Help on identifying a S&W revolver

K

kbcraig66

Inactive
I am newbie when it comes to revolvers. Any help in identifying this revolver would be appreciated. I think it is a model 10. The serial is 5556XX with a star at the end. I have attached some photos to assist with the identification.

Thanks for the help.
 

Attachments

  • left.jpg
    left.jpg
    230.5 KB · Views: 71
  • right.jpg
    right.jpg
    203.5 KB · Views: 63
  • cylinder marking.jpg
    cylinder marking.jpg
    171.9 KB · Views: 51
Not at home right now and do not have my books handy but I'm fairly sure you have a Military and Police hand ejector there made sometime in the 1930's.
 
Welcome to the forum.

I am far from an expert, but will try to narrow things down a bit.
All of this is assuming your revolver is chambered in .38 Special, though I cannot read the caliber designation on the barrel.

You appear to have a .38 Military & Police revolver, the predecessor to the Model 10.

If the quick Googling I did has yielded accurate results, it is pre-war. The serial number puts it at about 200,000 units past my own that shipped in 1920. It is well into the "heat treated cylinder" era.

My understanding is that the star marking indicates that it has been sent back to Smith and Wesson for some kind of work at some point in its life.

I know this is vague, but it's what I have gleaned from looking into the one I have.

I had narrowed mine down to the early '20s, but then posted it here.

On this site, up at the top of this section is a similar reference.

There are folks on both sites that really know their stuff, and will get you more specific information.

Enjoy that piece, it's a classic.
 
Mid 1920s Military & Police Model. The large ejector rod head was used until 1928. Model numbers not used until 1957 and it would be stamped MOD 10 under the cylinder crane if it had a model number. Looks like a 5" and that's cool to many S&W guys. I like the 5" tube. Stocks are correct for a 1920s M&P. See if serial is stamped or written on underside of left stock panel.

Been refinished but not by S&W. Hammer and trigger are plated and they didn't do that. The star is a factory service mark. Look for a date under the stocks on the left side of grip frame. Something like 10.51 which would be October of 1951. May have been refinished at S&W but if so it was done again later as evidenced by the hammer and trigger. Or it may have been some other work.

Revolvers like this will sell for $200-$400 in most cases depending on exact condition and who is shopping for one.
 
Thanks for the info

Thanks guys for the information! My sister found this pistol while going through my parents storage recently. I will add it to my collection.
 
I was wondering if the hammer and trigger were plated (Aftermarket, S&W didn't do that.) or if they were just worn bright.

The plater didn't hurt the sideplate fit, which is usually rounded off by Bubba's Bumper Chrome Shop.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top