Model 10 Royal Hong Kong Police

jw mathews · Dec 15, 2013

An acquaintance recently received a very nice specimen of the 1980s revolvers made for the Hong Kong Police when that city was still a British Crown Colony. This is the first one I've seen other than photos in the "SCSW" book. It has some unusual features and the owner has requested a factory letter.

The lanyard ring (round as opposed to the usual S&W style) is positioned near the rear edge of the buttstrap--correctly located per published photos. That location also allows sufficient space for the serial number on the bottom of the buttstrap, reading front to rear from the left side.

This piece is supposedly a contract overrun. It has no import marks, leading to the opinion that it never left the US; but it does have the "RHKP' stamp with a 5-digit number on the backstrap. The butt serial number has three letters & four digits per the new numbering system introduced during the 1980s. The frame yoke cut is stamped "Mod 10" but there is NO dash number. (I think one would expect a "-7" at about the time this gun was made--ca 1988-89.) It will be interesting to see the factory letter when it arrives several weeks from now.

To protect the owner's privacy I masked the serial numbers when taking the attached photos. I'm interested in opinions regarding these guns; also what others think is a reasonable price for one of these in "as new" condition.

Alk8944 · Dec 15, 2013

From the examples I have seen the RHKP guns were standard production M&Ps. The lanyard ring was placed where it was to not obliterate the already stamped SN. The RHKP stamps always appear irregular, not the way they would typically be if factory applied. Advise your friend to look over the gun closely for an importers mark. I believe these were re-imported by Century Arms International, and would be marked C.A.I. St Alb VT in a very fine font, 5-6pt. or so. This is generally found on the barrel, but may be on the frame.

Sp far as value they generally sell for the same as any other shooter grade M&P, $325-$450 depending on the dealer. Someday they may be a sought after variant, but not yet.

bovw · Dec 15, 2013

It's probably a 10-7. A friend of mine is sitting on a Hong Kong Customs & Excise for me. It's a -7 with the standard barrel as the one pictured. It's stamped C&E with the numbers on the back strap, other than that, it's identical to this one.

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jw mathews · Dec 17, 2013

Thanx to Alk8944 & Dave for yr replies. I agree with Dave that it probably ought to be a 10-7 & have edited my OP accordingly, but as stated therein, there is no dash number showing in the frame yoke cut.

Found another photo in John Henwood's book on the Model 10. It shows same style of backstrap markings as photos in "SCSW" book and my OP in this thread.

Alk--I looked at the bottom of the bbl and all over the frame but found no import marks. The "RHKP" and numberrs on the backstrap are individually applied, not roll-marked. This appears to be the "standard" prtactice based on published photos. I am curious though why these stampings are present if the gun never left the USA. One might think the backstrap stamps would have been applied in Hong Kong, rather than by S&W. One idea that occurs is that S&W perhaps shipped the guns to an agent for the RHKP in the USA, and the stamps were applied there before the guns were shipped across the Pacific. I hope the factory letter will state where the gun was shipped.

The off-center lanyard swivel attachment makes sense if the guns were simply taken from inventory after being serialed. The round ring, however, is NOT the style as used by S&W on the N-frame 1917 Army 45 Revolvers, and the K-frame M&P British 38/200s and Victory models. Does anyone know if the round ring was used on any revolvers OTHER THAN the RHKP? If so, is it known when that style was first used?

kennyb · Dec 17, 2013

congrats on your find...I picked one up about a year ago...the dealer thought it was a standard m10...mine was $350....its a shooter grade

poordevil · Dec 17, 2013

Mine is in Like New Condition. What faint marks are on it I put there. I picked it up about 5 or 6 years ago. It was made in about 1989. It is marked in the yoke area MOD 10-9. It also has none, what so ever import marks anywhere. But it does have RHKP and rack number 11726, filled in white.

I believe the round lanyard ring is a British thing. Many English made pistols have it.

Film and Bullets · May 25, 2014

Hi all,

I'm the owner of the gun in question, and I thought the forum might like to hear a little more about it.

It's actually a 10-8, but it looks like the stamp was poorly applied. Under high magnification it is possible to detect just a hint of it - see the picture below. This appears to be original - the edges of the impression are clean in a way that would probably not be preserved if the grind happened later in the gun's life.

Anyways, back in mid-April I got a letter back from Roy Jinks. The gun was produced in 1989 and shipped to the Hong Kong government in October of that year, where it was accepted by RHKP and remained there (presumably unissued, judging from condition) until 1994, when it was returned to Smith and Wesson under a trade-in program and sold to Acusport in Ohio. I think this explains the lack of import marks, I think, since it was treated as a return to manufacturer and not (technically) as an import. Poordevil's gun probably has the same story, and might even have come from the same shipments.

Model 10 Royal Hong Kong Police

jw mathews

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