S&W 1026/1076 10mm - check this out need your opinions

[pj151]

Hi everyone,

Just got this recently and this one threw me for a loop. As I understand it, the 10mm 1026 with the frame mounted decocker was produced only for a few years in the early 90's.

The one I have is marked 1026 but it has the shorter 1076 slide on it. That in itself doesn't bother me as I purchased this for a shooter but the box is a newer blue plastic clamshell with a fired case envelope with the date marked as 12-12-09. The model and serial numbers match the pistol.

The frame of the pistol does have the 'U' next to the decocker which I believe means that this is a used pistol that was sent back to the factory to be reconditioned and resold.

Can it be that this pistol was rebuilt at the factory just only 3 years ago with the shorter slide and resold? The finish is nice and it definitely looks like the palm swell grip is new. To me, I believe they rebuilt this 1026 gun with 1076 parts. Which brings another question of parts availability. Do they still have parts for this model?

Your thoughts?

Thanks,
PJ

 

[Shadow1006]

That is interesting and it is probable that it was built from spare stuff which is said to be drying up...

The slide may have been used on a different gun or may have been out of spec. Either way a nice conversation pistol!

 

[dmc8163]

Fascinating. It clearly appears to be a 1076. It has the early production straight grooves on the grip and the (very) late production black trigger. Did you mean that the pistol has two dots under the decocker lever and a stamped "u" on the trigger guard? It does not have a caution statement. Will it fire with the magazine removed?

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

Great set of questions! I would be tempted to letter it. Who else, other than Roy Jinks, has access to correct answers?

BTW, I have a 1026 that my son gave me. Great gun!

 

[4506517]

That screams for a letter. Guns like that are what letters are meant for.

 

[BLUEBELLYYANKEE]

Very interesting. Where did you get this gun? I see the "U" just above the mag release. I have never seen one with the "U" stamped there. Are there two dots punched into the frame under the decocker? The grip is a "curved backstrap" and is not a "palm swell" grip. I can tell that it is a very early 3rd gen frame because of the larger trigger guard. Is there a date stamp on the side of the rear night sight? I see the trigger is blued instead of flash chrome stainless, is the hammer also blue? All of the 1026's should have chrome stainless hammers and triggers if they are original.

 

[pj151]

Thanks for the great replies. There isn't any dots under the decocker, I know this would signify that the pistol went back for a recall fix.

I purchased this pistol from a private seller. I do not have any other details from the history prior to him.

I was just going to blast the heck out of it but now I may just keep it as is until i find out more. it all started with just some investigation on why there is a recent date on the fired case envelope and if anyone knew if there was any other reports of the factory rebuilding these 1026 models with parts from other models. Pretty interesting if it turns out it's something else.

There is no date stamp on the area near the rear sights. The hammer is the flashed chrome that you are talking about. If you use the decocker, the hammer goes into this half cocked mode in which you can pull it back with your thumb. Also with the magazine removed, the trigger does not operate.

Let me know if you want to see any specifics as I can take more pictures if you want to see.

Thanks!