Hi all,
New guy here. I am buying a 38 Special 10-9 from my brother in law. I was doing a little research on it to try to determine it's value and discovered something interisting. This has RHKP stamped on the rear of the handle with a serial #. I found that that means Royal Hong Kong Police. Interesting...
I wonder what you guys can tell me about this? This gun is a gem. Near perfect condition and shoots like a charm. Where can I look up serial numbers for more info etc? Any info and discussion is appreciated.
Thanks

Hi all,
New guy here. I am buying a 38 Special 10-9 from my brother in law. I was doing a little research on it to try to determine it's value and discovered something interisting. This has RHKP stamped on the rear of the handle with a serial #. I found that that means Royal Hong Kong Police. Interesting...
I wonder what you guys can tell me about this? This gun is a gem. Near perfect condition and shoots like a charm. Where can I look up serial numbers for more info etc? Any info and discussion is appreciated.
Thanks

I saw one of these recently at a gun show here in Sydney...brand new unfired condition. Was thinking about buying but bought an unfired K 14.According to "the book"circa 1983 and approx 13000 traded in towards purchase of new guns buy Hong kong police,many found as new in box and many well worn,many purchased by Acusport Ohio for resale on the used gun market.
Hope this helps or answers youre question.

Cheers AC

I am an enthusiastic collector of Royal Hong Kong Police revolvers and accessories. I have a RHKP marked S&W Model 10-7 and a Colt Police Positive revolver, also some holsters, police whistles, patches, etc.

The Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson shows the 10-9 was introduced in 1988. The majority of RHKP marked revolvers are 10-7's (tapered barrels), made around 1977. I take it yours is a heavy barrel revolver? Post or e-mail the serial number of the revolver to get a closer manufacture date. I think any RHKP marked Model 10 should be worth $250-350 depending on condition.

As you may know, the RHKP was disbanded in 1997 when the Brits returned Hong Kong to Chinese control. Hong Kong police are now "HKP".

I think RHKP marked revolvers are a great investment, they can be had for relatively little money, and will always bring collector interest...


Post a picture, please!

Got an e-mail from Gezer yesterday with pictures of his RHKP marked 10-9, looks unfired, has the tapered, standard, "Pencil" barrel that was on the 10-7 revolvers. I guess the RHKP ordered them with tapered barrels so they wouldn't have to buy new holsters....

Here's a pic of my RHKP marked 10-7, with correct holster, lanyard, patch and police whistle:



The holster and lanyard was harder to find than the revolver!

Thanks Canoeguy for the info. Still trying to figure out how to post pics. I have put a few boxes of rounds through this. I love shooting this, but it stays on the nightstand next to my wife. I just bought a Springfield XDm 9mm for me to carry. Haven't had a chance to shoot it yet though.

I have two of these revolvers. Both are Model 10-7. The first one is marked RHKP 830, and the serial number is 6D140XX. The second is marked RHKP 4361, and the serial number is AFW85XX. I'm a little unsurprised that a 10-7 would have a three letter four digit serial number.

I have a RHKP marked (#8773) model 10-7 that had to be made around 1982. Based on your RHKP collecting experience, how unusual is that? The S&W logo is on the left side (c1981), the barrel is not pinned (c1982) and the s/n is AYR60XX (c1982).

Thanks, Russ SWCA #853

I guess I should have said the Model 10-7 was introduced in 1977, my two examples (10-7) were made in 1987.

Okay, this is felony necro-thread revival, but I'm hoping canoeguy or some other informed collector can tell me what the "status" of RHKP 10-7s is these days.

We had one come through the lab today, in pristine condition, on its way to the chop saw, sadly. But I got to thinking that I'd like one.

I have neither the time nor the inclination to scour every gun board/forum/auction out there. But I'd like to know where the most likely place to start looking is.

.

Does anyone have an idea what one of the RHKP 10-9's are worth in today's market? I found one that looks virtually new for $450. I'm thinking that's probably retail. Anyone have any thoughts?

It is not a bad price for a pristine later model 10, but I wouldn't put a big premium on it unless the RHKP stamping makes it more appealing to you. You will also them stamped H K C & E, for Customs & Excise (showing paying taxes in Hong Kong was about as popular as here ).

These seem to come in two flavors, light-moderate holster wear and new - I suspect many were bought, some were issued and more than a few unused ones sold back to the US in the mid-1990s.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

It's appealing to me but not sure how appealing. I'd be more interested from a collectable point of view. That and lanyard ring. It's cool. Sounds like the market was pretty flooded with these guns.

...there are two on Gun Broker right now...$595 and $699...no bids...

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A Country Boy Can Survive

When you say it came through the lab, do you mean crime lab? If so, does your crime lab have a firearms reference collection? If so, can your lab acquire firearms from Police Departments for the reference collection that would otherwise be destined for destruction?

