I picked up a box and I didn't want to damage it.I can shoot them out of my .357 Model-66 for sure.Have any of you guys ever shot them out of your Model-10?

yep, good to go. It'll eat em up just fine with no worries.

Generally speaking, if it's a Model number marked steel framed revolver- then yes - the improved heat treating process was implemented around the same time as model numbering was introduced.

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.............SmithNut

The model 10 is a strong gun and will eat +P ammo like candy. I wouldn't even worry about wear over time. I put several thousand rounds through mine and when I sold it the guy couldn't believe it had been shot as much as it was. The only sign was some wear on the bluing.

PS: I also shot REAL +Ps, which were a good bit tougher back then than they are today. I also shot a lot of my own loads that were much hotter than factory.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Yes I do. I occasionally shoot +p in my circa 1923 Smith and my defensive load for it is +p.

Depends on what you mean by Plus P. Some, like Buffalo Bore, have some hotter ammo than most.


I don't think it'll blow your gun, but would eventually cause cylinder endshake and probably, timing problems.


I asked S&W that question back in the 1960's, and the Sales Manager wrote back what I just told you. But I asked him about real .38-44 loads. Those were hotter than most modern Plus P.

Metal has a working life, does not matter whether it is your vehicle drive train, or a gun. Some factors shorten the working life, shoot a thousand rounds of standard a day, for ten years will shorten the life. Most people will not shoot that much in a year. Modern Smiths are proofed to a very high pressure, so they will take some hot loads. The hotter the load the more it takes off the life. Standard ammo that life could be several generations. Extensive use of +P will shorten it some.

Good to go. Just don't make it a steady diet.

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Mike
S&WCA #3065

You won't hurt it or even create appreciable wear shooting +P in your lifetime.
Unless you're shooting several thousand rounds of it per year, and who can afford that?
Shoot all of them you can get to your heart's content - and have fun.

Several Federal agencies that I am familiar with issued .38+P+, which is even hotter than regular +P. Granted the issue FBI revolver was actually a .357, but several other agencies used them regularly in .38 revolvers. Like others have said, no problem in a steel frame S&W of fairly modern manufacture. A steady diet of them will eventually loosen up any revolver.

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Retired Dep Sheriff & Armorer

Endshake is a 10 minute fix, a slow cylinder or two just takes a few intelligent gentle persuasions with a punch. I love getting loose guns cheap and tightening them up and trying to shoot enough to loosen again but have never been able to. Lol. Fire at will!

I used to qualify with FBI issued 147 grain +P+ in my personally owned Model 36. Never had a problem and the gun is as tight as ever.

Personally, I don't think a 147 grain bullet at 925 fps is a very stout load.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

All true. But I think firing 38+P in your M66 is more fun.

I don't believe you're gaining anything worthwhile with +P ammunition in your Model 10. If it's a 4" and you are shooting significantly long distance okay, the added velocity will probably increase your ability to hit a long range target. Otherwise, to my lights, it is a "I can do this, my gun can handle it, but why bother" type of situation. YMMV as always.

What about a pre mod 10 snub nose?

I have a pre-10 snub from 1949. I shoot standard .38s mostly and a cylinderful of 158 grain LHP +P about twice a year. More frequent use of +P will probably accelerate wear and consequently the need for more frequent service and adjustments.
My understanding is that pre-lock/pre MIM parts are becoming scarce so I limit the amount of +P I shoot in this old girl.
My standard .38 handload with the max standard pressure charge of BE-86 averages 772 fps with a 158 grain lead SWC bullet in a 2" revolver which is about the same as the Remington and Winchester factory +P LHP loads I have on hand.

FWIW my Model 10-7 snub gets a few cylinders full of +P every range trip for several years and no problems thus far.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

Go ahead & shoot the +Ps. Most of today's +P are not appreciably hotter than the service ammo of the 1950s & 60s. As with any machinery, the harder you run it, the more it wears, but unless you're shooting one whole whale of a lot every day, you'll not likely notice it in your lifetime.
The Model 10 was designed and built to shoot. So shoot it.

Larry