The genesis of the Model 10 was in the year of 1899, designed and produced by Smith & Wesson to fulfill a contract request from the U.S. In this article we’ll take a look at the life, times and legacy of this classic sixgun, and hopefully you’ll come away with more appreciation and understanding of its influence. Indeed, even if you have never seen or handled a genuine, vintage Model 10, you have still been touched by its legacy that lives on in even the newest Smith and Wesson revolvers. Serving in almost every major war and innumerable smaller dust-ups, regime changes, police actions and civil conflicts, the Model 10 is a handgun that any serious shooter should be familiar with. 38 Hand Ejector Model and Military & Police (a livery recently resuscitated by Smith & Wesson for their excellent striker-fired semi-automatic pistols), the Model 10 is one of the most numerous and beloved fighting handguns ever, with a reputation that few others can ever hope to match. Known by other monikers at different times in its long production, including the. It has been produced nearly continuously from 1899 to today. That revolver is the legendary Smith and Wesson Model 10, progenitor of the iconic and loved K-frame, and ancestor of all its descendants. One that codified both performance and design for over a century to follow. If you post up the whole number (or all but the last two or three) I can narrow it down even tighter.For any wheelgun aficionado, especially an admirer of Smith & Wesson’s, there is one revolver that blazed the path for millions of others. Using these tables together, you should be able to narrow down a decent range of when your gun is from. These are model changes, meaning some feature or aspect of the gun changed a bit.ġ0-11 started in 1997 (probably not this or later, since your gun is blue) If you find the 10-1, or 10-8, or 10-XY, you can narrow it down a bit further. The ranges are SUPER tight here, as SW really started making a ton of guns then, and most models shared serial ranges. If it has a one or two digit number, and THEN a "D," and THEN some more numbers, (meaning the "D" will be either the second or third character in the serial, and all other characters are numbers) it is from 1977-1983Īfter 1983 the serials get crazy and will be in the format of three letters, and then four numbers. If it starts with "D" and has only numbers after the "D," the gun is from 1968-1977. (If the serial starts with "C", but is C402923 or less, the gun actually isn't a model 10, but earlier.)
If it starts with a "C" and has only numbers following the C, then it is pre 1968. Since we are assuming it is a model 10, that is where I'll start the serial ranges.
Before 1957, it wouldn't say "10, or Model 10" or anything like that anywhere on it. If it is really marked as a model 10, and isn't a. (SW added dashes after the main model number to designate model variations) Example "10-3 or 10-5" This is the model number. Also, if you open the cylinder, it will reveal a piece of metal on the left (probably where you got the 4 digit number) Under, or above that, there might be a number along with your 10. (never two, and if it has zero letters, then it actually pre-dates the model 10) A model 10 WILL ALWAYS have either one or three letters in it. The serial of a model 10 will have AT LEAST one letter in it, and will almost certainly be 7 characters total. If it is a newer gun, the serial might be elsewhere on the gun as well. If it has grips that cover that section of the frame, you may have to remove them.
Smith and wesson model 10 5 serial numbers list serial number#
The actual serial number will be on the butt - the very bottom of the gun's grip. The assembly numbers helped the people at the factory keep track of what parts went to what gun. The 4 digit number you've posted is an assembly number.