Smith & Wesson Model 10

Infobox Weapon
name=Smith & Wesson Military & Police


caption=Lend-Lease M&P dating from WW2, with missing lanyard ring
origin=flag|United States
type=Service revolver
is_ranged=yes
service=
used_by=See Users
wars=World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War
designer=
design_date=1899
manufacturer=Smith & Wesson
production_date=
number=
variants=.38 Hand Ejector, Victory model, Model 10
weight= ~ 34 oz. (907 g) with standard 4" (102 mm) barrel (unloaded)
length= 254 mm, 260 mm or 286 mm
part_length=
crew=
cartridge=
caliber=.38 Special .38/200
action=Double action
rate=
velocity= 305 m/s (755 Feet Per Second) (".38 spl") 198 m/s (685 Feet Per Second) (".38/200")
range=
max_range=
feed=6-round cylinder
sights=Blade front sight, notched rear sight

The Smith & Wesson Model 10, previously known as the Smith & Wesson Military & Police, and for those produced during World War II, the Smith & Wesson Victory Model, is a .38-caliber, six-shot handgun initially developed in 1899 as the Smith & Wesson .38 Hand Ejector model. This model in all its incarnations has been in production since 1899.

History

The original Model 10 of 1899 was built around the 38 S&W Special round-a slightly elongated improvement on the .38 Long Colt with increased bullet weight (158 grains) and increase in powder charge from eighteen to twenty-one grains of black powder. The round's full name is actually .38 S&W Special. A number of the first model were chambered for 38 Long Colt to satisfy a government order.cite web|last=Cumpston |first=Mike |title=The First M&P |accessdate=2008-05-02 |url=http://www.gunblast.com/Cumpston_SW-MP.htm |date=2003-01-16 |publisher=Gunblast.com] Serial numbers ranged from number 1 in the series to 20,975 at which point (1902), the model underwent substantial changes.cite book
last=Supica |first=Jim |coauthors=and Richard Nahas |title=Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson |location=Iola WI |year=2001 |publisher=Krause Publications |pages=p. 1068] Changes include major modification and simplification of the internal lockwork and addition of a barrel- mounted locking lug to engage the here-to-fore free standing ejector rod. The 4th change of April 20, 1915 had enlarged service sights that quickly became a standard across the service revolver segment of the industry. Heat treating of cylinders began in 1919.cite book|last=Smith |first=W.H.B |title=Book of Pistols and Revolvers |edition=7th Edition |location=Harrisburg |publisher=Stackpole Books |year=1968]

The Model 10 is a fixed-sight revolver with a fluted cylinder. Over its long production run it has been available with barrel lengths of 4 in. (102 mm), 5 in. (125 mm), 6 in (152 mm), 2 in (51 mm) and 3 in (76 mm). 2.5" barrels are also known to have been made for special contracts.

At present (2007) the Model 10 is available with just the 4" (102mm) barrel. The Model 10's stainless steel (Inox) counterpart, the Smith & Wesson Model 64, is available with either a 4" (102 mm) or a 3" (76 mm) barrel.

Victory model

The S&W Model 10 revolvers produced from 1940 to 1945 had serial numbers with a "V" prefix and were known as the Smith & Wesson Victory Model. Huge numbers - over 570,000 - of these pistols, chambered in the British .38/200 caliber already in use in the Enfield No 2 Mk I Revolver and the Webley Mk IV Revolver, were supplied to the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa under the Lend-Lease program during WWII. Most Victory revolvers sent to Britain were fitted with a 4" (200 mm) barrel, though a few early models had 6" (150 mm) barrels. [Shore, C. (Capt), "With British Snipers to the Reich", Paladin Press (1988), p. 55] [Dunlap, Roy, "Ordnance Went Up Front", Samworth Press (1948), p. 142] In general, most British & Commonwealth forces expressed a decided preference for the .38/200 Smith & Wesson over the standard Enfield revolver. [Shore, C. (Capt), "With British Snipers to the Reich", Paladin Press (1988), p. 202]

The S&W Victory was also in service with US forces during WWII, chambered in the well-known and popular .38 Special cartridge. Some of these revolvers remained in service well into the 1990s with units of the US Military and US Coast Guard. Some Lend-Lease S&W Victory revolvers originally chambered for the British .38/200 have been returned to the U.S. and rechambered to fire the more-popular and more-powerful .38 Special ammunition, and such revolvers should be so marked on their barrels. Rechambering .38-200 cylinders to .38 Special results in oversize chambers with accompanying problems.

