S&W Model 10 6" barrel

[practical_man]

Six-inch Model 10s have always been popular with smaller rural departments which don't issue their deputies patrol rifles. The longer barrel and sight radius makes hits in open country easier, and there is improvement in ballistics also. I prefer a 6-inch .38 Special fixed sight revolver with full-charge wadcutters over a .22 pistol in my get home bag and survival ruck, to supplement a snubby carried as EDC. Two revolvers are better than one and if not stashing a rifle in the vehicle a long barrel revolver reaches out to useful range and is accurate.

Attachment 290417

That’s a nice set up ya got there

[murf205]

I made a quick trip to the range this afternoon. Sitting at a bench and aiming carefully, I shot a couple 2.5" to 3" groups. I didn't have any sand bags with me, just resting my wrists on the bench, and the wind and rain were a factor, so that's actually pretty good for me. Surprisingly, at that range from the bench the groups were just below the bullseye only a couple inches, good enough to blast clay targets off the berm every time.

Having put 150+ rounds through it, I could get used to the grips. They feel pretty good for shooting. I think I will get those Altamont grips for it though. They call them "Roper" grips. I really like the looks of them.

The guy I bought this from had a couple others too. He had a Pre-10 M&P that was just as nice, with stag grips. The price was slightly more. There was another S&W .38 Special that was absolutely pristine. I forget the model because it was too nice for me, and out of my price range ($900). He had me dry-fire it a couple times to try the trigger (absolutely perfect). I was hesitant to do that because the bluing was pristine, not even a ring on the cylinder. He said they were from an estate, and he had more that he hadn't brought into the shop yet. I'm curious what else he has. I don't have the resources to buy every gun that strikes my fancy, but for a nice Model 15 or 27, maybe...

Attachment 290831Attachment 290832

These are "Ropers" they fill the hand pretty fully for me at lease and I have about average hands. I had Herretts make these. That style is very popular according to them.

[Bill*B]

You can hold tighter groups with a 6", but it isn't as handy as a 4". Your choice. Both are splendid, practical revolvers.

[Char-Gar]

Both the RCMP and the San Diego P.D. used to issue 6 inch M-10's in the 70's and early 80's. I'd prefer a 5 inch, but a good 6 inch could find its way home with me.

IRRC the RCMP issued 5" barrel Model 10s.

[rintinglen]

Could be, my recollections are those of a 9 or 10 year old boy, ogling "A real, live Mountie- just like Sgt Preston" in Ontario. Later, in High School I went to Toronto with the French club, and it appeared to me that the holsters were much longer than that of my Police Officer, Uncle Don's, 38 Colt. His was a 4 inch. (That much I am sure of-it's still in the family in the possession of his eldest son.)

Perusing the internet showed me that the RCMP had their "non-standard" S&W's re-barreled to 5" in the 1950's, so I was most certainly in error.

[Outpost75]

When I worked at Ruger in the 1980s the company produced 5-inch Service Six and Security Six revolvers in .38 Special for the RCMP and also for Toronto municipal police.

[JoeJames]

My advice is get a 4" S&W Model 15, or better yet a 4" S&W Model 67. In my opinion the Model 67 is the best out there. About 3 years ago I traded a parts AR with an Omni plastic lower and $600 boot for a 67 in near new condition. I have not regretted it at all.

[fatelk]

I have the Roper grips on order for it. It sure is a great shooter. The only thing I've done to it was replace the cylinder stop spring. Someone tuned that trigger, and the one thing I didn't like was the cylinder stop spring they installed was too weak, didn't reliably snap into the cylinder with any kind of authority. I wonder if it's common to use such a weak spring here, when tuning a revolver?

I stopped in again at the shop where I got it, to take another look at the other one he has there. It's an old M&P .38 Special, 6" barrel, serial number in the low 400k range, which near as I can tell puts it somewhere in the late 1920s or early 1930s? It's in excellent condition, very clean and feels absolutely solid mechanically. It doesn't have the reblued appearance that the one I bought has. It also has some aftermarket stag grips. I'd much rather have original grips.

