Military & Police Model 10

[mendiepe]

Purchased a nice five inch Military and Police. It was claimed to me that based on S/N the gun was manufactured in the twenties. Know this is not correct as gun has ramp rather than round front sight. Much to my surprise gun does not show code but only S/N 2025. Can you help me to find correct year of manufacture?

correction.

the full serial number at the bottom of the frame is 2824XX

the ramp is 1/16 inch thick and does no taper from top to bottom

the 2025 visible when you open the cylinder must then be the model number. only problem is not aware of such model in the S&W revolver line.

your comments on the year of manufacture and correct model number will be appreciated

[T.J.]

The serial# should be on the bottom of the grip frame. If I was reading the SCSW correctly, the number you gave would be for the first year of 38 Hand Ejector production.


T.J.

[mendiepe]

correction.

the full serial number at the bottom of the frame is 2824XX

the ramp is 1/16 inch thick and does no taper from top to bottom

the 2025 visible when you open the cylinder must then be the model number. only problem is not aware of such model in the S&W revolver line.

your comments on the year of manufacture and correct model number will be appreciated

thanks TJ

based on the additional info supplied and details of the ramp would you say it was manufactured during 1928?

do you have any idea what the 2025 means?

thanks TJ

based on the additional info supplied and details of the ramp would you say it was manufactured during 1928?

do you have any idea what the 2025 means?

[T.J.]

The 2024 number may be an assembly number. What is the rear sight like. Your front sight does not sound like the regular M&P, could you have a target model with an adjustable rear sight?

I have not been able to narrow the year down.

[neophyte]

mendiepe: Sir; go to the SW site. From there you can get a letter on your particular weapon
SW FAQs section. 7-12week back log.

Open the cylinder; curve indention, see if it has a stamped number and 'model 10'.

Look for all number: place the # so that SW can verify.

Follow up with what you find.

[mendiepe]

there is no adjustable rear sight, just the standard channel on top of the frame.

the walnut grips wirh gold medallion are not target grips either.

will try to issue pictures.

am sure this is a pre-10 model. when cylinder opened,only stamped number shown is 2025

thanks for your help

[T.J.]

The sight is throwing me off. As I read it, if the gun is a 38spl M&P, it was made aroound 1916.

[mendiepe]

attached are pictures.

original grips shown.

you can see it does not look like an eighty years old revolver as S/N would indicate.

comments are appreciated

[T.J.]

I guess that sifgts other than the half moon were used. Check out the picture in this thread.
+P Ammo in Pre-Model 10 - Topic Powered by eve community

[Bookman]

You have a very nice old five-screw S&W hand ejector. Hang on to those original diamond wood stocks.

[GlockMeister]

WOW, really nice looking. If you don't mind me asking, what'd you pay for that beautiful piece of M&P history?

G-Meister

[mendiepe]

$350. too much or too little?

[GlockMeister]

Originally Posted by mendiepe

$350. too much or too little?

Actually, I think you got one hell of a nice piece for one hell of an even better price.

G-Meister

[rfc357]

The 2025 is an assembly number used by the factory. Guns in your serial number range were manufactured from 1915 to 1942. Yours will be early in that time frame. If you shoot it, shoot only mid-range loads. No +P!

The hammer block in pre-WWII S&W revolvers can be defeated if the gun is dropped and lands on the hammer. Best to carry it with an empty chamber under the hammer.

[mendiepe]

thanks to all of you. my conclusion is that the gun was manufactured around 1918 and the front half moon sight modified at a later date. the barrel is original.

[BillCa]

Originally Posted by mendiepe

thanks to all of you. my conclusion is that the gun was manufactured around 1918 and the front half moon sight modified at a later date. the barrel is original.

You have a S&W Military & Police Model of 1905 - either 1st Change or 2nd Change, near as I can tell.

On pre-war thru WW-II guns the frame carried only the "Made in U.S.A." stamping on the right side, just as yours does. Post war guns include the 4-line address with 'Marcas Registradas" seen on later guns. Post-war guns eliminated the visible hammer pivot stud seen under the cylinder release too.

Looking at the ejector rod, your gun shows the larger knurled "knob" style end on the ejector rod and the barrel underlug at the front. The original 1905 lacked the underlug and the large knurled knob was eliminated in the 3rd change. So yours is a 1st or 2nd change specimen.

If you open the cylinder and push the extractor rod down, underneath the star-extractor should be one or two small pins used to locate & position the star extractor when it is at rest. If there are two pins, your gun is a 2nd-Change.

Serial numbers for the 1st & 2nd Change overlap and should be between 75251-146899. These would have been built in the 1906 to 1909 timeframe.

On pre-war S&W's it was common to find the serial number stamped on the butt of the grip, on the rear of the cylinder and on the flat under the barrel (cylinder needs to be open). The numbers stamped inside the yoke opening (where we see the model-nbr today) is an internal S&W assembly number. All three serial numbers should match.

If I had to guess right now, I'd guess you might find the barrel un-numbered on the flat just forward of the frame or carrying a different number. I suspect the gun was given a new barrel in the 50's to early 60's when that style of front sight was used on M&P revolvers such as the M10, M11 and M12.

The caution about not using +P ammo is very important. These older guns should not be subjected to the abuse of higher-pressure loads.