Key Takeaways:
- The .38 Military & Police debuted in 1899; Smith & Wesson adopted the Model 10 designation in 1957.
- Wartime Victory revolvers included military versions chambered in .38 Special and .38 S&W, two different, noninterchangeable cartridges.
- The 2025 Model 10 Classic omitted the internal key lock and featured a four-inch barrel, fixed sights, and walnut grips.
Smith & Wesson introduced the .38 Military & Police revolver in 1899. The Model 10 designation followed in 1957, when the company adopted numerical model names. Built on the K-frame and associated with the .38 Special cartridge, the six-shot revolver features single- and double-action operation and fixed sights. [1]
The design developed from Smith & Wesson’s earlier Hand Ejector work. Its .32 Hand Ejector of 1896 already had a swing-out cylinder. The subsequent .38 Military & Police incorporated a cylinder-release thumbpiece on the left side of the frame and a revised cylinder stop. Early examples had rounded grip frames; a square-butt configuration became available in 1904. These changes established features that would distinguish successive Military & Police revolvers. [2]
During World War I, production of the .38 Military & Police stopped in June 1918 as Smith & Wesson concentrated on manufacturing the separate .45 Hand Ejector Model of 1917 for military service. Production of the .38 resumed in February 1919. [2]
World War II brought military versions commonly known as Victory Models. The U.S. Navy’s version was chambered in .38 Special and ordinarily had a four-inch barrel. Revolvers supplied to Britain used the .38 S&W cartridge, designated .38/200 in British service, and generally had five-inch barrels. Despite their similar names, .38 S&W and .38 Special are different, noninterchangeable cartridges. [3]
Identifying features of wartime Victory revolvers include V-prefix serial numbers and a lanyard ring on the butt. U.S. military examples commonly received a Parkerized finish. These revolvers served with Navy and Marine Corps aviators, and some remained in aircrew service during the Korean and Vietnam wars. [3]
Postwar Model 10 production encompassed blued and nickel finishes, round- and square-butt frames, and barrel lengths ranging from two to six inches. [4] For collectors, the model markings provide another distinction. Smith & Wesson began stamping model numbers in the frame’s yoke cut in 1957; subsequent dash suffixes identified engineering changes. The Model 10-1 designation was assigned to the heavy-barrel version in 1959. The Model 10-2 and heavy-barrel Model 10-3 followed in 1961, incorporating a change to left-hand extractor-rod threads. [2]
Police service continued into the twenty-first century. In July 2024, the Hong Kong Police began a phased handgun replacement program covering its Model 10 revolvers and SIG Sauer P250 pistols. Officers underwent training and received the replacement semiautomatic pistols in stages. [5]
In January 2025, Smith & Wesson introduced a Model 10 Classic without an internal key lock. The new version retained the six-shot K-frame configuration and was specified for .38 Special +P ammunition, with a four-inch barrel, fixed sights, a blued carbon-steel frame and cylinder, and walnut grips supplied by Tyler Gun Works. [6]
Frequently Asked Questions
The Model 10 is a six-shot K-frame revolver associated with the .38 Special cartridge. It features fixed sights and single- and double-action operation.
Its predecessor, the .38 Military & Police, debuted in 1899, while the Model 10 designation was adopted in 1957.
Military & Police variants known as Victory Models served during World War II, including with U.S. Navy and Marine Corps aviators.
The U.S. Navy’s Victory revolvers were chambered in .38 Special, while British versions used .38 S&W, designated .38/200 in British service. These cartridges are not interchangeable.
The 2025 Model 10 Classic omitted the internal key lock. Its specifications included .38 Special +P chambering, a four-inch barrel, fixed sights, and Tyler Gun Works walnut grips.
Sources
[1] Sagi, Guy J. “Smith & Wesson Model 10: A Legendary K-Frame Available Today.” American Rifleman, August 10, 2022.
[2] Jinks, Roy G. History of Smith & Wesson: No Thing of Importance Will Come Without Effort. Beinfeld Publishing Company, 1977, pp. 146–147, 159–162, 169–170.
[3] Canfield, Bruce N. “‘V’ Is for Victory: The Smith & Wesson Victory Model Revolver.” American Rifleman, November 23, 2020.
[4] Rupp, J. Scott. “Smith & Wesson’s Model 10 Revolver Ditches the Lock.” Handguns, August 19, 2025.
[5] Hong Kong Police Force. “Memorable Events: Handgun Replacement Exercise.” Hong Kong Police Review 2024, n.d., p. 14.
[6] Smith & Wesson. “Smith & Wesson® Releases New No-Lock Classic Series Revolvers.” Press release published in Firearms News, January 16, 2025.
