Help With an Unusual S&W 10-5

[Heavyweight]

Attention any S&W gurus out there....I picked this 10-5 up on consignment at my LGS. The guy was asking a very reasonable $325 for it and it's in great shape....except for the bluing on the grip frame. It's very worn. But something in the back of my mind was telling me the gun looked odd in a way I couldn't put my finger on. I'm not a S&W expert by any means even though I own several of their revolvers. It wasn't until I got home and compared it to another K frame revolver of mine that I saw it. The grip frame is different. It isn't a true square butt. It looks like a square butt that somebody rounded the corners on. Well, I thought that would explain the worn bluing. But the more I looked for signs of the modification the more I started to question it. If somebody modified it they must have done a damn good job because I can't see any signs at all on the grips or frame. Just the worn bluing.

My question is, did S&W ever do a special run on the Model 10-5 with this grip configuration? Or was this just some very good work done by a pro? I guess I could have it lettered by S&W and I might if nobody knows the answer.

Thanks for any help!

Heavyweight

P.S. Lettering on the yoke and crane says Mod. 10-5.....B11 stamped diagonally over 17604

[Sam]

Are you concerned that someone converted the gun from a square butt to round butt? Maybe somebody did, and like you said, did a really good job. Their home brewed cold blueing process probably didn't stick as well as the factory's. At that price, if all other conditions on the gun is good, and if you intend to carry, shoot this gun, I wouldn't worry too much.

The 10-5 did also come with 2" barrel and round butt grip. I have one.

[Heavyweight]

Thanks for the reply Sam....I'm not concerned in the slightest about this revolver. I plan to have some fun with it. I just thought (before I start shooting the bejesus out of it) it would just be nice to know if I had a rare gem from S&W vs. an aftermarket conversion. I understand the rare gem is unlikely.

Thanks Again!

[Heavyweight]

[QUOTE
The 10-5 did also come with 2" barrel and round butt grip. I have one.[/QUOTE]

Let me clarify....it doesn't look like a round butt either. It doesn't have the "hump back" and the bottom of the butt is too long. It doesn't match either square or round configuration from S&W which is why I was wondering if they every did any special runs like this.

Heavyweight

[Heavyweight]

Here are more pictures to help show the difference between a "normal" round butt and this gun. Last photo is a picture I just grabbed off the web for comparison.

Heavyweight

[williejc]

The grips on in the "normal" picture are not the standard K frame grips, which are smaller than the "target" or combat" grips in this view.

Your revolver left the factory like you see it. Any finish wear is a touch up attempt. If I'm wrong, the gunsmith modifying your grip frame is a super expert.

[RSA-OTC]

Been around S&W revolvers along time. That looks like a custom job to me, even the grip/stocks finish looks custom. Another indicator is where the bluing on the grip frame terminates up close to the trigger guard. Nice looking gun though. Enjoy.

[walkin' trails]

Also on agreement that is doesn't look factory, but was performed by a pretty derned good craftsman. Possibly done because a previous owner didn't like the factory round butt and decided to have a square modified to suit his/her needs.

It's old revolvers like these that someone had built as a working gun as opposed to a seldom-never fired BBQ gun that fascinte me. I guess it comes from author Jack Schaffer's description of Shane's Colt in his classic book of the same name.

[Heavyweight]

The grips on in the "normal" picture are not the standard K frame grips, which are smaller than the "target" or combat" grips in this view.

Your revolver left the factory like you see it. Any finish wear is a touch up attempt. If I'm wrong, the gunsmith modifying your grip frame is a super expert.

This is the way I'm leaning.....I think it was a custom request from S&W. I'm going to see what I can find out from Smith....these kind of things absolutely fascinate me.

Heavyweight

[okie john]

Two things come to mind.

First, anything is possible with Smith. Along with the standard catalogued models, they made special orders for various police agencies here and overseas, and they stuck barrels onto frames almost at random. There really wasn't much standardization, especially before WWII.

Second, the "normal" gun you show is a 547 with an odd set of semi-target concealment type grips. The frame of the 547 IS standard, but those grips are not and will throw your comparison. A normal S&W round-butt K-frame looks like this.

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee68/okie_john/images-1_zps4d248af5.jpg (http://s235.photobucket.com/user/okie_john/media/images-1_zps4d248af5.jpg.html)

I think that your gun was not originally a round-butt model. Smith made a lot of square-butt Model 10's with 2" barrels. I think the work on your gun was done by a very skilled gunsmith. I say that because to convert a square-butt K-frame to a round-butt, you don't just round off the corners. You have to remove metal all the way up the front strap and about halfway up the backstrap, which is why yours is missing so much blue. Also, if you look at the rear corner of the checkering on the grips on your gun, you'll see that it's very close to the curved edge of the stocks, which is consistent with square-butt grips that have been converted. Compare the checkering on your gun to the checkering of the shot that I posted and you'll also see that the lower corners of the checkering are different shapes.

The bottom line is that the K-frame Smith is the gold standard in .38 Special revolvers, and you got a good deal on a solid specimen. It's probably zeroed for a 158-grain bullet at 950 fps, which is about like a modern 147-grain 9mm loading.

I'd just enjoy the hell out of it.


Okie John

[Heavyweight]

Thanks O.J......you're assessment makes a LOT of sense. You've laid out enough evidence to convince me. But even if you're wrong, I found out what I wanted to know....this is a gun to shoot and have fun with....not a rare collectible that needs to stay in the safe.

Like I said earlier I really just love to try and figure out the history of these older "one off" guns. I think it's pretty cool that someone went to the time and trouble (not to mention expense) of having this snubbie tailored to his exact preference. The only thing I wish I had was the name of the smith who did the work. He must have been something to behold! I would absolutely love to see some of his other work. But that information isn't going to be in a letter from S&W.

Thanks for the education guys!

Heavyweight