Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns .38 Special

Nice, Bristoe. I've got several Model 10s (M&Ps), too, to include a couple of early 1950s specimens ("five screws"), one four inch and one six inch. Great classic lines.

I snatched up a bunch of them from various manufacturing periods back when really nice ones still filled up the used gun cases in gun stores for very reasonable prices (between $350 and $450.00, depending on date of manufacture).

I must say, however, that these guns shoot MUCH better for me with a set of Tyler T-Grip Adapters installed.

Hickok says "You probably wouldn't want to make it your carry gun." I don't know about that. A two or three inch barrel (round butt) Model 10 makes a fantastic concealed carry gun in a good IWB holster.

I don't know if it's already been mentioned, but the Model 10 (then called the Hand Ejector Model) in .38 Special was first introduced as a black powder cartridge revolver. It was almost immediately, however, transitioned to a smokeless powder loading.

As mentioned, I'm going to use a 4" pencil barrel as a carry gun. It's the handgun that I'm the most familiar with. So I stopped trying to "make" something else work and bought one specifically for that purpose.

These holsters seem as if they would make a Model 10 easy enough to carry and conceal.

http://www.sideguardholsters.com/holsters/DblClip.htm

I put some of these boot grips on my 4" round butt. I like them very well. I have a pair on order for a square butt K frame. They're not as compact as the boot grips but they're very slim in profile,..which makes them good for concealed carry.

https://www.amazon.com/Gun-Grip-Supply-Rosewood-Checkered/dp/B019YJUQJ2

My Father-in-Law has one that has been re-blued and had replacement (S&W) grips. Very nice gun. I haven't seen that gun in so long that I'd forgotten. Somebody had put a rear sight on it too.

I'd really like to get a Model 10, mostly just because, and you can still find them for reasonable at least not outrageous prices.

But being left handed I rarely have good luck with fixed sighted handguns and especially those with a groove rear sight, they shoot to the right for me. Elevation differences are not too bothersome since one needs to allow for some range of trajectory anyway but holding off for windage is a lot more trouble.

Oh well, I can still vicariously enjoy all of y'all's fine pieces.

When left handed people consistently shoot right regardless of which fixed sighted handguns they try, it often means it's your technique, likely the placement of your finger on the trigger or a failure to pull the trigger straight back.

I'm embarrassed to say what I paid for my most recent Model 10. And it probably *will* be my last one. The prices for nice examples really started climbing a few years ago.

I'll still scoop a nice one if I ever sneak up on one at a good price. But it's gotten very unusual to sneak up on a nice older S&W revolver.

I was watching a Model 35 (6" J-frame .22) on gunbroker all week where it sat at $599 until about one hour before the auction ended, then it was bid up to $720 and that's with $50-60 in shipping on top of that.

Kept telling myself all week "I don't need it (but I want it), I don't need it (but I want it)..." and was willing to pay any price with a 6 as the first digit but just had to set a limit on "want" stuff. Unless some radical change occurs S&W's are the new Colt Snakes and have been for a while. The old Colts have been priced up out of most folks' reach so now they're looking at Smiths as the new collectibles and pretty much any pre-lock Smith qualifies.

I know, I know, they're only going to get more expensive but my fun budget rate of increase isn't keeping pace with the rising intersection of supply and demand these days and a fellow just has to get picky and set limits.

This week I have to talk myself out of this one for reasons previously given plus the fact that I've bought another Smith .38, a Ruger SP101 and getting a Model 14 reblued all within the last month.

5" thin barrel, post 1980 but still a beauty. $600 buy it now.





If anyone wants it, here's the link.

That's a nice one because it has the six inch pencil barrel, no key lock, and still has the firing pin on the hammer and forged steel trigger, hammer, and sear. Not to mention being in pristine condition. All despite not being pre-82 (so no pinned barrel).

You don't see many of these around, that's why I grabbed it.

I've got one of those just like that in virtually 100% condition that was made in '63. I bought it off of gunbroker about 10 years ago for $240. Even at the time I knew it was a good price to pay for it. But considering what's going on with them, I wouldn't take $600 for it today.

They're not making any more of them. Once it's gone, it's gone. And if I ever want another one it'll cost more than I sold the last one for.

Yep, a pre-82 Model 64. Not that common. I think I have a two inch, round butt, one of those. I seem to remember owning it. Might have sold it, but think it's still in the safe somewhere.

Yep. Exactly.


PS Hey, I just hit 100,000 posts. That's a record. Does that make me the first Campfire Demigod?

Damn, I'm still just a Campfire Oracle. What's up, Rick?

Stainless/walnut is a terrific combination we don’t see enough of.

You have transcended titles...

LOL.

Pre-82? Yes, but it's the no dash 64, the only 64 with a pencil barrel. Made for 2 years.