RE-IMPORT of S&W 10-5

[Petrol & Powder]

I recently acquired a S&W 10-5 that turned out to be better than expected. The gun appears to be unfired but the exterior isn't 100% (it's close but not perfect). No box, no history.
It has a Century Arms import mark on the lower portion of the barrel so it was probably imported back into the U.S.A. There are no other post production stamps or roll marks.
The serial number puts its production date in the late 1960's.

What has me a bit puzzled is that when I disassembled it, what was left of the oil inside was dried up. The cylinder rotated but was stiff, the ejector rod moved but not smoothly. The internal parts were blued with no signs of wear. It didn't have a turn line on the cylinder and the recoil shield was unmarked. It had clearly been stored for a long time but not stored well. It's as if someone unboxed it 45+ years ago, tossed it loose in a desk drawer and left it there for most of its life. There's no holster wear in the usual places (edge of muzzle, front edge of cylinder) but the grips were a bit beat up and there are a couple of minor flaws to the bluing.

SO, what foreign customer purchased model 10 revolvers in the late 1960's, issued them ? but never shot them ?

[ShooterAZ]

I got a similar one several years back at J&G Sales in Prescott, AZ. It's also Century marked, but on the frame. It is a 3" 10-7. They do turn up from time to time, I did a hand select on mine. The internals are perfect, with a small amount of exterior wear. The guy at the LGS informed me that this particular batch was from Australia. I'm told that some of the more recent batches of Model 10's were from Canada. It's a great shooter!

[Petrol & Powder]

It could be from Canada but it didn't live in a holster. :-P

[ShooterAZ]

Nope...it lived in a desk drawer:bigsmyl2:

[scattershot]

I recently picked one up that came from Australia.

[Petrol & Powder]

I recently picked one up that came from Australia.

Was it a 10-5?

[scattershot]

Was it a 10-5?

No, it was a 10-11 heavy barrel. I was surprised that the Queensland Police used a revolver. I would have thought a Browning Hi Power.

[Southern Son]

Queensland Police used revolvers up until they started to transition to Glock in about 2001. HOWEVER, I know that there were no blued revolvers in service in 1996 (there was a real slap together situation with Mod. 60, 66, 681 S&W, and Security 6, GP100 and SP101s all in service, and all stainless). Scattershot, do you know when your Mod 10-11 was imported back into the US? As to the Hipower, I wish.


NSW Police carried Mod. 10s with 3 inch heavy barrels for Uniform Police and Mod. 36 for Detectives until some time after 1996 (I think they went Glock in 2000 or so). Those Mod. 10 revolvers had the NSW Police crest engraved on the side. And I was told they were all destroyed rather than sell them off to collectors.

[scattershot]

Sorry, I can’t find the paperwork on this M10. Strangely, there are no re-import marks on it, either. There was an adhesive computer inventory tag on it, which I removed, but other than that, nothing. I bought it online about two years ago, if that helps. Sorry.

[EMC45]

The Mounties and Hong Kong Police used Model 10s for awhile.

[Petrol & Powder]

I've got a former Royal Hong Kong Police 10-7, those are marked in the back strap of the grip frame.

[Char-Gar]

I once had a re-imported Smith and Wesson Model 12, that appeared to be unfired and uncarried. Some reseach turned up these revolvers were sold to the Portuguese Air Force and many had not been issued. I lost it in the Great D-Vorce of 94..pity!

[jumbeaux]

I recently saw an ad for S & W Model 10 revolvers that were reimports from a small Police Department in France. There were several different dash models. Looked pretty good and price was fair.

rick

[725]

What's the ballpark price for these Mod 10's. One of the really great revolvers.

[Petrol & Powder]

I just paid $350 for the 10-5 that I described in the first post.

It appeared to be un-fired (well until today :smile:) and I would put the finish at 98% +. The grips were a bit beat up (maybe someone swapped out the originals?) but they were period correct S&W grips. No box.

