Smith & Wesson Model 10 38 Special

If you’ve read this blog for any length of time, you know that besides being avid hunters, we also collect firearms. Or wish we could collect firearms. Or wish we had the extra money to collect guns. But you get the point.

I’ve always been a revolver guy and I’ve been looking to pick up an S&W Model 60 in .357. In the course of that search, I managed to aquire an S&W Military and Police Model 10 in .38 Special. It happened to be my late father in law’s and we believe in may have been his first service gun or at least one of his first. My mother in law still had it with the original box, papers and the receipt when he bought it. He paid $125 for it in 1982.

It’s a pretty sweet pistol. There’s just a bit of holster wear, but the trigger still has a nice feel to it. It’s a bit big for conceal carry, which is why I’m looking at a model 60. But it should handle the 38 +P rounds (from what I’ve read) since it’s the k frame. I’m just wondering about its age. It’s just a bit heavy to stick in the small of my back, it’d probably drag my pants down. I’m looking into a holster for that though. He had a number engraved in the side of it, no one is sure what it means.

I’ve been itching to get it out to the range and put a few rounds through it, but haven’t had the opportunity to get out yet. Hopefully that will change in the next couple of weeks as I’m planning on joining the Chisholm Trail Gun Club here. I’ll post back here how it performs just as soon as I fling some lead through it.

Anyway, happy shooting and keep your powder dry.

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5 Replies to “Smith & Wesson Model 10 38 Special”

  1. Model-10 has to be my all time favorite as it was the authorized service revolver. The +P ammo will run as sweet as pie. Get a Pachmyr Combat grip for this square butt K-frame. A holster to carry strong side on a 1 3/4″ belt is the way to go, and be certain that the trigger guard is covered, and that the hammer spur is covered by a thumb break retention strap. Reloading is up to you as obviously you are a civilian and have no guidelines however, an HKS speed loader or two, or a 2x2x2 pouch is nice.
    A gunsmith should look at the weapon. The trigger, I like the target serrated one, may need to be “de-horned”. The pawl hand that slides in the side plate probably will need to be honed as will the sideplate channel. Remove the middle screw from the sideplate to remove the cylinder and crane. Keep this area LIGHTLY oiled and clean, or it will give you trouble. Never “Hollywood” snap the cylinder assemblt closed or the ejector rod will bend and then it’s all downhill from there. Pay attention to the forcing cone and keep it clean as also the face of the cylinder. Inside the cylinder, each chamber will require cleaning of all foreign material. When loaded, there should be an audible ammunition rattle when the revolver is shaken. Double action firing the weapon is best but that is your call.
    The “73/X” engraving is known only to your late father-in-law, unless he worked the 7-3 Precinct, but that was “Fort Z”. An “X” may denote radio code 10-92 Xray, or “Gone on arrival” (somebody has left and nothing is there). So it could mean, 7-3 Xray, or “73 Pct., I’m Retired and Gone. See Ya!”
    Best of Luck with your Model-10. Check the serial number run for a prefix of “B”, “C”, or “D”. From the photo it does not look like a pin barrel.

    1. Thanks headhunter for the comments. What I haven’t shown here is I added a T-grip to it as I like the retro look of it more. It’s a great shooter, handles anything I run through it. I bought a Simply Rugged pancake holster for it.

  2. I just enlarged the photograph of the revolver and it is in fact a pin barrel.
    These, in my opinion, shot the best, and were more accurate. But that’s only an opinion.

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