Community request for info- 38 revolver

[FlyRight]

I recently came into possession of a 38 S&W Special CTG. I’m familiar with some specs that are listed on the gun, but I would appreciate insights from the community. I’m curious about manufacturing date, if p+ ammo is compatible with it (I was told maybe not, but would like to know more), and any other care, use, and fun fact info that this wonderfully knowledgeable community is willing to offer. I’m fascinated by general S&W history. I enjoy browsing for information. If there is anything that especially relates to this particular firearm that you know I would be delighted to learn.

I am also passively interested in current value. I’m keeping this lovely deep blue specimen, though I am curious about what valuation this expert community would assess.

*I have more photos available, but at the max file amount for this post. I think these are the most helpful ones to see specs. If any others are useful please let me know.

Thank you so much!

Here’s what I know:

Last owner: Kept it in a drawer for decades. He passed recently and didn’t convey much (any) info before his death.

Yoke info: Model number listed is MOD 10-5

Assembly number: I read it’s generally not relevant for procuring pertinent info…in case there’s some obscure reason there are 2 lines, first is: 51875. Second line reads: BG12

I don’t see any reg number in the yoke

Does have a hand ejector, (is not a tip-up).

Serial number: D4637xx Listed on butt of the gun

Cartridge: .38 Special

Barrel Length: 5.5”

Sights: Hand ejector fixed

Strain Screw: Yes

Butt Swivel: No

Screws: 2
Possibly 1 more covered by grip
No screw on trigger guard

Finish: Deep blue

Seems to be in nice shape. A little evidence of being used at some point, or at least carried and yoke operated. It has been used enough that I won’t feel sacrilegious using it, but is preserved well enough that I’m really excited to put effort into maintaining the condition of it.

I’m hoping to get a history letter when the moratorium lifts. Seems like awesome people who run that program! In the meantime, any insights from this community based on what I can provide is appreciated.

Additional note, many of you are very knowledgeable about fascinating niche areas. If there’s other information you’d like to share that may seem tangential- I’m interested! Examples include a manufacturing fact or antidote, what and who influenced design evolution, helpful tips about care or wear spots to look out for, what was happening at S&W when this gun was made (the date I’m not sure of yet- from what I’ve found online maybe late ‘72- early ‘73, but the widow thought 50’s so I’m at a loss). With that said, if there’s some niche that interests you and you’re game to share info, I’m excited to hear about it! I’ve grown up around guns, gun safety, responsible gun ownership, and I really like shooting- but for some reason this particular addition is sparking my motivation to learn more about this gun, and lean into expanding my knowledge about guns and gun history. Anything you would like to share is appreciated- no matter how basic or complex.

Thank you!

 

[JP@AK]

Your Model 10-5 was made in 1972, based on the serial number. No issues with +P; even the company agrees that it is okay with steel frames made that late.

It has a 6" barrel. The measurement is all the way from the muzzle back to the front of the cylinder.

As you suspected, there is a screw hiding under the stock panel. The 10-5 is a three screw revolver.

51875 is a parts tracking number, used during assembly. The BG12 marks are fitter and/or inspector marks. Not relevant now.

The Model 10 in all variants is the .38 Military & Police revolver with a history going all the way back to the Model of 1899. It went through several stages of evolution before the 10-5 was introduced in 1962. From 1962 until 1977, the 10-5 and 10-6 were made concurrently. The difference was in the barrel profile: the -5 had the standard, tapered barrel, and the -6 had a heavy barrel. The heavy barrel variant was first available in 1959, as the Model 10-1.

Registration numbers were unique to the early .357 Magnum in the mid to late 1930s. No other S&W revolvers were given registration numbers.

Well, there's some info for you to mull over. Welcome to the wonderful world of S&W collecting.

 

[murphydog]

Welcome, and thanks for making providing more information easy.

You have a model 10-5 as stamped on the yoke recess of the frame. The serial number puts it as produced in 1972, but the letter of authenticity will give you the sales or ship date (the official factory "birth date") and destination.

It does have a third sideplate screw under the right stock panel, and should have a 6" barrel measured from the muzzle to cylinder face; this varies but usually no more than +/- 1/8" or so.

