A friend of mine came across this letter'd m10 & held onto it for me. I added it to my collection this wknd. The letter reads it was shipped in early 1961 to NYC Police Eqpt Bureau but according to Mr Jinks, none were shipped out with a nickel finish. I removed the stocks (numbered to the revolver & found the 'N' stamp. It has the same font & size as the 'N' on another of my lettered revolvers. I have had a previous letter with an error within the description which Roy corrected & resent me a new letter. I have included the revolver, 'N' stamps on each of my revolvers for your welcomed opinions. Much clearer frame pic is of my 38/44. Either way, enjoy. Inputs appreciated.

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	snub.jpg (63.5 KB, 391 views)
	20728360_674812226051741_8038784922222119660_n.jpg (79.9 KB, 355 views)
	mod10.jpg (72.2 KB, 295 views)
	38-44.jpg (55.9 KB, 271 views)

Pretty slick, sir - good catch! I've got a 10-5 SB that I picked up off of GB earlier this year. The finish on the cylinder is rough on mine but otherwise in pretty good shape. Seller on GB said a retired police officer sold the revolver to him. It looks to have been carried quite a bit but the lockup is very tight and, even better for me, the yoke/crane is tight against the frame ...

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	M10_Right.jpg (72.6 KB, 140 views)
	M10_Cyl.jpg (59.7 KB, 109 views)

U think it is factory nickel, mistake on letter?

I hasten to clarify that I am not a collector - but that said - I would say that it is. It doesn't look like an over-polished refinish. I would also say, another SWAG, that the factory records are not probably not 100% accurate and that a data glitch has slipped in more than a few times. The finish looks pretty good on it - certainly better, on the cylinder, than my blued version ...

If the letter has clearly individualized wording that is added to the standard template, like in your case "The invoice does not list any nickel revolvers", I think you can trust that Roy or Don actually looked at that invoice and saw no nickel revolvers listed. Mistakes in letters in my experience are usually simply glitches in the template when they put the letters together, like choosing blued instead of nickel, checkered instead of non-checkered, etc.

However, that's just what the paperwork says. Your pictures of the gun aren't really sufficient for a "remote diagnosis", but it looks like it could well be original nickel (notice how I'm weaseling out of any commitment ), and if it was a larger batch of serials that shipped at the same time (probable if it went to the Equipment Bureau), nickeled guns could have been among them and just not noted as such on the paperwork.

In fact, if you can ascertain that the nickel is original, that would have to be the case. I'm not sure about that N, but we have some people who are very good diagnosticians if you provide a set of close-ups in good natural light from various angles.

Congratulations! 1 nice looking 10, and papers to prove what it is. I enjoy a simple K snubbie! Bob

Thoughts on latest finding on the Model 10: Found another 'N' stamp under the barrel, near the crane. That makes the stamp on the grip frame & under the bbl. Letter reads no revolvers were nickel'd. Inputs greatly appreciated

There should also be a tiny "N" at the rear of the cylinder under the extractor star. If that is present, along with the "N" on the barrel flat and grip frame, I would say you do have, in fact, a factory nickle Model 10.

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John

I've got a 2" blue, anything they made in blue they probably made in nickel

It's possible that someone within the department with some juice, say a captain or higher, may have ordered it through procurement channels for his personal use. I don't believe shiny revolvers were authorized for use by NYPD but maybe he was buying it for his wife or something. Just guessing.

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No life story has happy end.

I have had this one a long time. I guess I need to see if it has an N on it. I had a Model 15 just like it, sadly stolen, but super bright nickel.

@Oldster, I'l check this evening. Thanks.

Jinks would know, but no one knows everything. Thought I did, wife has straightened me out

During my time as a NYC cop there were no nickel guns period. S&W model 10 HB, or Colt OP 4", Off duty was Model 36, or Colt Detective Special all in blue. The reason was if someone pulled out a nickel gun, he probably wasn't a cop.

Found 3 ‘N’s: under the barrel, on the cylinder and on the right side of the grip frame. Now I plan to send my pics (letter came with the revolver when I bought it) for a revised letter.

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	39C943CB-FAB9-4D2A-985F-2717A4D481B6.jpg (69.5 KB, 50 views)
	BF95E711-51BD-4B33-A9C2-B1232E1F2A58.jpg (47.8 KB, 46 views)
	AF39A70B-8C05-47FD-9F83-FE4C0E694C53.jpg (79.9 KB, 44 views)

Did NYPD allow nickeled service weapons ?

@jimmyj, from what many say, No they didn't but this revolver has several N's so I don't know. I had someone else tell me the n stamps don't necessarily mean nickel. Perhaps it's an inspector mark? The font/size of the N is the same on another nickel'd 1938 S&W 38/44HD. Could just be coincidence? Here are some crisper pics

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	smith roll mark, rt side.jpg (56.2 KB, 25 views)
	38 spl barrel roll mark.jpg (31.9 KB, 23 views)
	s&w barrel roll mark.jpg (59.2 KB, 27 views)
	s&w stamp on frame.jpg (31.8 KB, 24 views)

There ya go; all three seals the deal

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John

Very nice model 10!

I owned a few nickel N, K and L frames over the years, but never a model 10 in nickel.

All of the ones I owned had an "N" stamped on the cylinder face and grip frame. The "N" stamps on the cylinder face and grip frame was what I went by to determine if it was a factory nickel or a refinish. That doesn't mean that all nickel S&W were stamped this way.

I moved all my nickel S&W down the road in favor of blue but I found this photo of a nickel 15-3 I had several years ago. If you look close you can see the "N" stamped on the face of the cylinder.

I recently received service invoice dates 4-14-61 regarding this snub model 10 at a whopping costs of $43.03 ea. It was one of two sent to the Police Eqpt Co in Springfield, Illinois. Not sure why the letter reads it was shipped to the NYPD?