[ShooterAZ]

I have bought several of these "re-imports" over the years, ranging from $275 to $350 or so depending on condition. The ones I see advertised now are $300-400+. It's nice to be able to do a hand select on them if you are able to. Even the ones I have seen with "been there, done that" exteriors were all in very sound mechanical condition, and probably weren't shot all that much. My most recent one was a minty 2" nickel plated one, also a 10-7. In general, they are great boolit shooters. I really enjoy them.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Years ago, I bought a used Mod 10-6 at the LGS, it had what I was told is German proof marks, so I figured it was a re-import. It was a great shooter, some days I regret selling that one at my auction in 2015.

http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/cropped_zpsb3e5ce8e.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/cropped_zpsb3e5ce8e.jpg.html)


http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/Proofmarks_zpsa3a1bd24.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/Proofmarks_zpsa3a1bd24.jpg.html)

[Petrol & Powder]

Marshall - My 10-5 is 1960's vintage based on its serial number and I'm fairly confident it was unfired based on the condition. I'm not sure where it was delivered initially but Australia is not out of the question.

[FergusonTO35]

The US military used model 10's for decades. I wonder if any of these reimports were originally provided as foreign military aid?

[Southern Son]

Sorry, I can’t find the paperwork on this M10. Strangely, there are no re-import marks on it, either. There was an adhesive computer inventory tag on it, which I removed, but other than that, nothing. I bought it online about two years ago, if that helps. Sorry.

Oh well, Scattershot. I was just curious.


After all the talk about guns going north to the US from Australian Police, I just found this one on our gun sales forum.


https://www.usedguns.com.au/Product.aspx?p=139471

$3000.00 because it is marked with Detroit Police Department stamps. Makes me wonder what NSW could have got for the 12,000 Mod. 10s they got rid of.

[Southern Son]

@Petrol & Powder

I picked up a 10-8 with a heavy 4" barrel from Buds about 4 years ago that was a reimport from Australia. Based on the stickers it had on the frame, it was used by the Victoria police. It seemed to be lightly used, with some holster wear on the bluing. It is one of my fun guns at the range. Mainly fire light loads of Titegroup under a 158 gr LRN bullet. I picked up a couple of speed loaders and a belt pouch for them just in case I ever decided to carry it (but haven't so far). If SC ever passes open carry, I may just give it a try.

Marshall

I am guessing, but I suspect that Mod. 10 went back when Victoria traded it in. I don't know for sure, but I have heard that Victoria went with the S&W semiautos and part of the deal was that S&W bought all the old Mod. 10s back.

[sixshot]

I recently picked up one of the imports back from France, they had been very slightly used by the French police. Mine is a 10-8 with a 4" heavy barrel & some very nice target stocks that were also made in France at one time. Buds had these a few months back at a very good price. Mine shoots great although the outside finish is a bit rough, not bad but the inside is almost like new.

Dick

[rintinglen]

The reason for the relative lack of wear on the OP's example is that it was probably one of a group of firearms assigned to a station or precinct house that was put in the rack , but lived out it's duty life as a spare, waiting for one of the guns up the line to break, or for that day when all hands were called for an emergency, which never came.
Most police officers outside of the US do not own their own firearms and do not take their firearms home, but return them to an armorer at the end of shift. The weapons are stored in the armory, until the officers return to duty, whereupon they re-issued a weapon. If there were a dozen guns in the rack, human nature being what it is, the first half dozen get issued to the same six beats or people, while the next couple are only occasionally issued and Tail-end Charley never leaves the station house at all and is only handled when inventoried and dusted.

[Char-Gar]

I have a excellent 10-2 of 1961 vintage. It is marked as belonging to Montreal police. It bears no re-import mark as that was not required prior to 1968.

[Petrol & Powder]

That's a nice one Char-Gar

As ubiquitous as the Model 10 is, I still think it is one of those "great guns".

[Char-Gar]

That's a nice one Char-Gar

As ubiquitous as the Model 10 is, I still think it is one of those "great guns".

I agree. I could live very well, if the only handgun I owned was a Model 10. I would still like to have a Colt 45 Auto and a good 22, but the Model10 will do.

[Jtarm]

There was a slew of Aussie 681s reimported a few years ago.

I’m afraid the end of LEO trade-in revolvers is fast approaching.

[Adam20]

Southern Ohio gun had them a few months ago, just checked website and they are out of business, closed

[Texas by God]

I agree. I could live very well, if the only handgun I owned was a Model 10. I would still like to have a Colt 45 Auto and a good 22, but the Model10 will do.
Yep, me too.