The finish on Victory Models is typically a sandblasted and parkerized finish, which is noticeably different from the quality blue or nickel/chrome finishes usually found on commercial M&P/Model 10 revolvers. The other visually distinguishing feature of Victory Model revolvers is the lanyard loop at the bottom of the grip.

Post-World War II models

After World War II ended, Smith and Wesson returned to manufacturing the M&P series. Along with cosmetic changes and replacement of the frame fitting grip with the Magna stocks,the spring-loaded hammer block safety gave way to a cam-actuated hammer block that rode in a channel in the side plate (Smith 1968). In 1957, Smith and Wesson began a convention of using numeric designations to distinguish their various models of handguns. The M&P became the Model 10. The M&P and later the Model 10 have been available in both blue steel finish and nickel finish throughout the years. The model has also been available throughout the years with both the round butt (i.e. grip) and square butt.

As its name suggests, the S&W Military & Police revolver was developed for military and police use, and in this regard it was enormously successful, with the Model 10 still being in production today. The Model 10 has also enjoyed popularity with civillan shooters in countries that allow private ownership of handguns.

.357 Magnum variations

After a small prototype run of Model 10-6 revolvers in .357 Magnum caliber, Smith and Wesson introduced the Model 13 heavy barrel in carbon steel and then the model 65 in stainless. Both revolvers featured varying barrel weights and lengths—generally three and four inches with and without underlugs (shrouds). Production dates begin in 1974 for the Model 13 and end upon discontinuation in 1999. The 65 was in production from 1972-1999. Both the blued and stainless models were popular with police and FBI and a variation of the model 65 was marketed in the Lady Smith line from 1992-1999. Circa 2005, S&W discontinued all K-frame .357 Magnums in favor of the L frame size.

emi-automatic M&P

As of 2005, Smith & Wesson produces a polymer-framed semi-automatic handgun in 9 mm, .40 S&W, and .357 SIG under the M&P name. In 2007, a .45 ACP version of the semi-automatic M&P was introduced.

Interesting owners

The S&W Model 10 was widely exported, and many had become the personal handguns of many famous politicians world wide. Two of such examples can be found in China. During the first stage of Chinese Civil War, the Chinese communist leader Liu Shaoqi had a S&W Model 10 as his personal handgun, while another famous Chinese communist commander Chen Geng also carried a S&W Model 10 during this era. The Chinese field marshal Chen Yi also used a S&W Model 10 for his personal side arm during the Chinese Civil War. All three revolvers are currently kept at the Revolutionary Military Museum in Beijing, and with age of almost a century, all three S&W Model 10 revolvers are still in perfect, working condition. Hermann Goering also owned a Smith and Wesson Military and Police, a Model K. It was bought before the war from a Hamburg gun dealer. He was wearing it when he was taken into custody by Seventh Army soldiers. It is currently on display at the United States Military Academy's Museum of Armaments at West Point, New York. It was purportedly the revolver of choice for action shooter Ed McGivern.

Users

*flag|Australia
*flag|Canada
*flag|Hong Kong
*flag|Israel
*flag|Malaysia
*flag|New Zealand
*flag|South Africa
*flag|United Kingdom
*flag|United States

ee also

*Colt Commando
*Enfield revolver
*M1917 revolver
*Service pistol
*Smith & Wesson

References

External links

* [http://world.guns.ru/handguns/hg76-e.htm World Guns page]