Any good?

Hope so cause I just bought one.

Pfffftt.

Probably the most practical handgun ever made.

Plus it's awesome.

And wonderous.




Travis

I have a few of them. My favorite handgun

We have a couple. Both are old beaters picked up at auctions. Both smooth as a puppy's ear and straight shooting handguns...

Fine Smith right there!!!!!

I'm not much of a handgunner but I've always liked the simplicity.
I have no idea how old it is but it's pinned for whatever that's worth.
Serial # 3D43XXX

What kind of ammo should I look for?

I'll pick up some cheap stuff to practice with but whats a good all around woods bumming/self defense round.

http://www.georgia-arms.com/38-special-158gr-lead-semi-wadcutter-new/


Should have been made @1978 or 79.


You'll find the sights are generally on the money with 158's. I'd shoot nothing but cast bullets in it. You can get some +P 158gr LSWC hollowpoints that will take care of 2 legged critters.

Is it a 10-8? You'll see it stamped on the on the frame behind the yoke after your 'open' the cylinder.

I don't have it yet but when I blow this pic up it looks it says M10 10-8. Is that a good thing?

Fixed sight K-Frames are generally regulated to shoot POA/POI with 158 gr bullets. Anything lighter will likely shoot a bit low but you can experiment with all that if you wish to use some of the popular 125 to 135 gr loadings.

If you want real power from a .38 Special load, Buffalo Bore offers a high performance number called the Outdoorsman, which uses a 158 gr SWC pushed along at over 1100 fps. That's .357 Magnum performance for all practical purposes.

https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=291%3Fballistics101.com

Wow, FG! That's nice.

You did very well. They are a great gun. I especially like the ones with the HB, like you got.

Thanks...I've seen lots of the pencil barrel recycled police guns for half the price which would be more than what I "need" but I wanted something nice so the HB was a must.

I own a dozen 10s and 64s. It is irrelevant what they are regulated to and have not found them to be all "regulated to 158s ". Fundamentals should cause you not to give a $hit. 64s and 10s can take a beating that's for sure.

Opps 8 I own.

Yes.

10-8 is when S&W moved the gas ring from the yoke to the cylinder on the Heavy Barrel model.

That's usually the fact for those that can't shoot worth a sheit.

I love the pencil barreled ones and find they are getting tougher to locate than the bulls.

Great revolver you got there.



Travis

Very nice, indeed. Apart from limited capacity (and in most cases it's no issue at all), you can hardly beat a good old Model 10 in a defensive role, and that's a very nice one. It's clearly a pre-83 version (pinned barrel), which makes it that much nicer. Good snag.

How about the old FBI load, a +P 158 grain lead semi-wadcutter?

Basically reproduces the old Smith & Wesson .38-44 load, which was a nearly magnum .38 Special load designed for the N-Frame Heavy Duty and Outdoorsman back before .357 Magnums came along.

I'm also a fan of the pencil barrel 10s, but have a couple of the heavy barrels, too.

I think Steelhead has a 6" version.

(That's what she said)



Dave

a 4 inch heavy barrel Model 10 has always been my favorite handgun. This one was rebuilt, new barrel, new innards. Shoots to point of aim with my 140 grain LSWC or 140 grain JHP loads.

That is what I'm thinking.

People who never tried to shoot small say $h!t like that.

my 4 inch M10 is one of my favorite handguns.

I've often thought about finding an old school swivel style duty holster and putting together and old fashioned duty rig for display with it

I have a Bianchi #5BH leather holster that I like. I bought it years ago for my 6" K22 but I never use it anymore so I'll chop a couple of inches off of it. I have some leather working tools but if the saddle shop doesn't want too much $ I'll let him do the deed. Machine sewed always looks better.


I rather not use any of the over powered stuff like the Buffalo Bore. I'm sure something like the cast bullets Steelhead posted will do everything I'll ever need with less recoil on me and wear and tear on the gun.

I haven't bought a handgun in forever so I'm kind of excited to get my hands on this one.

Thanks for all the advise guys.

FG,

Sedate loads with 158gr. S/WC's are my favorite.

Just an idea for you, but for "field guns" I've been buying cheap nylon duty belts and keepers and adding a pouch of some type for empties.

Fun stuff.

I have 2, 4, 5 and 6 inch, depending on mood.

I'll bet that Bianchi might work just fine, FG.

Believe you're right on about foregoing running the Buffalo Bore stuff through that gun. I've got those Outdoorsmans in several different calibers and they are stout little beasts. The .38 spl's will not be going through my new to me Model 15. The 686+ only.

Good idea, as those duplicate loads developed for N-Frame .38 Special revolvers.

Yeah, heavy 38 special loads in K frames bad, 357 magnum K frames, good.....

pffft!

A modern K-frame Smith can easily handle any ammo being manufactured that's called .38 Spl.,...and handle *lots* of it.

A man will go broke trying to shoot enough of it to wear one out.

The idea that K-frame is weak is pretty stupid.

I'd not feed it an insane diet of 125gr. duty ammo. But I wouldn't pump that into an L-frame either.

If you want indestructible, get a Ruger. The K-frame is nirvana when it comes to revolvers IMO.



Clark

So if your sights aren't dead on at the exact range you shoot at, on a gun you are familiar with, you can't hit anything? Congrats.