Call it about a $500 gun or so. Others will be along with answers to your other questions, but if you use a standard web browser type model 10 after the Forum site address and you should get several links to start.

 

[Truckman]

It does have a third sideplate screw under the right stock panel

I'll only add that the stock (grip) panel mentioned might also have the digits from the serial number stamped on the inside, indicating the panels are original to the gun...And welcome to our forum!......Ben

 

[JP@AK]

Just looking at the picture, I am fairly sure they are original. Those are the PC style that the 10-5 would have been given and they fit quite well. Also, they are in the same condition as the gun.

might also have the digits from the serial number

What Truckman is saying is that the D won't be there.

 

[Truckman]

What Truckman is saying is that the D won't be there.

At last! Someone who understands me!...Now if you were only a good looking, young, independently wealthy single woman living nearby...

But you're not......Ben

 

[JP@AK]

At last! Someone who understands me!...Now if you were only a good looking, young, independently wealthy single woman living nearby...

Well, Ben . . .
I'm certainly not young.
I'm also not an "independently wealthy single woman."

BUT my wife says I'm still good looking! (Of course, after being married to me for 51+ years, what else would she say?)

 

[FlyRight]

Thank You!

Wow! What a great response already! Thank you. I have always appreciated S&W, but somehow this piece has gotten me “the bug”…as some of you seem to have picked up on. I appreciate all the specific information and direction to other resources. I’m cleaning this new piece and excited to go for some target practice. I appreciate this very welcoming response. A great digital welcoming party to the forum. Thank you! The information and camaraderie is impressive and I’m glad to be here.

As anyone else stumbles upon the post I welcome your input!

P.S. 51 years married?! Congratulations!

 

[C Islander]

You may want to purchase a copy of The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson. Referred to around here as the bible. Another little thing, 38 Special CTG tells you it shoots a S & W .38 special cartridge (CTG) and has nothing to do with the model.

 

[rincar]

Thats the type of S&W that most police officers carried in the early 1970's. I know because I was one of them. They are wonderful Revolvers. I have a Model 10 no dash beside my bed as I type.

 

[lkabug]

A real nice Model 10-5 you have there.

A point of interest in the Model 10, and it's variants, is that there were somewhere around 6,000,000 produced. Many Law Enforcement Officers carried the Model 10 for many years.

 

[Sevens]

Since the important details have been well covered, here are some generalizations mixed with opinion! The original wood stocks are classy and definitely a part of the package however, if you hold that revolver in your shooting hand and it feels somewhat lacking… well, YES! Many zillions of us find the design of that particular model of stocks (they are termed “Magna stocks or Magnas” to be flat-out uncomfortable at best. Unnatural in my hands. They are correct and proper and should never be lost, but I have dozens of S&W revolvers and I won’t keep Magnas on ANY of them.

There are many options for a better fit in your hands and none of them really look proper, but if you wish to look for options, your 10-5 is a S&W K-frame square butt so that’s the fit you’ll look for.

Another note about price/value. If the numbers tossed out in this thread seem low to you, it’s certainly not because this isn’t a fantastic revolver. Simply, it is the antithesis of rare, and rarity (along with condition) really drive the value. There are certain models that were so darn fantastic that everyone wanted to buy them, so S&W churned them out by the truckload daily. There is literally no finer example of exactly this point in all of S&W history than the Model 10 and it’s variants and lineage. They made, as mentioned above, millions of them. I have two examples that are very much like yours — one from 1917 and the other from 1921, but they aren’t in quite as nice condition-wise as your example. As they are not rare, they likely don’t go for any more than your example does.

And that’s okay!

 

[StakeOut]

A real nice Model 10-5 you have there.

A point of interest in the Model 10, and it's variants, is that there were somewhere around 6,000,000 produced. Many Law Enforcement Officers carried the Model 10 for many years.

I can attest to that.
It was my duty gun for 20 years.
Got my Model 10 heavy barrel in February 1966 at the NYPD Equipment Bureau located at 400 Broome St at a cost of $40.00.

