Is there anything more American than the classic S&W M&P K-frame in .38 Special? Okay, arguably, some guns are at least equally American, the M1911, the pump shotgun, the AR-15, but the K-frame in .38 Special sits mighty high in the American Hall of Fame. Of these classic K frames, the Model 10, aka the S&W M&P, aka the Victory Model, aka the Smith & Wesson .38 Hand Ejector Model of 1899, the Smith & Wesson Military & Police is without a doubt the original gangster.
S&W M&P K-Frame History
Since its first incarnation in 1899, the S&W M&P has had many names and several changes. It’s only improved, at least until they introduced that stupid lock system in the 1990s. S&W also produces the Model 64, which is a Model 10 in a stainless finish. Since the gun has been produced since 1899, you can bet your bottom dollar there are tons and tons on the market.
The official total is more than six million. With so many of these guns on the market, they can often be found for a bargain. I picked up the S&W M&P in this article for 180 dollars. For 180 dollars, I expect a beat-up finish, crappy grips, and similar problems. Yet, here we are with a gun that’s in great shape. The original grips have been swapped for a pair of oversized plastic grips.
I certainly got a deal, but it’s not that huge of a deal. It seems like the various S&W M&P variants are fairly affordable. They tend to get pricey when in extremely good shape or if they have some form of wartime provenance. If it’s just a normal Model 10 or M&P, there are good deals to be had.
Breaking Down the Classic S&W M&P K Frame
You can look at this revolver and figure out almost everything you need to know. Typically, it would have wood grip panels, which would be considerably smaller. Many apt shooters in the era of the S&W M&P would have outfitted those grips with grip adapters to make them more hand-filling.
The Pachmayr rubber grips do the same. They are big, broad, and provide a great grip. These grips look odd due to their large size, but they are generally better. I’d prefer the original, but for 180 dollars, I won’t complain. The gun holds six rounds, and this model lacks the transfer bar of more modern guns.
The M&P sights are a simple front half-moon with a rear trench sight. It’s as simple as it gets. It’s not fancy, but it’s functional. That describes the entire revolver quite well.
The S&W M&P – More Than a Collectible
Admittedly, you see an old gun, and you think that’s a collectible. Sure, it’s old, and they ain’t making them anymore, but if I needed a defensive firearm and had less than 200 dollars, I’d be in luck. This gun laid the groundwork for most modern defensive and duty revolvers. Not much has changed in revolver tech since the M&P in .38 Special premiered.
You probably shouldn’t use +P ammo in this old warhorse, but you can feed it a steady diet of standard pressure .38 Special without fail. There are plenty of capable defensive .38 Special loads in standard pressure cartridges. From the 4-inch barrel, you’ll see the velocity you need to drive those .38 caliber (technically .357) pills deep and help them expand.
Six shots of .38 Special don’t seem like much in the days of wonder nines, but it got the job done for decades. For the average citizen, it might not seem like much, but it’s unlikely you’ll fire more than six rounds in your typical defensive scenario.
While it wouldn’t be my first choice for a defensive firearm, it would be far from my last. There are a lot of dead criminals from some of the roughest periods of American history due to guns identical to the M&P.
To the Range With the M&P
I recently came into possession of a few boxes of M-41 .38 Special. The United States military used this load in the era of the M&P series .38 Special. The cartridge is fairly standard for a .38 Special. It’s a 130-grain projectile moving at about 950 feet per second. I have a half box I’m willing to shoot for science’s sake, but the rest will remain as a collector’s item.
That half-box delivered a pleasant shooting experience. The big grips soak up recoil, and the fact that it’s a fairly large revolver helps. Shooting the old M-41 through the M&P was a very enjoyable experience. I suck with this type of revolver sights, so my rounds weren’t where I wanted them, but they were all grouped together.
The M&P is plenty accurate, but the user behind it wasn’t doing the best job aiming the gun. I had some normal pressure, more modern Sellier and Bellot 158-grain rounds. That stuff had slightly more recoil but was still in that realm of controllable and easy shooting.
Did S&W make better triggers in the age of the M&P, or has time smoothed out the internals that make any trigger grit through its press? I’m not the expert to answer that question, but this M&P has a remarkably smooth trigger. It feels like the kind of trigger you pay extra to obtain. It glides rearward, and while it has the double-action weight you expect, the pull is smooth and clean.
Going Fast
As a revolver amateur, I’ve begun learning how to work the double-action trigger quickly. The M&P turned out to be a great gun to learn these kinds of things. The smooth trigger and big grips turned into easy double taps. My shots weren’t where I wanted them all the time, but they were always close together.
READ MORE ABOUT REVOLVERS: Choosing Between Semi-Automatic and Revolvers
If I backed up to 25 yards and cocked the hammer to single action, I could hit a 10-inch gong regularly. It’s quite amusing to go from barely being able to shoot a revolver to hitting a gong with every trigger press. A good shot would do that with a double-action trigger, but I’m not a good revolver shot. Yet.
The gun always fired when I asked. It performed quite well for a gun that’s likely older than my dad. I would hesitate to defend my home and family with a gun if need be.
The Military and Police – A Legend
This gun seems boring. A medium frame .38 Special six-shot isn’t exciting. What’s important to realize is that this is the gun that sets that standard. This configuration is boring because it’s so successful and just right. The S&W M&P, the Model 10, the Victory Model, the K-frame, and all the other names for this gun are all excellent buys and a must-have for serious firearms collectors.
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