Smith & Wesson 38 special

[T BUSCH]

This is the first time my husband and I have seen this blog. He purchased a Smith & Wesson 38 special ctg, 4" barrel (stainless?), SN D225554. Can anyone tell us anything about this?

 

[boalex207]

Welcome to THR.

Do you see a model number on the gun ? 67 maybe ?

 

[T BUSCH]

Where might we see a model number? The only number he thinks may be model is 10-5(?)

 

[boalex207]

Smith & Wesson Model 10 is the classic American revolver. First produced in 1903, it was the sidearm of choice for America's cops until the mid 1980's.

This will get you started.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S&W_Model_10


Others more knowledgeable than I will be along to put the icing on the cake, such as when the (-5) guns were produced, etc.

 

[T BUSCH]

Thank you so much. We'll go looking at Wikipedia and check back here for more info. At another time he wants to check out some other hand guns he got from his parents.

 

[230RN]

Open the cylinder.

Make double-sure the gun is unloaded.

Look at the now-exposed numbers on the frame right under the barrel.

That's where mine has the "10-5"

My serial number also begins with a D.

I put a set of Pachmayr grips on it, which are 17.387 times more comfortable, 3.703 times more "pointable," and 0.2974 as ugly as the factory grips. Looks like a "real" gun now.

I love that gun. Double action is really light and fast due to the fact that it has a leaf-type mainspring instead of one of those stiff coil springs.

 

[Old Fuff]

Smith & Wesson Military & Police revolvers (known as the model 10 after 1957) with a D-prefix serial number were made from 1967 to 1977 within a serial number range running from D-1 to D-999,999.

Serial number D-225,554 was made in 1969 or 1970.

The sub-model 10-5 was introduced in 1962, and involved changing the width of the front sight on standard barrels.

 

[XavierBreath]

A Model 10-5 would not be stainless. They came in blue and nickel. I suspect yours is nickel plated.

If it is a nickel gun, do not use solvents that remove copper to clean the gun. Nickel plating has a copper underlay. If the underlay is attacked by the solvents, your finish is history.

The Model 10's history begins with the Smith & Wesson Model of 1899, then goes to the Model of 1902 and it's variations. It later became the Model of 1905, and underwent four significant engineering changes. It went to war as the Smith & Wesson Victory Model. During that time, it's name was the Military and Police revolver or M&P. With the assignment of model numbers in 1957, the M&P became the Model 10. It is still being produced today.

Here are a couple of my Model 10-5's to compare yours to.


This photo shows a brief pictorial history, starting with a Model of 1899.

Model of 1899
Pre-Depression M&P
Victory Model
Post-War M&P
Model 10

If you like, I'll move your thread to the more frequently traveled Revolver Forum so you will get even more responses. Enjoy your revolver. It is the ubiquitous Smith & Wesson, and it is a very capable and handy firearm.

 

[armoredman]

The Model 10 is the best 38 revolver ever built. I am very happy with my inheritance 10-8

 

[T BUSCH]

Thank you all for your information. Having very little gun history knowledge myseof, it was invaluable! We'll be back.

 

[230RN]

Wow. Just wow.

Xavier Breath, I see you've got a grip filler on one of yours. As noted, I stuck a set of Pachmayrs on mine and it points like it had a servo motor in it connected to my eyeballs.

Bzzzt. Bzzzzzzzzzzt. Bang.

Old Fuff, TNX for the serial number data.

 

[keyboard commando]

Smith & Wesson Model 10-5,Blue,4 Inch

Great revolver.I found mine not long ago.Was too nice to pass by.It is an earlier "C" prefix serial number.