I recently obtained a bull barrel Model 10-8 .38 M&P with an "importation" mark under the barrel. The gun has a very strange long (polished bright) wear pattern on the barrel sides as if carried in some device I'm not aware of. It doesn't look like any type holster wear I'm aware of. The condition of the remainder of the gun, including the blue, is pristine, and it is mechanically perfect. A letter from S&W only list it as a "Canadian Assembled Variation" shipped as a "kit" to the S&W Canada assembly plant in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada in 1982, to be assembled and sold in Canada. Other than that, no information is available from S&W. A former Canadian Police Officer friend insists it looks like the same type used & carried by him in the RCMP, but it has no other stamps or markings of any type, other than standard S&W factory. I'm a "newbie" to these things. Anyone got any ideas or info about this type "kit" gun to be assembled in Canada? Thanks.

i do not have any specifics on your S&W but there may have been a difference in the import duty levied on assembnled firearms vs parts. It is not uncommon for manufacturers to minimize import duties by resorting to a variety of strategies.

RCMP used "skinny" five-inch barrels. But, who knows?Maybe some slipped through.

The wear marks probably occurred after the gun was assembled. May have been due to carrying the heavy-barrelled gun in a holster meant for standard barrels.

T-Star

SAA,
This is an interesting post. I was not aware S&W assembled revolvers in Canada. Do you know the year it was assembled? I hope some other members chime in on this topic.

Here are a couple of photos of a lead babbitt bar and a box label that was applied to the Canadian assembled Model 10's. These both came out of the plant in Canada.

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John. SWCA #1586

Tekarra,
The S&W letter said it was shipped as a "kit" to Canada in December, 1982, for assembly and sale in Canada. As for the "funky" blue wear (to the white) on the gun, it is only on each side of the barrel. There is NO wear anywhere else on the entire gun, period, including muzzle, frame, cylinder, even the grips. The remainder looks like it has never been touched.
SAA

I never heard of the Canadian assembly kit - that's fascinating. Can you post some pictures of the unusual wear?

__________________
“What you got, ain’t new.”

SAA,
Thanks for the reply. I hope you will post some photos.