Smith and Wesson 38 question

[kentucky_smith]

Picked up a Smith today in good shape, don't have a revolver in the bunch, so thought I would give it a go. Question is, what is it.


No Model anywhere, 4" barrel, 38 S&W Special CTG. on right side of barrel. Serial Number D8779xx. Very heavy. Single action trigger is very light.


Gun is pretty heavy, is this a K frame? Has fixed sights, and the top of the barrel is almost flat. It's in great shape and the action is smooth.


I am completely clueless about Smith's, never could get the model number's figured out. Any help on that would be appreciated.

 

[Sheldon]

Open the cylinder and look at the yoke where it opens up. The model number will be stamped there along with a - and the series or generation number after that.....like 66-2 (indicating a model 66 second series) or something along those lines.

 

[kentucky_smith]

Doh. Mod 10-6.


Thanks much. Any idea of year or other information?

 

[Sheldon]

I'm looking at the smith-wessonforum.com site and I get the impression it was made around 1976 or so....possibly a little earlier??

 

[Pistol Toter]

1976 to 1977 Serials Numbers D870001 to D999999 per the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson

 

[SaxonPig]

The Military & Police revolver was refined during several incarnations until 1915 when the final version was introduced. This gun became the Model 10 in 1957 when model numbers were assigned and the 10-6 was made from 1962 until 1977. Yours dates from about 1976. It is built on the K frame and is one of the most successful and popular guns ever made. S&W has sold something like 6 or 7 million of them over the years.

These were available in blue or nickel (later in stainless as the Model 64) with 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6 inch barrels being encountered. In the 1960s the heavy barrel version became available and that may be what you have based on your description of the top of the barrel being nearly flat. Most popular caliber is the .38 Special but others include the .38 S&W (not the same as the Special) a couple of .32 calibers and small number of rare and valuable examples in .22 Long Rifle (Model 45). Your gun shoots .38 Special ammo and is safe to shoot with any factory loaded ammo in that caliber.