Why did S&W switch from tapered barrels to standard barrels?

I recently bought a Model 10 with a tapered barrel and am beginning to prefer the way it handles as compared to my standard barrel Model 10.

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I like Ike.

Just a guess, but I bet it was to reduce manufacturing costs.

The 4" heavy barrel was introduced with the Model 10-1 in 1959.

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Mike
S&WCA #3065

I don't know why they went away from tapered barrels, but I agree with you and have always liked the tapered barrels. All my 44 and 38 specials have the tapered barrel.

10-7 tapered

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10-8 Heavy

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Later Model 10's would alternate, with the odd - number being a tapered and the even - number being a heavy barrel.

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Mike
S&WCA #3065

Tapered barrel was deleted in 1995-96 towards the end of the 10-10.

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Mike
S&WCA #3065

The answer is that for most of the Model 10 period beginning in the late 1950s, they didn't really switch barrels, rather they added the heavy barrel to the Model 10 line. Many users felt the heavier barrel allowed a steadier and better balanced hold, and of course the heavier barrel reduced recoil and also was more effective if it became necessary to use the revolver as a bludgeon. Cops like that.

I got a couple 6" 44mag tapered bbl guns... (Ltd production performance center). They handle and balance like std barrel 4" guns.

The heavy barrel didn't bend so easy during attitude adjustments sessions.

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Eccentric old coot

I'm with Iggy and DWalt. a 4" heavy barrel was more than adequate for realigning someone's thinking.

That "attitude adjustment" argument for the heavy barrel keeps getting repeated, but you can never find anyone who can actually confirm it. Old cops I've talked to universally declare it nonsense.... they claim they'd never hit anyone with the barrel and always used the butt of the gun for such purposes .... .

And when large departments like NYPD switched from the standard barrel to the HB model, very likely without polling their officers first, I doubt very much that even back in those pre-sensitivity days the arguments contained anything about "being able to whack people over the head without bending the front sight".

While the perceived recoil benefit of the extra few ounces up front is a matter of eternal debate (it's a matter of simple physics, so anyone claiming not to notice it speaks purely for himself), S&W likely sold the cheaper-to-produce gun as a sturdier and longer-lasting version for the same price as the standard barrel.

IMO the reason why the "heavy" barrel became standard was the mistaken notion that reducing muzzle flip was more critical than faster transition between targets. As for the "attitude adjustment" aspect, most firearms training officers are rather strongly opinioned than a handgun should never be used as a club, that is why officers are given hickory and flashlights. Hit someone over the head with your service revolver and next time you have to shoot a qualification you'll find you have bent the frame and then the Armorer just might take you out behind the range shed for a lesson in the effective use of Hickory.

BTW, I have a distinct preference for tapered barrels and love the balance of a tapered barrel K frame.

I was a firearms instructer for 20 years 4 agencies and a reagons academy. Until plastic striker fired gats, I told everyone not to use a firearm as an impact weapon. I felt I would be remiss not to instruct the kids that if circumstances dictated ( felon at gun point, he ditched his weapon, moves to engage officer hand to hand) forcing use of gun as impact weapon. Such conflicts are fluid and rapidly changing events. To place finger behind trigger to prevent a discharge.
I and other instructers came up with this as a liqueur agent bopped bad guy on head with an n frame while on nis back with bad guy on top while pummeling officer. Round punched hole thru establishment roof mounted ac unit killing it. Things happen. I know of several uses all not planned but justified.

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7shooter, the "tapered" barrel IS the standard barrel, as far as most of us are concerned.

I've always believed the ugly heavy barrel was a concession to help coppers qualify who otherwise might miss the cut, but I have no evidence to support that theory. Much as I dislike the looks, it does make the gun easier to shoot, IMO.

Tapered barrels are thinner and vibrate more under recoil, making them less accurate. Ask me how I know.



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My Model 12-2 round butt has a tapered 2 inch barrel. It's just right.

My Model 10-5 square butt has a tapered 4 inch barrel. It's fine, but I prefer the round butt configuration.

My Model 13-3 round butt has a heavy 3 inch barrel. Allegedly, the heavy 3 inch barrel has the same balance as a tapered 4 inch.

My Model 681 square butt has the 4 inch heavy barrel with the stupid underlug. I don't know why S&W dropped the Model 619/620 for the "Python" look.

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CPT, Armor (Ret)
Luke 22:36

Just my opinion as I have never shot a heavy barrel Model 10 but have had plenty of experience with the standard (tapered) barrel. Trained and carried it as a patrol officer in the 1970's and early 1980's. If a police officer or recruit could not qualify with a standard barrel Model 10 they should be cashiered out of the law enforcement service.

Like the looks of the standard barrel. What I carried back in the day.

Standard Barrel Model 10-7.

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Do you mean pencil barrel? LOL������

I found out from years of shooting , I always shot better with shorter heavier (we called em bull barrels) than a longer skinny (pencil) barrel'.
Ruger MKI 6 7/8 inch tapered target could never out shoot the 5 1/2 in heavy barrel model.
A model 41 S&W the 5 inch heavy barrel always bettered the 7 5/8 inch lighter weight barrel. And I tested these different barrels untill I was blue in the face. I had always read the longer sight radius would give better accuracy....in my case it just isn't so. The heavy barrel holds steadier and results in better scores....for me anyhow.
My 4 inch heavy barrel model 64 in 38 special is a joy to shoot, just about perfect in balance and weight. Don't get much better!

Gary

It's funny. When I was just getting into this stuff, I thought the standard tapered barrel Model 10 was the goofiest looking thing I'd ever seen. Who in the world would want one of THOSE things? That skinny barrel, the tiny grips, six shot of 38 Special? Would that even kill a rabbit? When saw those guns I thought of all the old black and white movies I'd seen with New York cops wearing those long greatcoats with a tapered barrel 38 in a pocket. You had to be kidding? Cops wore those coats and carried those guns? (I was under the spell of Jeff Cooper and the IPSC crowd in those days.)

Flash forward a few years, and I actually shot a Model 10 and I discovered just what a pleasure it is. The heavy barrels felt muzzle heavy to me, but the tapered barrel 4" felt just about perfect. I've owned a half dozen at one time, but only two now.

I'll bet those old greatcoats were warm too.

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John 3:16 .