Here are a couple of pictures I took about 10 years ago in the Santa Clara County Crime Lab in San Jose that shows part of their Firearms Reference Collection. I was told that they have over 2800 firearms in their reference collection now. They acquire firearms from the local police departments that are scheduled for destruction. There is a section in the California Penal Code that allows crime labs to acquire firearms this way.

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I noted that some people seem surprised that some former RHKP revolvers are in pristine condition. As a former expatriate Inspector in the RHKP I can probably answer this. Only the short barrelled (2") revolvers were on personal issue to CID (Criminal Investigation Department - plain clothes) officers. Uniformed officers drew their revolvers from the station armoury before going on patrol and returned them on going off duty. Some of the revolvers probably sat in an armoury for their entire lives and were never issued. Most would have had very little firing use, even on the range, because officers were only required to use the range once a year and probably only got to fire about 30 rounds. Thus a revolver may have significant holster wear but have never (or rarely) been fired. Cleaning was done by the armoury staff who had little to do and were locked into the armoury for their shift. Cleaning helped pass the time.

Incidentally, I came across one of the old Colt Police Positives last year when I visited my brother in Namibia (between Angola and South Africa). He took me to a friend's farm and the friend had an old RHKP marked police positive that he'd bought at the local gun smiths for about US$100. He'd bought it to scare off the kudu that can be a real nuisance. I told him to never try to shoot a kudu with it (kudu can be almost as big as a bison) as the old 38 short wouldn't stop a charging rabbit! I suspect some of his ammo was as old as I am.

I'd be happy to try and answer any questions about the RHKP weapons, I'm not an expert but I served 6 years out there in the 70s/80s.

Welcome! That is great inside information.

Do you happen to know exactly how all the police and Customs & Excise model 10s made their way back to the US, and with what were they replaced? Any source for the holsters and associated items, or if they stayed there?

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Ok I have a question: I acquired a pristine 4" example a couple of years ago at a gun show here. The seller knew nothing about it. It is serial number AFW650X. It has the lanyard ring but NO RHCP markings on it whatsoever. Is it possible since it appears unfired that it was never put into service so never marked? Was it possibly acquired in Hong Cong from the police as surplus and re-imported here? However: There are NO import marks on any kind on this revolver as well! I can post pictures if necessary.
Jim

Reviving a dead thread.
I have a RHKP Mod 10(don’t remember the dash #). I have no doubt it did some time on the beat. The finish is worn, has some freckles, the stocks are almost black(soy sauce? LOL) Definitely has character. Mechanically it’s perfect.
I had looked at a RHKP Colt at Gander Mountain when they were in business. When I asked the clerk to see the “RHKP Colt” he looked puzzled until I pointed it out to him. I said something about Royal Hong Kong Police an saw a light come on although dimly. I don’t think he realized what it stood for. I handed it back but got to thinking later I should have bought it especially since it was priced at $200. You know the rest of the story, I went back and it had been sold, probably to the clerk.
A couple weeks later my Hong Kong Mod 10 showed up on a local stores web site. I was on it like a duck on a june bug. Paid $400 for it but I wouldn’t sell it for that.
Having been half way around the world and back I wish now I’d took it with me to Springfield a couple years ago. Sort of bringing it home again.
I’ll post a couple pics later.

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I told you not to use Lifebuoy

For the sake of this thread please post pics! This thread is nearly worthless without them!

My dad had a 10-7 from RHKP in almost perfect condition. He wrote the RHKP police chief, who was an FBI Academy classmate of his, regarding an official lanyard, and the chief was kind enough to send one. Dad did shore patrol duty in Hong Kong in the 60's, so the revolver had a special place in his heart. My brother and I gave it to his brother after dad passed . . .

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

I'd still be interested in finding out anything regarding my example and as to why it was never marked by the Hong police?
Jim

Maybe never left the USA?

I read somewhere that the HKP use CZ-75's instead of Chinese pistols. Anyone know for sure?

Saw a photo of two Shanghai cops in uniform with snub revolvers on their belts. Looked about the size of two-inch M-10's, but the angle was such that I can't ID them. I don't know why uniformed officers had such short barrels.

Who knows about official use Chinese pistols in modern times?

The RHKP Model 10's look perfectly normal, other than a lanyard ring and the initials stamped on the backstrap. The few I've seen have four-inch barrels, so they weren't inspired by RCMP using five-inchers. I think UK cops with M-10's also had four-inch barrels. But some may have been heavy barrels.

I believe the constable on duty at the Iranian Embassy in London when it was taken over by terrorists in 1980 had a snub M-10. It was concealed, and the captors assumed that all British police were unarmed, and didn't search him. He never drew the gun and SAS men solved the problem with Browning 9mm's and H-K SMG's.