One of my 10s (10-9) was good enough for the Royal Hong Kong Police. Pretty good shooter too.
One of my 10s (10-9) was good enough for the Royal Hong Kong Police. Pretty good shooter too.
There is nothing better than a fixed sight gun that shots your load to the point of aim. Having said that a lot of fixed sights are hard to see under best conditions. Many of them are small. If your fixed sight gun doesn’t print your load, you have to hold off to shoot accurately. That can be done well with experience at given range at good target providing background. You live with it or buy a adj sight gun.
Der Gebirgsjager;
I REALLY agree with you about the Model 15. Our local Police Department was a shooting department. Our local club had a really good relationship with them and shot PPC with them and actually ran their matches for them so that all of them could compete. They were issued Model 15's as their Chief was a Master Pistol Shot. I developed LOTS of respect for them. Properly loaded, the .38 Special was a good field cartridge as well as for self defense. The bad rep they got for lack of "stopping power" was simply the round nose bullets they were saddled with. At any rate, when police departments nationwide adopted the 9mm autos, their were tens of thousands of these fine revolvers that hit the market. For years, you could find a Model 15 from many sources for a fraction of their REAL value. What's not to like? A decent cartridge, excellent sight picture and superb accuracy at a VERY good price. Four or five years ago, I picked up one from a friend of mine who bought it off the sale table at our local gun club for $275.00. Now, with the crazy prices out there now, I suspect the good values may no longer be available, sorry to say.
On topic, the Model 10's became widely available when they were traded in for the Model 15's. My dad had an M&P 4" police issue (forerunner of the Model 10), that my younger brother still has. It has the old "long action" and is smooth as silk double action as well as an excellent single action trigger. It shoots to the sights with a practical load, too.
FWIW
Dale53
Many years back the PD I worked for transitioned from 5" M15s to 4" M15s. We were allowed to purchase our own service revolver for the trade in price which was less than $50. I got mine, still have it
Attachment 280254
Larry Gibson
“Deficient observation is merely a form of ignorance and responsible for the many morbid notions and foolish ideas prevailing.”
― Nikola Tesla
I have yet to meet a K frame S&W revolver that is not a good firearm.
Some are so consistently accurate that they are boring.
S-prefix circa 1945-47. This came along just a couple years ago for a price to low I couldn't say no. Owned half a dozen over the years. Haven't shot it yet!!
Have a 2nd MP but much older. Circa 1923. Marked for J.P.D. 1933. (Joliet?).
Made many trips back to the factory. At least once for factory re-blue as evidenced by the star next to the serial number. And a 2nd star under the grips.
This date stamp up higher on the grip frame.
Despite all the evidence of use the bore is very nice and the action is perfectly fine.
Dutch
Here was one of my favorite 38sp S&Ws. I like 5” & 6” barrels over 4” or 83/8” on S&Ws. This is a M&P Target. With the Magna grips and pencil barrel it just feels right. I had three m14s and this M&P until few weeks ago. Sold it and two of my M14s, kept one for grins. Attachment 280279
Dutch, those are nice. Haven't fired the first one yet? Something I hope you'll take care of in the near future! The second one is very interesting.
Seems like Model 10s are acknowledged keepers, as demonstrated by the popularity of this thread, nearing 90 posts!
Tazman is exactly right in his assessment of S&W K-frame revolvers.
Larry Gibson tells us he was issued a 5" Mod. 15. Truthfully, I didn't know that they made them in 5"--but I've never done a study on it. I was issued a 6" Mod. 14, and although I've seen 5" and 6" Mod. 10s, I didn't know that Mod. 15s came with something in between. There's no difference at all that I can tell between a Mod. 15 and 14 except the barrel length. Seems as though a variation on everything can be found in S&W products, so I won't be surprised when someone produces a 4" Mod. 14!
There's no denying that old police guns are interesting, and that they have history. Sometimes it's hard to find out who they belonged to.
Here are a couple. They are M&P models, pre Mod. 10. Sweet actions, very accurate. The first one with the simulated pearl grips (don't tell me what Gen. Patton said--I didn't put them on there...but they kind of grow on you) probably belonged to a homicide detective on Chicago P.D. and came to me from a pawn shop in Banning, CA via Gunbroker. It has been reblued and some engraving on the left side became hard to read from being buffed, but it says "Adolph Gary". I googled the name back when I got it, about 12 years ago, and came up with a obituary for a fellow by that name and the fact that he had worked for C.P.D. and a couple of other agencies after retiring. Not proof positive that the gun was his, but an unusual name and the gun is the right vintage for his career. The second one is stamped "W.M. Haverty" and a badge number, and the detective work on it was done by Forum Member Double Adobe who likes to do such things, and learned of a deceased San Francisco P.D. motorcycle officer by that name. I replaced the grips with some from Altamont. I have fired both of these, and both are very smooth and accurate.
Click to enlarge.
Dale53--I can only agree with you about the qualities of the Mod. 15. I was a Jr. partner in an LGS for awhile, and we got in several USAF surplus Mod. 15s. My brother, who was in the AF at the time and years later retired as a SMSGT, insisted that we let him pick one out to buy. He's not a fanatical gun guy like many of us are, but has several and takes good care of them. He had just returned from Thailand where he was stationed during the Viet Nam War, and must have had some dealings with the Mod. 15 to like them so much. Untold stories, you know. That would have been around 1977 or 78. Well, as fate would have it, in the middle 1980s I found myself working for the AF as a Contract USAF Security Police Officer. We had an armory full of M16s, but the issue weapon was the USAF M15 S&W revolvers and the strange looking 110 gr. FMJ ammo where the bullet is seated deeply into the case and heavily crimped. It was hot stuff, and felt like firing a .357 Mag. After carrying one and qualifying with it for 5 years I knew I had to own one myself.
DG
Back in the 70s I had a 6" MP marked TVA.. Tennessee Valley Authority. I've had 5" as well and I kinda prefer the 6" for a shooter. I thought the Model 14 had a heavier barrel than the 15? Maybe not.
Since October 2020 I've been casting and loading .38 Spec, .44 Spec, .45acp and a couple rifle calibers for when the weather warms up. I intend on shooting the nice MP. I think it was a dresser gun. Sat in a dresser for most of its life. Has a couple warts from neglectful handling. I bought it along with a 1952 Winchester 94 for under 3 bills for both. Like I said... couldn't pass it by.
I was in the USAF 51 years ago... but not for very long. Pre-existing medical got me a honorable discharge.
Dutch
I've never owned a Model 10 that I didn't regret letting go. My first one was a 5" for $75 bought in a Cafe from a friend. A couple of 4" and a 6" Barney Fife " Baby" came and went, too. My current one is my third 4" one- but first round butt. I'm partial to m15s, but the m10 Will Do.
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Last year my wife went out to pick up Chinese food. Traffic was light and she was early so she stopped at a pawn shop in the same strip center. Needless to say she brought home dinner and a 10-8.
Cargo
Not a Model 10, but I just purchased a 15-5 on GB for $630. My Grandson and I ran 150 rounds thru it today, and we are both 'hooked'! I couldn't be happier with my purchase! Load some more this week and shoot her again next weekend! Tom
Mine went with me to feed cows. I shot one dry log, then aimed 6 o'clock at the bullet hole 5 times. A steadier hand could have put them all in one hole. Since it hits where I want with this load; that's what I'll shoot. As- cast Lee 150swc PC'd over 4 grs of AA#2.
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BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |