Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted April 7, 2019 Share Posted April 7, 2019 Went to the Wananmaker Arms show in Tulsa yesterday and found this really nice 10-5. Some minor blemishes from moisture in the blueing, but no pitting. Chambers and bore like new, and mechanically excellent. Looks like a service revolver that was carried in a holster for years, but seldom fired. SWEET trigger! Great price which means to me that I paid what it's worth. Not many of those at yesterday's show. More on that topic in an upcoming post. I started my quest several months ago thinking I had to have a S&W snubbie like a Model 36 Chiefs Special. Once I got my hands on a few of them, I decided they were too small for me and would be a major challenge to shoot reasonably well. I had no intention of using it for C&C so my interest in a J frame waned. However, I can see why you C&C guys love them! The model 10 just felt better for plinking at the range. Add to that the Mod 36 and Mod 10 snubbies were priced several hundred dollars more than what I paid for this one, which made my search even easier. Really glad it worked out this way. Such classic lines! I blame J-Bar, Bird Gun Quail and the rest of you who posted pics in the "revolver carry" thread for infecting me with the S&W revolver itch. That's been successfully scratched -- for now. Blathering on: On opening the cylinder, MOD 10-5 is stamped on one part, and a 5-digit serial number 52xxx is stamped on the other. There are no letters like C or D, etc as part of the number. There is however, a sideways "U" beneath the number. S&Ws serial number system is baffling at best, but based on what I can find, it appears to be 1962 -1967 manufacture? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172 Posted April 7, 2019 Share Posted April 7, 2019 Nice looking revolver, Abilene. Gonna need a range report though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted April 7, 2019 Share Posted April 7, 2019 Nice. Standard police sidearm until they came out with the bull barrel like I was issued in the academy in 75. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted April 7, 2019 Share Posted April 7, 2019 The number is on the bottom of the grip. There is no way a model-stamped Smith has a 5-digit SN with no letter prefix. My oldest M&P, which was made in the 30s, has a 6-digit number. The 10-5 came out in 1962. The 10-7 (the 10-6 was a heavy barrel, also in '62) came out in 1977. So it was made in that 15-year range. There was, originally, a diamond in the grip checkering. The screw ran through it. In 1968 they quit putting the diamonds on the grips. Assuming those are the original grips, it was made between 1968 and 1977. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted April 7, 2019 Author Share Posted April 7, 2019 Aha! Thanks, Alpo. SN is D3xxxxx. What's the significance of the 5-digit number and letter stamp on the yoke? Does this help narrow the date? Grips appear to be original with wear similar to your photo. Screw passes thru both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muley Gil SASS # 57795 Posted April 7, 2019 Share Posted April 7, 2019 10 minutes ago, Abilene Slim SASS 81783 said: Aha! Thanks, Alpo. SN is D3xxxxx. What's the significance of the 5-digit number and letter stamp on the yoke? Does this help narrow the date? Grips appear to be original with wear similar to your photo. Screw passes thru both. The number stamped on the frame behind the yoke is an assembly number, which means nothing once the gun leaves Springfield, Mass. I need a few more digits to narrow down the production date. D123xxx would have been built in 1969-1970. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawg Hair, SASS #29557 Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 Nice piece. Jim Supica's book on S&W can tell you the year it was manufactured. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 D330000 was made at the end of 1970. D330001 was the start of 1971. So D3xxxxx was either 70 or 71. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted April 8, 2019 Author Share Posted April 8, 2019 14 minutes ago, Alpo said: D330000 was made at the end of 1970. D330001 was the start of 1971. So D3xxxxx was either 70 or 71. Thx, Lumpy and Muley. D327xxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moose Wesson Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 You got yourself a mighty fine pistola, Pard. Congrats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt. James H. Callahan Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 Love K frames. I have a 2 1/2" M-19 that lives in my bug out bag along with an assortment of ammo types. I have 3 safes full of guns, finally decided that was the one I want if TSHTF. JHC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 Slim, I have a model 10-8. Mine was a Hong Kong Customs and Excise gun, C&E revolver. It has the lanyard ring. Other than that it looks the same as yours. I really enjoy shooting mine. It’s one of my favorites. You have a nice looking revolver there. One thing I did with mine is I added a BK grip (similar to a Tyler T Grip only plastic). My gun metal looked brand new but someone swapped the grip panels out to a much more used looking pair. I was going to replace them but decided to just add the T grip for a better shooting grip. http://bkgrips.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noz Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 J-Bar is contagious. I'm looking for a Combat Magnum so I can go play at an indoor range with him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-BAR #18287 Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 I found this reference in another forum; the first two posts in the attached thread have helped me. If anyone has a better list I’m sure we would all appreciate seeing it. link: https://www.northeastshooters.com/xen/threads/how-to-identify-date-a-s-w.68254/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noz Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 I'll have one of each, thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted April 8, 2019 Author Share Posted April 8, 2019 4 hours ago, J-BAR #18287 said: I found this reference in another forum; the first two posts in the attached thread have helped me. If anyone has a better list I’m sure we would all appreciate seeing it. link: https://www.northeastshooters.com/xen/threads/how-to-identify-date-a-s-w.68254/ Thx! According to this list, mine was produced in 1969-70 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted April 8, 2019 Author Share Posted April 8, 2019 13 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said: Slim, I have a model 10-8. Mine was a Hong Kong Customs and Excise gun, C&E revolver. It has the lanyard ring. Other than that it looks the same as yours. I really enjoy