 

[GerSan69]

Welcome to the Forum!
I like your Model 10. Looks like a really nice example of the revolver that "paid the bills" for Smith and Wesson for many years. I also have a few of these. Good shooters, even with fixed sights. I've always said you adjust yourself to these guns instead of adjust the sights.
Something not mentioned yet is that back in the 1920s to 50s, the Model 10 was a regular sight at police revolver competitions across the country. Many of the best shooters swore by their S&Ws.
I hope you'll stick around. If you have time, be sure to read the older posts available in each section. I keep saying, and keep being proven right, that this is probably the single best repository of everything S&W. If it's got the company logo on it, there's probably a few posts about it here. If you aren't a Smith nut before, this place will make you one in short order.
Good luck with your new firearm!

 

[oldbrownhat]

Can I ask a question about serial numbers re my Model 10-5? This is on the butt:

which I presume is the Ser. # (but not of course a registration number.)

I read somewhere that the Model 10-5 had the wider 1/8" front sight, but mine is 1/10" Maybe early in the run?

I also just checked the grips. The RH one is stamped 00886.

 

[FlyRight]

Y’all are amazing!

I was drawn to S&W for the craftsmanship, and as noted this particular piece has really captivated me….however, now it’s the people too! This community really locks a newbie in!

- The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson. Check. Thank you!

- It’s really neat to hear from people who carried Model 10s at work (and still stand by ‘em), and about the appreciation in the use in competitions. Hopefully I can wield this one well enough to do the legacy justice!

- Reviewing the old posts is a great suggestion! Thank you! This is a really valuable community with some amazing archives.

- Thank you for the suggestion on the stocks. So far it’s felt really ergonomically settled in my grip, but I think I’ll know more after taking it out for some action this week. Could be that it just fits my lady hands well, or maybe I’ll be reaching out next week to ask for tips on not damaging the stocks when I change them out.

- On that note, I am glad the know about the K-frame square-butt. Thank you! I’ve been looking at photos to compare and the J-frame, K-frame, L-frame, N-frame, X-frame info. (I think learned K-frames for the Model 10s, L frame replaced Ks for some .38s later, and some snubbie .38s are J-frame. Close to accurate? I’m still drinking from the firehouse more than retaining everything I’m reading on the wide world of S&W.)

Maybe as my S&W collection grows it’ll help cement everything I’m learning…ya know…with those examples on hand, right?

 

[Muley Gil]

Well, Ben . . .
I'm certainly not young.
I'm also not an "independently wealthy single woman."

BUT my wife says I'm still good looking! (Of course, after being married to me for 51+ years, what else would she say?)

Has she seen her eye doctor lately?

 

[StrawHat]

Sevens mentioned that the magnas did not fit his hands and the hands of many others. There are a wide variety of stocks available for square butted K frames. Personally, I prefer the magnas but with a grip adapter added to increase the girth behind the trigger guard. Here are a couple examples, the first photo is an old M&P, (not one I carried), other photos will be of my preferred N frames.

Grip adapters have been offered by a variety of makers. Currently there are two companies offering them. Tyler T Grip (backlogged for months) and BK Grips (a forum member and ships promptly).

Kevin

 

[Truckman]

Since the important details have been well covered, here are some generalizations mixed with opinion! The original wood stocks are classy and definitely a part of the package however, if you hold that revolver in your shooting hand and it feels somewhat lacking… well, YES! Many zillions of us find the design of that particular model of stocks (they are termed “Magna stocks or Magnas”

I might add one detail if I may...The grips (stocks) on the OP's gun are more correctly termed PC Magnas, the PC referring to Plain Clothes...The originally designed flat-bottom sharp-angled grips were sometimes prone to print through or even cling to clothing when carried by "plain clothes" detectives, thus the introduction by S&W of Magnas which made the gun easier to conceal...

I own several Model 10's and other K-frames with both styles, and I like them all...My most frequently carried K-frame is my 2" Model 15 with larger target grips which, although they look ungainly with the short barrel, fit my hand very well and I have no problem concealing it...

And if you feel like dressing the gun up a bit, you might look for a pair of Bigmtnman's stag or moose antler or even caribou grips which frequently appear in our sales forum......Ben