old Dog, NICE!

Ratshooter,

My daughter and ex live in Tarrant County (Hurst), small world.

It’s neat to get a bit of family history with an old gun, yours is rich with it. I was given my Great Uncles duty M&P .38 some time back, it was his duty gun from 1945-1965 at Las Vegas PD.

Twenty years of holster wear, desert sweat and some sort of piss-poor armorer engraving above the trigger (I cant tell if it’s a crooked B or a poorly done 13) have worn the finish, but the guns lockwork and bore are in great shape. Compared to that shiny 10-8 beauty the M&P I have is as ugly as a Mississippi River catfish!

You’ll enjoy the heck out of that gun, congrats!

Stay safe.

 

[ThomasT]

I paid a little bit more for this LNIB Model 34 for my wife but I would have loved to have found a nice Model 17 for her.

Bannock those model 34s are just pretty little guns. Mine compliments my 4" model 31-1 and the 2 & 3" models 30-1 I own. I take them out of the safe and just admire and count myself lucky to have them.

Old Dog I really like you Nickle Snubby.

It’s neat to get a bit of family history with an old gun, yours is rich with it. I was given my Great Uncles duty M&P .38 some time back, it was his duty gun from 1945-1965 at Las Vegas PD.

We really need pictures if you can. And all that wear just adds character you can't get any other way. And two of my aunts live in Hurst. If you make it down to visit send me a PM and lunch is on me. I live in Burleson (former home of Kelly Clarkson) just about 25 miles away.

And yes I'm pumped about this gun. Just a simple, basic duty gun S&W made God only knows how many of but I guess thats part of the charm. I wanted to get my uncles duty gun from the Ft Worth PD when he passed away (model 15) but my stupid aunt sold all his guns for quarters on the dollar and never said a word to me even though I offered to buy some for the real market price. That was the gun he used to kill one man while on duty and shoot the guys wife after she attacked him. I haven't talked to that "aunt" in 14 years and have no plans to in the future.