Got the urge to buy a new handgun and I'm thinking about the Model 610 or the 625JM. Occasional carry, probably competition. Somebody please help me make a decision.

You mean like this....


or like this........

Sorry but I could not help myself.

Welcome to the forum!

This should be easy to do. Go buy a used one instead, it's cheaper and you'll likely get a better gun.

quote:

This should be easy to do. Go buy a used one instead, it's cheaper and you'll likely get a better gun.

+1
I avoid new S&Ws with the internal lock and cast metal parts like the plague!

Chad and Ken are right on and I agree.
If you post a wanted ad in the classifieds you might even find an older NOS S&W revolver or a LNIB a lot cheaper than the new %&#@*.

Great bunch of people here to help you. Do some reading in the 1945 to Present category and use the Search feature with the "find" button. If you have questions, ask.

Good Luck and Welcome to the Forum

"Talk me out of buying a new smith"

Open the 2008 S&W product catalog, and look at them. That should do it. Regards 18DAI.

Oh the MIM and anti-lock crowd strikes again. They remind me of the anti-gun crowd.

Anyway I have a 610-3 10 mm and it is a tack driver. If you hand load you will be in hog heaven as their is such a wide varity of bullets available that the gun can be any thing from a light recoil plinker with 155 or 170 gr lead to fire breathing monster shooting 135 gr Noslers JHPs to 1600+ FPS or hog killing 200 gr bullets whizing along at 1300 FPS.

I have a holographic sight on my 610 now and shoot it at 50 yard range as I do my 647 17HMR and so far the 10mm has a tighter group and I have a 2.5 to 6 power scope on the 647 plinker.

As far as lock goes if it worries you and the gun is a carry gun then remove the lock as I did, only takes about 15 minutes if all thumbs or artheritic handed as I am. But as far as a range gun goes that is not used in compatition or SD I don't worry about the worthless lock.

Here is the 610-3 when new.


And here is the 647 new. I guess next week I will have to do some new photo's. I forgot to mention I took the lock out of the 647 as it lock up twice on me before I ever shot it. It took about 10 minutes and I put some clear tape over the holejust to see how that would work. So far it does just fine, and it is not a show gun, but a shooter.

quote:

Originally posted by Old Navy:
Oh the MIM and anti-lock crowd strikes again.

You mean those who have no clue what MIM means?

quote:

Originally posted by Son of a Gun:
Got the urge to buy a new handgun and I'm thinking about the Model 610 or the 625JM. Occasional carry, probably competition. Somebody please help me make a decision.

Definitely go with the 625.

Pay no mind to the fools criticising your choice of newer Smiths. When one of them refers to metal injection molding as a casting, you know they have no credibility left.

Even if you disregard the problems with the lock and MIM, S&W has been experiencing some quality control problems, which has happened before with design changes. They are fixing guns that are returned and will probably figure out what is wrong eventually, just like they always have. But for a carry gun or a gun used in big money competitions I would be leery of carrying a new one right now. If you want to use it for range shooting or competitions that offer no prizes like the IDPA go ahead and get a new one. For hunting I also wouldn't want a new one for dangerous game or to depend solely on it in an area with dangerous wildlife. The malfunctions are relatively rare but are definately real.

I have several newer Smiths with lock, MIM, and no problems whatsoever. MIM guns, in fact, tend to have much smoother actions, out of the box, than the older guns did. To my knowledge there's nothing to figure out, eventually or otherwise.

quote:

Originally posted by pinkymingeo:
I have several newer Smiths with lock, MIM, and no problems whatsoever. MIM guns, in fact, tend to have much smoother actions, out of the box, than the older guns did. To my knowledge there's nothing to figure out, eventually or otherwise.

+1 I can take them or leave them but I have had ZERO problems with the ones that I do own with them.

I have recently bought two new S&Ws and have been totally satisfied with them. They are used for plinking and range use only but I would not feel uneasy to carry them.

MIM = POT METAL!!! HA HA!!

quote:

Originally posted by Son of a Gun:
Got the urge to buy a new handgun and I'm thinking about the Model 610 or the 625JM. Occasional carry, probably competition. Somebody please help me make a decision.

Buy what you like. "Older" guns break also.Don't know where people think they're flawless, they are a tool, and tools sometimes fail.
New guns have a lifetime warranty. If you're worried about carrying a new Smith for self-defense, carry two.