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Smith & Wesson Model 10

Smith & Wesson Model 10
Category
Pistol
Barrel
102 mm
Weight, empty
1.02 kg
Introduced
1899

About

What it is, and why it matters

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The Smith & Wesson Model 10 is a six-shot, double-action/single-action revolver chambered in .38 Special, built on Smith & Wesson's medium-size K-frame. Originally introduced in 1899 as the '.38 Hand Ejector Model of 1899,' it was later known as the 'Military & Police' (M&P) before receiving its numeric Model 10 designation in 1957. It is the most-produced handgun of the 20th century with over 6 million units manufactured. The standard configuration features a 4-inch heavy barrel, carbon steel construction with a blued finish, fixed blade front sight, fixed notch rear sight, and wood grips. The double-action trigger pull is approximately 10 pounds (44 N) with a clean single-action pull of approximately 4 pounds (18 N). The revolver incorporates a rebounding hammer with internal hammer block safety and two cylinder locks for secure lockup. Standard barrel lengths have included 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 inches over its long production run, with the 4-inch heavy barrel being the current production standard. The K-frame design established the template for the modern medium-frame service revolver.

The Smith & Wesson Model 10 defined the concept of the modern police revolver. For over 70 years, from the early 1900s through the 1980s, the M&P was the standard by which all law enforcement sidearms were measured. The Victory Model variant armed Allied forces throughout World War II, with production running around the clock to meet wartime demand. The transition from revolvers to semi-automatic pistols in U.S. law enforcement during the 1980s and 1990s ended the Model 10's reign as the dominant police sidearm, but it remains in limited production as a classic.

The Model 10 is one of the most historically significant firearms ever produced, serving as the standard-issue sidearm for countless police departments worldwide for over 70 years. Its WWII production variant, the 'Victory Model' (distinguished by a 'V' serial number prefix), saw approximately 570,000 units produced between 1942-1944, chambered in both .38 Special and .38/200 (for British Commonwealth forces). The transition from the M&P name to the Model 10 numeric designation occurred in 1957 when Smith & Wesson standardized its model numbering system. The current production model (Model 10-14) features a 4-inch heavy barrel and weighs 36 ounces. The Model 64 is the stainless steel version. Base specifications listed are for the 4-inch heavy barrel model. Weight varies significantly by barrel length and profile: 2-inch models approximately 28 oz (794g), 4-inch heavy barrel 36 oz (1021g), 6-inch tapered barrel approximately 31-32 oz (879-907g). The loaded weight estimate includes six .38 Special cartridges at approximately 12.6g each.

Specification

Everything measured

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IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.

Manufacturer
Smith & Wesson
Category
Pistol
Country
United States
Status
Discontinued
Produced
1899

DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.

Barrel
102 mm
Overall length
226 mm
Height
135 mm
Width
37 mm
Sight radius
140 mm
Weight, empty
1.02 kg
Weight, loaded
1.10 kg

ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.

Action
Double action
Firing mechanism
Double action single action
Trigger
Double action
Trigger pull
18.0 N
Capacity
6

MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.

Frame
Carbon steel
Barrel
Carbon steel
Finish
Blued

BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.

Muzzle velocity
264 m/s
Muzzle energy
282 J
Effective range
45 m

Trajectory

What the round does downrange

Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.

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No load solved for this record yetThe flight path is computed from a cartridge and a bullet. This record has no ammunition filed against its chambering, so there is nothing to solve.

Features

What it has

What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.

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  • K frame
  • Fixed sights
  • Blade front sight
  • Notch rear sight
  • Heavy barrel
  • Exposed hammer
  • Six shot cylinder
  • Wood grips
  • Counter clockwise cylinder rotation

Standing

How it compares

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Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.

MeasurementThis firearmMedianPosition
Empty weightAmong 25 .38 Special pistols1.02 kg595 gHeavier than about 80%
Overall lengthAmong 1,911 pistols226 mm196 mmLonger than about 70%
Barrel lengthAmong 26 .38 Special pistols102 mm51 mmLonger than about 70%
Magazine capacityAmong 26 .38 Special pistols65Holds more rounds than about 90%

Answers

Questions about the Smith & Wesson Model 10

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How much does the Smith & Wesson Model 10 weigh?

The Smith & Wesson Model 10 weighs 1.02 kg (2.25 lb) empty and 1.10 kg (2.42 lb) loaded.

What caliber is the Smith & Wesson Model 10?

The Smith & Wesson Model 10 is chambered in .38 Special.

How many rounds does the Smith & Wesson Model 10 hold?

The Smith & Wesson Model 10 holds 6 rounds.

How long is the Smith & Wesson Model 10?

The Smith & Wesson Model 10 is 226 mm (8.90 in) long overall, with a 102 mm (4.02 in) barrel.

Who makes the Smith & Wesson Model 10?

The Smith & Wesson Model 10 is made by Smith & Wesson (United States).

When was the Smith & Wesson Model 10 introduced?

The Smith & Wesson Model 10 was introduced in 1899.

How does the Smith & Wesson Model 10 operate?

The Smith & Wesson Model 10 uses a double action, and its firing mechanism is double action single action.

Compatibility

Which parts fit this firearm

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Studio

Every part that mounts on this, resolved

Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.

  • Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
  • Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
  • The same answers through the API and the MCP server

Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.

Provenance

What the record holds

Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.

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In service

United States Armed Forces
1899
U.S. Law Enforcement (Various Departments)
United States
United Kingdom Armed Forces
1940
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Canada
Australian Armed Forces
Australia
Israel Defense Forces
Israel
French National Police
France

Provenance

Stockists

Where to buy

Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.

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No shop has listed this firearm yet

Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.

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MCP

Ask an assistant about it

The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.

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Ask GunSpec

Works with

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Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.

API

The call that returns this record

The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.

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curl --request GET \  --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/smith-wesson-model-10' \  --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'
Response
{  "id": "smith-wesson-model-10",  "name": "Smith & Wesson Model 10",  "manufacturer": {    "id": "smith-wesson",    "name": "Smith & Wesson",    "countryCode": "US",    "foundedYear": 1852,    "website": "https://www.smith-wesson.com",    "logoUrl": null,    "description": null,    "status": null,    "defunctYear": null,    "stateOwned": null,    "makesFirearms": null,    "parentId": null,    "predecessorId": null,    "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:40",    "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:48",    "version": "6e259a578cb1b21d72610d761d652c983ff25806b9e736e2db8d2938596e9202"  },  "category": {    "id": "pistol",    "name": "Pistol",    "description": "Handguns designed to be fired with one or two hands"  },  "country_of_origin": "US",  "year_introduced": 1899,  "barrel_length_mm": 102,  "weight_empty_g": 1021,  "action_type": "double_action"}