![smith and wesson model 10-8 serial numbers smith and wesson model 10-8 serial numbers](https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191012/4194e52f6bb9bc8fbc7116fda7ac9dcc.jpg)
This was an enlarged andmore powerful cartridge designed to address the stopping power deficiencies ofthe. In addition, in 1899 S&W introduced a new caliber in the M&P,the. military for thousandsof Smith & Wesson's new revolvers in the then U.S. The Military and Police tag was added immediately after the gun'sintroduction, as a result of an 1899 order from the U.S. 38 Hand Ejector, fixed sight service revolverhas, in one form or another, been a best seller in the S&W revolver linesince 1899. To this day, shooters over 30associate the M&P name primarily with the forged steel Model 10 revolverthat is still going strong and was the mainstay of the S&W police (andcivilian) handgun line for decades, not the more recent plastic-framed semi-auto. Later, the same revolver wasassigned the model number '10,' when S&W stopped naming theirhandguns and gave them numbers, instead. Smith & Wesson is currently marketing a semi-automaticpistol as a Military and Police (M&P) model, but the name is taken from thedouble action (DA) revolver that made it famous. The Smith & Wesson Model 10 Military and Police. The older the gun, the possiblity exists for the s/n to appear in more places, for instance on the underside of the barrel (the flat area that is covered from view if the cylinder is closed, swing out the cylinder and look there, I doubt this gun has it there, it appears too late), also check the crane, on the surface that faces the cylinder, you may need to look through the cylinder with a flashlight to see it, or dissassembly may be required. The problem with these later guns is that they may have the prefix imbedded within the s/n (example 5D12345), is that in the places - other than the butt - you may see these number show us as 512345, especially the grips, they normally didn't stamp the alpha letter, either as a prefix or imbedded number. Also, push the extractor star all the way out, as if you are ejecting spent shells, and look at the underside surface of the star, there should be a number there. You can look at the inside of the right grip panel to see what is stamped there (assuming the grips are original).
![smith and wesson model 10-8 serial numbers smith and wesson model 10-8 serial numbers](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/HJ6Hb89lVXw/maxresdefault.jpg)
The s/n will appear on the gun in other places, but the prefix may not be on those other places. I agree with s&wchad, those numbers appear to be restamped for whatever reason.