Smith & Wesson .38 Military & Police Pre-Model 10, 4-inch, Polished Blue, 1955–1956 K-Frame
This Smith & Wesson .38 Military & Police is a pre-Model 10 example from 1955–1956, identifiable by its C-prefix serial range, four-screw frame, and absence of a "MOD. 10" yoke marking. It features a 4-inch tapered barrel, fixed sights, and a polished blue finish on a carbon-steel K-frame with a square butt. Classic details include a six-shot fluted cylinder, grooved topstrap, and color casehardened hammer and smooth narrow trigger.
Condition
Overall Condition: Fair condition, showing extensive signs of prior use and handling.
Bore Condition: Good - Clean, well-maintained, minor wear marks.
Bore Rifling: Good Rifling - Intact, well-defined lands and grooves.
Specific Condition Notes: There are markings from prior handling and use. The revolver is currently without grips. Please review the photos for a complete picture of condition.
What’s Included
- Smith & Wesson factory blue cardboard revolver box (later style)
This pre-Model 10 M&P retains the classic mid-1950s configuration: a four-screw frame with the additional front trigger-guard screw, a grooved topstrap, and no "MOD. 10" marking on the yoke. The C-prefix serial range aligns with 1955–1956 production, placing it firmly in the era when S&W transitioned its Military & Police into the numbered Model 10 designation.
The 4-inch tapered barrel and fixed-sight layout reflect the standard service configuration of the period. The front sight is a ramp with a serrated rear face, paired with a fixed rear notch integral to the topstrap for a clean, durable sight picture.
Construction is traditional carbon steel with a polished blue finish on the frame and cylinder. The six-shot fluted cylinder, K-frame square butt, and double-action/single-action operation define the platform’s well-known handling characteristics.
Period-correct small parts details include a checkered spur hammer and a smooth, narrow, color casehardened trigger, matched by a color casehardened hammer. Barrel specification is the early style without an ejector-rod shroud, consistent with the tapered barrel configuration of the time.