In my cursory research on the Model 10 this past week, I learned that Smith made over 6 million of them, if you count all the various iterations of it in the past 100+ years.
Howdy
Please excuse me while I put on my School Marm hat.
The first thing that struck me about that statement is I don't believe it. So I googled "how many smith and wesson model 10s have been made?"
This brought me to a Wikipedia page that stated that since 1899 6,000.000 have been made.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith_&_Wesson_Model_10
First off, nobody admires K frame S&W revolvers more than me. NOBODY.
But that figure is incorrect. The Model 10 did not exist until 1957, when S&W went to a model number system. Before that, the same revolver was officially known as the 38 Military & Police revolver.
Yes, I am being picky, but that is a a School Marm's job.
Let's do a quick comparison. At the top of this photo is a 38 Military and Police revolver that shipped in 1938. At the bottom is a Model 10-5 that shipped around 1964. The first glaring difference between the two revolvers is the hammers. The 38 M&P has the old style long throw hammer that these revolvers had since 1899. The Model 10 has the standard short throw hammer with deep knurling and a deep gullet between the hammer spur and the body of the hammer. As much as I love the older guns, the newer hammer is more user friendly. It is easy for a sweaty thumb to slip off the shallow knurling when cocking the hammer on a hot day. Notice the different front sights. The 38 M&P has the traditional half moon shaped front sight, on the Model 10 the front sight is shaped slightly differently, with an angled rear face that has groooves cut into it. I find the newer front sight also easier to use. Lastly, lets count screws. The 38 M&P is a typical 'five screw' S&W. Three screws are visible holding down the side plate, one more is hidden under the top of the grip, and there is one more screw, barely visible, angled up in front of the trigger guard holding the bolt spring in place. The Model 10 is a typical 'three screw' S&W. The screw at the top of the side plate is gone, and so is the screw in front of the trigger guard. There is still one screw hidden under the top of the grip, totaling three screws.
This is the revolver that started it all, a 38 Military and Police, 1st Model, also known as the Model of 1899 Army-Navy revolver. First introduced in 1899, this was the very first K frame revolver. Notice the shapes of the hammer and front sight. Notice there is no latch under the barrel in front of the ejector rod, the only K frame ever made lacking that feature. There are four screws visible holding the side plate in place, but because the internal mechanism was different than later models, there is no screw in front of the trigger guard. This model is sometimes known as "pre-five screw four screw model". This is a very early 38 M&P, 1st Model, it shipped in 1899.
This is a 38 Military and Police Target model. Notice the same hammer shape, but it has a target style front sight, and windage and elevation adjustable rear sight. This is the early style adjustable rear sight, a tiny screw driver was needed to adjust the rear sight. This one shipped in 1917. This model was the precursor to the K-38, which was in turn the precursor to the Model 14.
A typical 6" 38 M&P. This one shipped in 1934.
An interesting variation, a 38 M&P with a round butt. This one is wearing its original hard rubber grips. This photo shows all the blemishes to the finish on the side plate, but also shows all the screws. This one is one of my favorites, it shipped in 1939.
OK, School Marm hat off.
I have far more old 38 M&P revolvers than I do Model 10s. Nothing wrong with the Model 10, it is a great revolver. I just happen to like the older ones better.
Wish I could tell you how many actual Model 10s have been made, I have searched through my reference books and cannot find an answer. But it was most certainly not 6,000,000.
.) That gun really does shoot well for me, but I did need to color the front sight orange because the stainless blade washed out at the indoor range..
