S&W Model 10 question

The barrel is marked .38 S&W CTG
Click to expand...

If the word "Special" isn't on the barrel, it's a 38 S&W. 38 Special ammo probably won't fit and shouldn't be fired in it if it does.

38 S&W ammo is available, although there isn't nearly as good a selection as 38 Special.

http://www.midwayusa.com/find?sortby=1&itemsperpage=24&newcategorydimensionid=10050

38 S&W factory loads are very mild due to thousands of older, weaker legacy top break revolvers that aren't very strong. The only 38S&W ammo I'd consider for defensive purposes is this Buffalo Bore load:

https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=350
 
I'm usually not computer illiterate but I'm having to do most of this discussion through my phone and my work PC both of which have their limits. Hope these two pictures are sufficient.
 

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All has been made clear. You do not have a Model 10 or its predecessor the Military and Police model. You have a Regulation Police model exactly as it says on the barrel. Completely different model. The Regulation Police was built on the slightly smaller I frame, rather than the K frame of the Military and Police model. Most obvious should be the Regulation Police was a five shooter, because it was built on a frame designed for a 32 caliber revolver. The M&P was a six shooter because it and its cylinder are a little bit larger.

Your revolver is chambered for the 38 S&W cartridge, exactly as it says, not the 38 Special or 38 S&W Special cartridge. The 38 S&W round is the one on the left in this photo, the 38 Special (or 38 S&W Special) is the one on the right. You should not be able to chamber a 38 Special in your revolver, it should be too long. Unfortunately, even though the 38 S&W round was a few thousandths larger in diameter than the 38 Special, sometimes because of this a 38 Special will chamber in a 38 S&W revolver. Do not attempt to fire 38 Special ammo in it, only the shorter 38 S&W round.

38sw38special.jpg


The 38 Regulation Police was made from 1949 until 1974, Serial Numbers ran from 54475 to 122678, so yours is quite early. In 1955 the Regulation Police was renamed the Model 33. At some point the frame was changed from the I frame to the more elongated J frame. Post a photo and we can tell you which frame you have. And count the chambers, I'll bet there are only five.

P.S. Don't try that Buffalo Bore ammo. You have an old gun there. Stick with regular SAAMI spec ammo. On the plus side, the Regulation Police is a smaller revolver than the M&P/Model 10 and is more concealable. Funny thing is, many police departments depended for years on 32s and lightly loaded 38s, by modern standards. But during the 1930s when gangsters started driving cars police departments felt they needed something more powerful. Not that gangsters were tougher, the police had to shoot through car bodies and were trying to stop the cars by shooting out the engines. That's why the 357 Magnum was developed.
 
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What led you to think it was a Model 10?
And no- this would not be considered much of a viable carry gun.
I had one, would never think of carrying it unless it was all I had. Even then, I would not have expected much of it.

Denis
 
I was told by my uncle, who passed the gun on to me that it was a M&P and when I looked that up, everything said model 10 and photos seemed to match. Guess I'll leave it in the safe and begin the hunt for a good carry revolver.

Thanks all!
 
So how many chambers? Always possible your uncle may have been wrong.

This photo may be of some help. Not an M&P and Regulation Police, this is a photo of a K-22 and a 22/32 Heavy Frame Target Model. The smaller pistol is the 'Heavy Frame', it's a long story behind the name.

The point is, the top gun in the photo is built on the K frame, the same size as the Model 10 or Military & Police.

The lower gun is built on the I frame, the same frame the 38 Regulation Police was built on. Seeing either one separately usually does not give an indication of the size. This photo compares the size of two revolvers built on the two different frames.

k22andkitgun_zpsa3d49053.jpg
 
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Might have mentioned it said Regulation Police on the barrel. Would have saved a lot of time.

I frame. 38 S&W caliber (NOT 38 Special). When made with a 2" barrel it's called the Terrier.

Now considered a collector's gun. Ammo is hard to find and pricey when you do. Not a top choice for the casual shooter if you must buy ammo. Not a problem if you reload your own.
 
Your gun is a lot older than a Model 10, also a lot smaller. I wouldn't shoot the Buffalo Bore ammo in it. I'd recommend that you find something newer in 38 Special for defensive use. Either find a collector who would appreciate the Regulation Police for what it is or retire it as a family heirloom.

How about some overall pictures of the gun and the rear of the cylinder?
 
Howdy Again

You never answered the question, but I can see from the arrangement of the flutes on the cylinder that it is a five shooter.

Here is a photo of a M&P (just like a Model 10) with a 32 Hand Ejector 3rd Model. The little gun is built on the same frame, the I frames, as your regulation police. You can see the difference in size. My little 32 is the same size as your Regulation Police.

MPand32HE3rdModel_zpsc638635c.jpg


You have what is called the Round Butt frame, as opposed to the Square Butt that my 32 has. You also have what are known as hard rubber grips. Be very careful of them, they are brittle and break easily. You might try removing the grips and seeing if they bear the same Serial Number as the revolver. The SN was often scratched onto the hard rubber grips with a sharp point. When you put the grips back on, just snug up the screw, don't overtighten it, or you may crack the grips.
 
You were correct Driftwood, it does have 5 cylinders and I took the grips off and the serial number was stamped in them. The only thing is the grips are actually wood. That or they did an amazing job on the wood grain look on the underside of them. I did notice however that the cylinder arm has a different number on it than the rest of the gun which is disappointing. Either way, I'll just leave it in the safe and take it out once in a while to wipe it down occasionally.
 
Howdy Again

The Serial Number was stamped in four places on a S&W of that era. On the underside of the butt, the rear of the cylinder, the flat on the underside of the barrel, and the underside of the ejector star. The SN on the three other places should match the SN on the butt. If not, the gun did not ship from the factory with those parts.

The numbers stamped on the cylinder crane (the hinge the cylinder swings out on) and on the frame underneath the crane, are assembly numbers, not the SN. It is normal for the assembly numbers to be different from the SN.

The grips looked so dark in your photo I assumed they were hard rubber. But you have confirmed they were the original grips that shipped with the gun. Too often old grips get substituted for more modern ones.

It appears you have a completely original Regulation Police.
 
I have a 4" Model 10-6 and consider it perfectlly adequate for the job it has, protecting me and mine!

I am still looking for the "right" holster, but in the meantime I bought a used Bill Jordan police holster, Sure carrys low! Quick to draw too!
The modern personal defense loads in .38Special are very good, and for _p rated guns use the modern +P cartriges.
I won't shoot +P in a standard steel Model 10, why harm the revolver?
Learn to shoot well and a .38 Special will serve you well.
ZVP
 
ZVP as long as the K-frame gun has a model number stamped on it then it should be fine with +P ammo. I shoot nothing but +P ammo in my 10-8 and would not feel bad doing so in a 10-5 or 10-7. The older M&Ps made prior to 1957 I would be a little leary of shooting +P in them. As for the Jordan Border Patrol holster, this was standard issue for many police and sheriff's departments across the country at one time. I carried a S&W model 28-2 and my 10-8 in different Jordan Border Patrol holsters in my 15 years doing private security. They are well designed for there intended purpose. They were simple and straight forward without extras that were not needed or wanted. The one problem with them that lead to their "demise" was that the BGs started grabbing the officer's gun. This lead to grab resistant holsters before most departments went to semi-auto pistols. The JBP is stil a good field holster.
 
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