shooting mine. It’s one of my favorites. You have a nice looking revolver there. One thing I did with mine is I added a BK grip (similar to a Tyler T Grip only plastic). My gun metal looked brand new but someone swapped the grip panels out to a much more used looking pair. I was going to replace them but decided to just add the T grip for a better shooting grip. http://bkgrips.com/ I saw one of those, Pat. Or so the seller said - Hong Kong Police. I looked at so many guns I don't remember if it had the lanyard ring. It did have a white serial number stamped into the back strap. Does yours? The one I saw was priced $200-300 more than mine and in about the same condition, maybe a bit more worn. I didn't look long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 8 minutes ago, Abilene Slim SASS 81783 said: I saw one of those, Pat. Or so the seller said - Hong Kong Police. I looked at so many guns I don't remember if it had the lanyard ring. It did have a white serial number stamped into the back strap. Does yours? Yes. It has a “CE-xxxx” number. When I bought it the metal was excellent but the grips were obviously used. I think before it got shipped some officer snagged the nice grip panels and replaced them with his or her old ones. My gun had zero holster wear. The Hong Kong Police and the Customs & Excise departments have or had lend / lease contracts with S&W. I have heard the C&E guns stay in armories where the police guns see a lot more use. I bought this one Sight unseen from the Cabela’s Gun Library and had it shipped to me (Cabela’s Near me) from Louisiana. The knucklehead that worked at the Cabela’s said it had no engraving but when it arrived I saw the “C&E” markings but bought it anyway. Glad I did. It’s a great shooter. It’s the second one down in this photo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted April 8, 2019 Author Share Posted April 8, 2019 Don't know what you paid for yours Pat, but this seller had it priced $200-300 more than mine for similar condition. Yours is nicer than the one I saw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 7 minutes ago, Abilene Slim SASS 81783 said: Don't know what you paid for yours Pat, but this seller had it priced $200-300 more than mine for similar condition. Yours is nicer than the one I saw. I paid $600. Too much, by some standards but I didn’t complain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry T Harrison Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 Mine is a 5 screw no dash model. It has a small amount of holster wear down to bare metal other than that it is excellent condition. The action is butter smooth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shotgun Clay Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 Don't have any post-war M&P, but my favorite is a adjustable sight model with a serial number just a couple hundred off the one Ed McGivern set a number of speed shooting records. If you feel the double action trigger you'll know why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663 Posted April 9, 2019 Share Posted April 9, 2019 Congratulations, Abilene Slim!! You are now the proud owner of the most iconic vintage S&W revolver there is. Literally millions of these Model 10s were sold and for good reason: reliable, high standard of quality, easy to shoot, and in the great .38 Special caliber. An ultimate classic S&W revolver. You will have many years of enjoyment with this handgun. Now what classic vintage S&W revolver are you getting next??? They are addictive, ya' know.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted April 10, 2019 Author Share Posted April 10, 2019 5 hours ago, Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663 said: Congratulations, Abilene Slim!! You are now the proud owner of the most iconic vintage S&W revolver there is. Literally millions of these Model 10s were sold and for good reason: reliable, high standard of quality, easy to shoot, and in the great .38 Special caliber. An ultimate classic S&W revolver. You will have many years of enjoyment with this handgun. Now what classic vintage S&W revolver are you getting next??? They are addictive, ya' know.... A friend of mine has Model 15-x Target/Combat that's in good shape. (I'll have to take a closer look at it.) Belonged to his dad but he never shoots it and it stays unloaded under a bed. Missing the original grips which at point were replaced with some cheap rubber ones. Not sure he'll part with it though. Still, it'd be sweet... Didn't expect an answer so fast, did you? Jim Supica's 4th edition of his Standard Catalog of S&W arrived today. It's like porn... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 3 minutes ago, Abilene Slim SASS 81783 said: A friend of mine has Model 15-x Target/Combat that's in good shape. (I'll have to take a closer look at it.) Belonged to his dad but he never shoots it and it stays unloaded under a bed. Missing the original grips which at point were replaced with some cheap rubber ones. Not sure he'll part with it though. Still, it'd be sweet... Didn't expect an answer so fast, did you? I have a feeling you ain’t gettin that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted April 10, 2019 Author Share Posted April 10, 2019 12 minutes ago, Utah Bob #35998 said: I have a feeling you ain’t gettin that one. Probably not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 22 minutes ago, Abilene Slim SASS 81783 said: Jim Supica's 4th edition of his Standard Catalog of S&W arrived today. It's like porn... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-BAR #18287 Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 Just ask what it would take to make the deal. His merchandise, his responsibility to set a price. Sometimes you get a pleasant surprise! Factory grips are out there, no problemo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663 Posted April 11, 2019 Share Posted April 11, 2019 Abilene, just another note on your Model 10 revolver. Conventional wisdom says that S&W revolvers with fixed sights were sighted to use 158 grain standard velocity .38 Special rounds. I use 158 grain bullets in all my revolvers that shoot .38 Special. I personally prefer lead semi-wadcutters (LSWC). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted April 11, 2019 Author Share Posted April 11, 2019 Thanks Birdgun. I ordered some 158 LSWC from Missouri Bullet yesterday. What's considered standard velocity? Lyman's cast bullet handbook shows a range of 769-837 fps for a 158 gr and Win 231. Range is 786-855 with Bullseye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663 Posted April 11, 2019 Share Posted April 11, 2019 Those velocities sound about right. Let us know how close to point of aim (POA) that ammo is with your Model 10. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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