Wasn't planning on buying a gun today, but....

S

swatman

New member
Was at my local gunshop tpday picking up a rifle I had them working on for me and I happened to catch sight of a S&W model 10. It was stamped US PropertyG.H.D. on the top of the gun. and it had these neat looking grips somebody added on to it. The action was smooth as Glass and I inspected the rifleing and it looked brand new inside the muzzle.
The thing was on consignment for 100 Bucks.
Too much to resist so I came home with my rifle fixed, and a new revolver. :D Not a scratch on this gun and it feels nice. I can't wait to try it out.
 
Hyuck! Hyuck!

Swatman, did the same thing myself some years back. I finally bought a condo in town and moved out of my cabin (long story). Well, being a civilized man now, I needed stuff like flyswatters, toilet brushes, etc. So, one day I find I've run out of friends to borrow vacumn cleaners for "just this one time" and headed to Wal-Mart for a Hoover or something. Got so turned around buying something I knew nothing about that I went over to the sporting goods department and bought an SP-101 in .357 Magnum, back in the days when Wally sold handguns. Looking back, I coulda saved myself a lot of money that day just buying any-old vacumn cleaner!
 
That's not a Model 10.

That's a pre-Model 10 WW II era .38 Military & Police Victory Model.

Very likely has a "V" prefix on the serial number, or an "SV" (meaning it was made with the new hammer block). The serial number will be stamped on the bottom of the butt.

What's the finish on it? Does it have a lanyard ring?

$100 is the price that one would bring in POOR condition.

It sounds like you freaking stole the gun.
 
Funny thing happened to me too. A guy was selling a used Scandium 360 Chief's Special for a good price and I couldn't say no. Fired a box of 158 grain 357s today and can tell you it's a real handful, but a sweet piece. :D
 
Mike, you are right, it does have an lanyard ring and serial number on the bottom of the butt of the gun. They tld me at the shop it was a model 10 military and police, perhaps they were unsure..Yes I thought it was a good deal also because there is not a friggin scratch or wear mark anywhere on the gun and the rifling looks as good as the day it was made..I think what may have happened was that this was one of those situations where someone passes away, and their children are cleaning out his attic and find a gun and decide they just wanna get rid of it so take it to the nearest gunshop and put it on consignment with no idea what it is or what they are selling. I have run into those situations before.

BTW, I didn't notice and "V" before the serial number.
 
Swat,

I should have been a little clearer.

It is a Model 10, but it isn't a Model 10. Clear now? :)

Your gun was made prior to the adoption of model numbers in the 1950s. So, while it isn't a Model 10, it is a Model 10, so the shop people certainly weren't lying to you.

It's very common for people to refer to older revolvers using the newer nomenclature.

More properly, it's a .38 Military & Police Hand Ejector, Victory Model.

You still stole the damn thing. If it is the original military finish, and if it had the original grips, in the condition you describe it would probably be priced at $400 or so here in Northern Virginia.

Where did you get it? What area of Pennsylvania?
 
It was in ephrata, pensylvania, about 30 minutes south of Reading. I have been looking hard at the blueing, I can't really tell if it had been re-blued or not.. The grips are kinda like I have never seen before very often, they are wood, with a very rough finish, for a better grip I suppose. The sideplate also has 4 screws. Some guy there at the shop mentiopned that it would be hard to find a screwdriver that fit the screws and was saying something about the difference between a 4 screw side plate and the newer ones. I think it has something to do with determining the age of the gun.
 
BTW,
What branch of the military used this revolver? I know the standard side arm at the time was the 1911 .45. Was this revolver used by the air force? I really would like to find out more about this service revolver and it's history, value, or whatever else.. I have heard that for people who couldn;t handle the 1911 .45, there was the revolver..what exactly is the story with the military six shooter?
 
You think Swatman stole his???

Mike, I paid $50 for mine last year:D Heck, I paid nearly as much for the paperwork here in California as I did for the gun!
It's about NRA Good condition as per finish, but the bore and the mechanics and the lock-up are Splended!
It's an M&P model in .38spl with 'SV prefix on the ser#, but an 'old style' hammer and no lanyard ring. It came with a Mershon grip adapter which makes it a really neat shooter.
My guess from the blueing wear is this weapon was holsterd and worn a lot, but shot very seldom. ...I'm taking care of that deficency as often as I get the chance... it's _very_ accurate;)

OBTW: Irwin eh? guess what _my_ surname is;) ?
 
I guess nobody knows about the history of these revolvers :(
I would really like to know who used them. The Air Force?
 
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