I've been a S&W Forum member for three years, but I don't post much. I now have a question for the revolver gurus... I bought two .38 S&W revolvers from a retired detective a few years ago, and they've been sitting in my safe ever since. The first one is a five shot "Model 36" snub nose. The second is a "Model 10-8". I've tried searching the forums for any info on these guns, but the search results are overwhelming. I found info on pinned or not pinned, 5 digit serial or six, recessed or not etc. The serial number on the 36 is ANF7XXX, and the 10-8 is AUN9XXX. I'm looking for any info such as year of manufacture, approx value, anything I need to be wary of when firing (specifically, the non-pinned barrels) etc. I may be off on some of my assumptions, so if I am please tell me so... I promise my feelings won't be hurt. Thanks, Brian.

The numbers on the bottom of the grip frame are the serial numbers for the revolvers.
I have a 36 square butt and it's a sweet little revolver.

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Anchors

Thanks anchors, I changed the post to reflect your info... Also, neither revolver is pinned or recessed.

A few revolvers have serial numbers in the yoke cut out but the official number in the bottom of the grip frame. There likely will be a model number with a dash number (which designates the gun's engineering changes, made during the many years these were produced)
There may be other marks which are various inspection marks & often assembly numbers assigned to a gun to keep fitted pats, frame, side plate, etc together during manufacture but no meaning beyond that.
The top gun looks like a 4" M10 HB (a fine gun), the lower gun is likely a 2" square butt M36 if steel framed.
These are fine classic Smiths.
Russell

Any idea on year of manufacture and/or their approximate worth?

Somebody... Anybody?

The Mod 10-8 was first produced in 1977. However the S/N starting with AAA didn't begin until the early 1980s. I'm not near my SCSW now but I would put the dates at somewhere around 1982 or after.
Hope this helps until someon comes along with access to the book.

Thank you, I appreciate it... I'm a "gun guy" through and through, but everything I own was purchased new. These two were my first used guns, and I wanted to make sure I wasn't sitting on anything special... You never know until you ask.

According to the 3rd ed. Smith and Wesson book, it looks like ANF serial number on your Model 36 would be from about 1986-1987 maybe and the AUN on your Model 10-8 would be from the same time period. The 10-8 came out in 1977, and the 10-9 came out in 1988. The Model 36-2 came out in 1988, and the 36-1 was for a 3" barrel. Your guns are both .38's, so they would not have had recessed cylinders, this was only found on the .357's and eliminated in 1982. They also stopped the pinned barrels in 1982. I would not personally shoot any +P rounds in either of these guns, though you could certainly carry them with +P hollow points.

Thanks for the information... I paid $100.00 for BOTH guns, $50.00 each. I know they're nothing special, but I got a pretty good deal, right?

Right!

AC

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SWCA 2082

Hi,

The only problem with your two guns, AT ALL, is that you paid far too little for them and this is making you not realize what wonderful revolvers they are!

To help you overcome this unnecessary feeling, I recommend you transfer them to me and I'll sell them back to you for $300-$350 EACH . . . the going rate for them right now. I'll then donate the difference to charity to make you feel even better!

Seriously . . . you've got two really FINE revolvers. There's NOTHING at all that lowers the quality of the unpinned barrel versions that began being made in around 1982, from the previous versions with pinned barrels.

You CAN shoot +P ammo in each, though like with ammo of any caliber and gun, hotter ammo accelerates wear in ANY gun . . . and also wears your WRIST out earlier too if you shoot prodigious amounts of ammo on a continual basis. For the rest of us . . . the other 99.999% of shooters . . . it would never be a problem anyway!

WHAT I DO . . . I handload my practice ammo in all calibers, and I load really gentle ammo. It is a lot more FUN to shoot, and cheaper too. Thus, my Model 36 shoots 148 grain wadcutters for fun . . . but is loaded right now with factory 158 grain, LSWC-HP +P stuff for self defense.

BTW, my Model 65 and 19 revolvers in .357 are from the same time period as your two guns and they are extraordinary revolvers . . . as is my main hunting revolver, the Model 29-5 in .44 Magnum made in 1990.

Hold your head up! Your STEALS are NICE, well-made Smith and Wesson revolvers . . . and both are guns that have saved many lives through time.

T.

I have both of these guns, the M-10 is the standard K frame that a whole lot of revolver shooters start with. The Mod 36 is the J frame revolver that most S&W fans start with. Both can handle most all .38 spl loads.

Paying $50 per gun for a S&W is almost unheard of, I hope you don't get arrested for stealing!!!!!! Both are great shooters, go out and have fun.

Nice revolvers made even better by the fantastic deal you got them on!! Just don't be expecting that to be the norm and you won't be disappointed.

[QUOTE=tom turner;1248914]Hi,
"You CAN shoot +P ammo in each, though like with ammo of any caliber and gun, hotter ammo accelerates wear in ANY gun . . . and also wears your WRIST out earlier too if you shoot prodigious amounts of ammo on a continual basis. For the rest of us . . . the other 99.999% of shooters . . . it would never be a problem anyway!

WHAT I DO . . . I handload my practice ammo in all calibers, and I load really gentle ammo. It is a lot more FUN to shoot, and cheaper too. Thus, my Model 36 shoots 148 grain wadcutters for fun . . . but is loaded right now with factory 158 grain, LSWC-HP +P stuff for self defense."

Mr. Turner,
I repectfully agree that you certainly can shoot +P in both of these fine revolvers and you are right that it would take a lot of shooting to wear them out. I just mentioned that I would not shoot +P in these because his guns were not intended from the factory to shoot the higher pressure loads (to my knowledge.) This gentleman might not have known that.

Besides a 158 grain +P hollow point is, as you say, hard on the wrists and for me, too expensive to shoot much. I hand load a Speer 148 grain HBWC over 3.4 grains of Winchester 231 for practice weekly, and carry factory Remington Golden Saber 125 grain JHP +P mainly for adjustable sighted snubbies, though it is pretty accurate for non adjustable snubs like the 36 at ranges of less than 10 feet. My 80's Smiths are fine for me without pinned barrels or mim parts either, but since they aren't making them that way anymore, I just don't want to break 'em
Regards, renroh

Shoot them like you stole them because basically you did.

Thanks for all the replies... I was pretty sure I had gotten a good deal on them, now I know... As I said, I bought them a few years ago and put them in my safe, but I did shoot them once when I first got them just to verify function. With the ammo shortage, and prices through the roof, I think I'm going to start shooting the Smiths more.