S&W Model 10 Date of Manufacturer?

S&W Model 10 Date of Manufacturer?
Sevoman is right on with the date of manufacture.
If one wants to be technically accurate, the proper title according to my Volume II S&W catalogue is the: 38 Special Hand Ejector Military & Police and not the Model 10, even though it's very obviously a k frame.
But one cannot really even refer to this, as a Pre-Model 10, as this is reserved for the k frames made after the Victory series, ending in 1945.
Too boot, the Model 10 designation was applied in 1957, when all S&W revolvers came under thier own model #.
Confusing huh?
 
Wow that's surprising! I bought it at auction but don't have it yet and didn't look it over in terms of markings very carefully. The most surprising bit is what great shape it's in, pretty faint cylinder drag too. I thought the pre-model 10's had letters as a prefix in the serial and so this was was maybe 1980+.
 
You are mostly right there friend. The first series of k frames, are titled the "38 Special Hand Ejector Military & Police", and listed date of manufacutring from 1899-1945. The victory series had a V prefix. (1942-45, and some with an SV prefix) Those Pre-Model 10s (fixed sights for a Pre-Model 10s) had an S prefix post-1945 until 1948. Even more confusing is what as listed as target frame, k frames all have a K in the serial # from 1946 until 1983. In the first digit, 1946-70, then the second, 1970-76, and the next, the third digit about 1977-mid-81, and the fourth finally, from 1981-1983.
Chances are it is a very good shooter with 148-158 grain ammunition. Most fix sight k frames register spot on with this ammunition @25 yards, no problem. Myself, I would not shoot any +P ammunition, out of this fine old revolver.

Enjoy!
 
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With standard loads (and good eyes) these revolvers are capable of amazing durability and accuracy, as stated above. The standard 158 LSWC 'Police' load works well and competition 148 wadcutters are amazingly accurate and cheap to load. Neither of these loads will cause appreciable wear in your lifetime.
 
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