Military Model 10 Info

R

Regnavel

Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2021
Messages
8
Reaction score
12
Location
Owyhee County, Idaho
My dad has a model 10 that we really can't find much about. He got it off of a captured NVA soldier in 1968 possibly 69. The revolver has a 4" barrel, it is parkerized, S/N is C9444xx on the butt, has "U.S." marked on the backstrap. The markings inside the cylinder swing-out strap are hard to read but I can see Mod with possibly a faint "5" underneath that...nothing that says Model 10 anywhere that I can find. Anyone have any idea as to what we have? I could post a picture if thet would have any value.
 
Welcome! The serial number puts its production year (approximate) as 1967. It was likely stamped MOD 10-5.

There were military contract model 10s. Don's point is if you post the full serial number he might be able to help you find out if it was one of them - he is in a good position in this regard. :)
 
murphydog said:
It appears to be marked as an authentic military model 10. Don may be back to comment further.
Click to expand...
Alan, any idea if all the military contract revolvers went to the Air Force? I'm trying to figure out how this ended up in the hands of a VC...I'm guessing from a shot down aircrew.
 
Don is probably better suited to answer the question, but I have seen military handguns with the U.S. stamping reportedly used by different service branches.
 
murphydog said:
Don is probably better suited to answer the question, but I have seen military handguns with the U.S. stamping reportedly used by different service branches.
Click to expand...
I realize that all military firearms are marked "U.S. or U.S. Property". My questions is that every revolver I saw in my 20 years in the Army were issued to aircrews and I never saw a model 10 in the Army, was thinking maybe these were Air Force issued but then again I wasn't serving during the Vietnam war.
 
The Air Force may have had some Model 10s but most of us carried the Model 15, which was the standard USAF sidearm during the war. It is what I carried during my two years over there.

The Army did have some Model 10 revolvers and whole bunch of WWII Victory Models. Many chopper guys carried the M&P in one form or another. Not too sure about the Marines.
 
Page 205 in the 4th. Edition of the SCSW, denotes “Military Test Guns: Several Model 10-5 were considered for military purchase, marked with ‘U.S.’ on the backstrap small ‘P’ on left of frame. Found in 2” and 4” versions in round and square butt configurations. April 1967 Serial range is wide mostly in C880xxx-C90xxxx range. Confirm before purchase!”

Appears to be a neat piece of US/ S&W military history.
 
The USAF used Model 15s, as previously mentioned. The Army bought lots of 4 inch Model 10 revolvers. Most were issued to Army aviators.
 
kwill1911 said:
The USAF used Model 15s, as previously mentioned. The Army bought lots of 4 inch Model 10 revolvers. Most were issued to Army aviators.
Click to expand...
I didn't know that the Army had model 10's. This would make sense, my dad was down in the delta so many Army aviators flew in these areas, probably got shot down and the bad guys ended up with it...interesting!
 
When I was I was in the ROK, about 1975 the MP Co. I was assigned to received a small shipment of brand new S&W Model 10 revolvers, blued steel with walnut grips for the anticipated arrival of female MP’s.
 
Regnaval,

I have a large US military manual (TM 9-1005-206-14&P1) dated August, 1985. The manual is for both the “S&W M10”, as well as the Ruger “Service Six…M108” Both revolver types have 4 inch or 2 inch barrels. My understanding was that the US bought about 100,000 of each manufacturer revolvers, us I don’t know if that is accurate.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

A
Nickel model 38
Replies
7
Views
315
s&wchad
s&wchad
Bnd2003
Strange model 10–7
Replies
7
Views
549
JP@AK
JP@AK
C
Model 10-5 U.S. marked.
Replies
19
Views
2K
S-W4EVER
S-W4EVER
MelvinWalker
Estate sale 10-5 round butt
Replies
4
Views
492
Rudi
R
bigmoose
Royal Hong Kong Model 10 value?
2
Replies
20
Views
1K
ACORN
ACORN

Latest posts

Back
Top