I really shouldn't. I don't need it. I have the money though, and it's probably a fair investment....

[murf205]

I have the Roper grips on order for it. It sure is a great shooter. The only thing I've done to it was replace the cylinder stop spring. Someone tuned that trigger, and the one thing I didn't like was the cylinder stop spring they installed was too weak, didn't reliably snap into the cylinder with any kind of authority. I wonder if it's common to use such a weak spring here, when tuning a revolver?

I stopped in again at the shop where I got it, to take another look at the other one he has there. It's an old M&P .38 Special, 6" barrel, serial number in the low 400k range, which near as I can tell puts it somewhere in the late 1920s or early 1930s? It's in excellent condition, very clean and feels absolutely solid mechanically. It doesn't have the reblued appearance that the one I bought has. It also has some aftermarket stag grips. I'd much rather have original grips.

I really shouldn't. I don't need it. I have the money though, and it's probably a fair investment....

Fatelk, on Gunbroker, Robertsons Trading Post in Tennessee has some Herretts K and L frame stocks for $41 +$4 shipping. I've been tempted but if they are genuine Herretts they ought to be worth 41 bucks everyday.

[fatelk]

My new grips arrived today. I like it.

[Char-Gar]

I like 6" Ks in 38 Special. My choice would be a Model 14 because of the heavy barrel, rib and adjustable sights. I have owned about a dozen of them over the years, but am now down to one (14-4) and it is a hum-dinger.

[murf205]

My new grips arrived today. I like it.

Beautiful-a K frame and Herretts stocks. Hard to beat that combo.

[rintinglen]

I was flabbergasted at the prices being asked for decent K Frame revolvers at the last couple of gun shows I went to. 450.00 for a beater M&P? 700 bucks for a decent Model 15? A year and a half ago I passed on a nice 10-8 for 400--should have bought all I could find.

[Char-Gar]

I was flabbergasted at the prices being asked for decent K Frame revolvers at the last couple of gun shows I went to. 450.00 for a beater M&P? 700 bucks for a decent Model 15? A year and a half ago I passed on a nice 10-8 for 400--should have bought all I could find.

You never pay to much for a good gun. You can pay next years price this year, but if you hold on to the gun, you will not have paid too much.

[Char-Gar]

I also like the 5" M & Ps, this one from the early 1930s. I bought this one in 92 for $225.00 which was high for that time, but it was in high condition, so I paid the tariff. Yes, I have the original grips.

[murf205]

Wow, I sure miss those old police trade ins. Some of them looked a bit "used" but most had not been shot a lot and you could actually afford one.

[fatelk]

I just can't help myself, bought another one. Not a Model 10, but a Model 28-2. I couldn't pass it up for 450.

On a related note, does anyone know how to remove poorly applied Cerakote/Duracoat/whateveritis? I think that had something to do with the price...

[murf205]

If you find out how to remove it please let us know. I have seen a youtube video where Acetone worked but they didn't try it on a gun. I have a Ruger that I would like to remove it from.

[fatelk]

Well, that was interesting. I just spent the whole afternoon watching Aquabats on youtube with my 9yo daughter, while carefully and patiently scraping Duracoat from every square millimeter of this old gun. I was hoping that the bluing underneath could be saved, so I didn't want to use harsh chemicals if I didn't have to.

What I used instead was several pieces of scrap brass in various shapes, just junk cases from my scrap bucket. I sharpened it with a file and scraped, and scraped. It came off fairly easy, but took a long time to scrape from every nook and cranny. I then polished it with oil and 000 steel wool.

What I found underneath was quite a surprise. This was a beautiful 28-2 from the early 1970s, in maybe 95% condition? Why in the world would someone coat it? Crazy. I'm amazed (and pleased) that the original bluing survived and looks so nice. I'm pretty happy with my $450 gun.

[tazman]

Beautiful revolver and well worth the work.