Yea LD.....Dave, Clark, Travis, and Steelhead are all full of chit but I'm gonna take their advice on the 158 semi wad cutters anyway.

Travis....you should know by now that I'm to eccentric for plastic and nylon.
Nothing but blue steel, wood, and leather in Charlieland...



PS....I have no intention of reloading for this revolver or the 223 Carbine I just bought but I'll save the brass for you or anyone else that wants it.

Oh man! Good to know.

If that's the case I'd grab a bunch of these or similar:

https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/19647

Muy accurate.



Dave

Now you are just digging a bigger hole of ignorance. If you can shoot small, then small and fast, big and fast comes easy. Still with small groups. Just hitting a gong is not good shooting practice.

I shoot that Winchester White Box in my 44Mag lever gun.....good stuff..

That's a pretty good price for shipping. The stuff Steelhead posted looks good but shipping is as much as the ammo.

I'll see what I can find in town first but I'll probably have to order on'line.

that gun and its predecessor the M&P, are probably the most prolific gun that s&w ever made. great little shooters in 4" too.

Congrats on the new to you M10.

The K frame in several different models is my favorite handgun.

The spring through fall sees 2-3000 of this concoction enjoyed with the Kframes...

I own 2 K-frame M-19's and all I shoot out of them are 357 mag 158/160 grain and I love them. The 38 special only K-frames will hold up for an extremely long time.

Not sure if you reload or not but Remington has a load out called HTP (High Terminal Performance) it's a 38 special +P but it's the old FBI load 158 gr Lead SWCHP. I haven't tried the Buffalo Bore Outdoorsman but I might try to find a box. I don't have a model 10 but I have a Ruger Speed Six 4" 38 special. Not rare, but very uncommon in terms of production numbers. I say not rare, because too many people associate RARE with more valuable, and demand is what determines that. I don't really consider my gun nearly as in demand as yours. Again, nice find.

Mannlicher, that's the best looking 10 I've ever seen. Like the look.

Here's a 4" Model 10 that says 357 Magnum on the barrel.

I like the grips.

Yellow corian from this guy:

http://www.collinscraftgrips.com/pistol_grip.php?ID=538&grip=Smith+and+Wesson+K%2C+L%2C+or+N+J+frame+in+Western+Sun+Corian

Rufus do 357 mags fit in the cylinder? And if they do, do you think they bored the cylinder to fit the 357 or changed the cylinder?

S&W produced Model 10's in 357. It was the 10-6 and the precursor to the Model 13.

Good information. Something I did not know.

Don't forget the stainless 64 4". Not as pretty as a polished blue 10, but it's OK.
Bob

http://www.handloads.com/misc/Smith.Model.Changes.asp


Yep, notice that the 10-6 is not listed.

Compare the dates. Later when the model 13 came along.

Remember the old Winchester Hi-Vel ammunition? (Pre +P)

When I bought my 10-5 from an old fella's wife, It was loaded with the Hi-Vel and 44 rounds were left in the box he had. It was a nightstand gun. About 98%. She said he never shot it that she new of.

What does the stamp signify? Mine is stamped 10-5.

I just added the parkerized Tyler Tgrip adapter. When my gunsmith rebuilt the revolver, he gave it a parkerized finish.

If your gun is a ....


10-5 Standard weight barrel: They changed the front sight blade from .100" to .125" in width.

10-5 Heavy weight barrel: They eliminated the screw in front of the trigger guard. (The front screw was eliminated on the standard barrel at 10-4)

Thanks Gibby,mine is a standard wt. barrel.

Not a stainless fan but that really looks good with the dark grips.

Very nice!

So you have the improved (in my opinion) front Blade. Good

This is my favorite stainless version, Model 64. It's the first one I recall seeing with the tapered barrel so I bought it.

I like the round butt. I wish my M65s had one.

Since the topic is 4" HB's here's mine again. I've got a few Model 10's. I twist their ear pretty good sometimes. They don't seem to mind.

B, I like those grips, did they come with the gun? How do they fit the old fingers?

Ahrends.

They fit my hand pretty well. They have a few different designs.

http://www.ahrendsgripsusa.com/tactical.htm

I almost regret giving mine to my middle son.

Good to know, Bristoe. Maybe I will drop a few of those Outdoorsmans down my 15.

That really is a nice looking 64 with those dark grips.

That's a handy tool right there. Like that a bunch.

The Model 10 and it's predecessor the M&P is a classic, not reason to reinvent the wheel. 158g SWC works well, no need to push the envelope. Typically on the ones I have and have shot you need to leave a bit more of the half nickle site about the notch to be on target. These things have been running for a very long time. They seldom break or have issues. I have an old Victory model as a truck bug out revolver.

After seeing all the guns posted here I've come to the conclusion that there isn't any such thing as a bad M 10.

I bought an old 4" Model 10 (I believe no dash) a long time ago.

"The Warden" stole it - muttering something about "cold, dead fingers" IIRC

She's figured out which end you hold.

Rattlesnakes die. (Along with about anything she points it at)

I believe post -2 K frames have heat treated cylinders, which is the same metallergically as the magnum. Bill davis used to do a bunch of re-clambering to .357, but the cylinder is a little shorter so you're limited to 125gr.

So, if someone wanted to load to .357 pressure in a late model K frame, they're good to go.

great gun ! I have 3 of them