Smith model 10-5 not enough?

[Overalls87]

Hello guys and gals. Haven't posted in a long while. Have been busy with the family. A 7 year old and a 3 year old are quite the handful. Haven't been able to afford a new Smith in a long while. And providing for my babies is much more important anyway. Would you feel well armed today with a simple model 10-5? It's the only handgun I own. Wether it be camping like we do, or road trips so the kiddos can see the southwest. Thanks again Brian.

[dubshooter]

I’ve got two of them: 2” and 4”. I would feel just fine with them.

A lot of time I am just fine with a J frame.

[lihpster]

I would feel fine with it. Remember, it's primary duty was for people who go into harms way to be protected.

[SS336]

Sure! The same basic revolver has been protecting people and fighting wars for over 100 years. Why not. 👍

[ColbyBruce]

There isn’t much in the CONUS that can’t be handled by a S&W 10 and the proper ammunition. I own a blue steel, 4”, RB 10-5 that was my main gun for years. I still tote it.

[heeter3]

Yes! ,and I think you could juice it up with some +Ps if you have any concerns.

[4speed]

a sufficiently powerful cartridge in an exceptionally reliable package
perfect together, what more do you need, what's not to like,

[rincar]

The S&W Model 10 is perhaps the best revolver. Made for self defense in the world. I have carried one both on duty and off duty in my younger days. I have never felt under gunned while carrying one. Especially when loaded with plus p ammo.

[ruger 22]

My all time favorite revolver for defense. Standard ammo is also fine. The most important thing is bullet placement. Do a bit of practice at ranges of 10-25 feet and you will be ready for most things that I hope will never happen.

[fishwishin]

You, good sir, are very well armed.

[crazyphil]

Jim Cirillo, and many other pistoleros, carried it with pretty good results.
It has been in S&W's catalog for over a hundred years. I've heard it
referred to as the Prince of handguns. My 10-5 is a 2" snub, and it is
my primary home defense weapon. Yes, it is enough. When out
and about, I carry the J Frame. It too is enough.

[Babysitr]

my carry is a .38.....get good ammo and practice as much as you can.....one .38 on target is better than 6-8 9mm all over the place!

[OFT II]

I try to avoid grizzly bear country when carrying any 38 Special but that's not much of a problem since the nearest grizzly is 300 miles East of me in the Fort Worth zoo.

[Laketime]

The police relied on them for decades

[jimmyj]

YES !
(remember real men carry revolvers)

[Geno44]

A lot depends on the opposition and how they are armed. Law enforcement history with the revolver is well documented however what time period was it? How many law enforcement agencies use revolvers now? Unfortunately one cannot predict the situation they may be involved in which would allow them to select the proper armament. Certainly the 10 would be adequate for many situations but not all.

[JH1951]

If a 10-5 doesn't get you out of trouble, you likely shouldn't have been where you were. I have been relying on a bit less for years, a Mod.649, and am quite comfortable with that.
I do have a 10-5, and it occasionally keeps me company on field trips. I enjoy it quite a bit.
This one has original grips that are one digit off from the serial number.
IMG_3716.jpg


IMG_2519.jpg

[gwpercle]

Most well armed !
My model 10 is a stainless model 64 but still a fixed sighted 38 Special .
There are (were) more factory loadings in 38 Special and 38 Special +P than any other caliber . From light target wadcutter to personal defense JHP's . A perfect balance of size and power can be had .
My 38 special is loaded with 160 grain cast wadcutter @ +P velocity , I can shoot it well and follow up shots come quickly .
Whatever you do ... don't let the model 10 get away from you ...practice with it untill you can ..."Make That First Shot Count" .
Gary

[jcs266]

You're just fine with that Model 10 for 99% of situations an average civilian is likely to run into.

[WR Moore]

While I echo the sentiments of those above, one slight caution: make sure you have several reloads available. Better to have and not need than need and not have. Practice in reloading can be done with dummies. While the contents of the the cylinder are likely to solve the vast majority of problems where force is necessary, it's dependent upon shot placement. Dryfire doesn't cost anything but time.

[PALADIN85020]

The Model 10s were workhorses, and have served admirably for over a century. I also have a 10-5, vintage of December, 1977. It's virtually untouched, so I have chosen not to fire it, but should I need to do so, I know it will deliver reliably.

John

[Muss Muggins]

It would work for me. I mostly carry a J frame nowadays . . .

[rincar]

If your worried about not having enough gun. Perhaps you could purchase a self defense Shotgun. I have seen some that are very reasonable priced at the farm stores.

[Marshal tom]

I agree with all of the above. You are well armed for the majority of incidents that a civilian is likely to encounter. S&W's in good condition are bringing pretty good money these days so should you decide to sell it to obtain something with a bit more capacity, you have that option also.

[jjmIII_Ruger]

I like having more rounds and better sights. I never feel unprepared with my Shield+ on my hip. Plus I find it very easy to hit with. Sometimes I think S&W made the gun just for me! Lighter and faster to reload too. Also inexpensive and easy to conceal. Love it!

[Llance]

Originally Posted by Overalls87

Hello guys and gals. Haven't posted in a long while. Have been busy with the family. A 7 year old and a 3 year old are quite the handful. Haven't been able to afford a new Smith in a long while. And providing for my babies is much more important anyway. Would you feel well armed today with a simple model 10-5? It's the only handgun I own. Wether it be camping like we do, or road trips so the kiddos can see the southwest. Thanks again Brian.

As has been noted you can not go wrong with a Model 10-? (anything) unless it is so broken as to be unserviceable. And as you have been informed practice is the best thing for your self-confidence. And the right kind of practice is most important. A Model 10 is not a target pistol but rather it is a self-defense pistol that has been used for over a hundred years for law enforcement, security, and home defense.

The ideal practice is to remove the firearm from wherever you carry/keep it and be able to point it at the target without aiming, and with that, shoot the target in what will be a location which will stop the threat (STT). This is point and shoot not aim and shoot. I can assure you, if you are aiming you are wasting time in a critical moment.

The other thing I would suggest is you get a couple of Safariland, Comp two, speed loaders for your firearm and practice reloading with them until you can do it without thinking about the process. Brownell's in Iowa sell them for about $10.00 each. They are the best and easiest to use re-loaders on the market as far as I'm concerned and they are the ones which I trust my life to.

Your firearm and good/high quality ammunition with the required practice will see you safe and secure in almost any situation which you may encounter.

[Narragansett]

The Model 10 has served 10's of thousands of military and police for 10 decades.

If you can do your part, it is enough!

[Hapworth]

Yes, I'd feel well-enough armed with an in good working order and well-maintained Model 10 that I worked to stay handy with, but I would like a spare just in case.

Less important than the pistol or the ammo -- provided they're reliable -- is your proficiency with them, their immediate availability, and a decent working plan in the unlikely event you need them -- all while keeping them out of reach from your little ones.

After that, so long as you're -- as the saying goes -- not doing stupid things in stupid places with stupid people, a Model 10 is enough for a husband and father living a quiet, upright life.

[Sistema1927]

Do your part to avoid the "Four Stupids", and you will be just fine.

Stupid Places
Stupid Times
Stupid People
Stupid Things

[murphydog]

If you stated your single defensive gun choice was ".22 Short Derringer", ".25 Auto" or "single shot .22 rifle" our answers would be different. As noted above, practice with its manual of arms and live fire and it will serve you well.

[lkabug]

I carried a 10-5 as a condition of employment for many years. It was well versed in the ways of the street. Down many dark alleys. It will do its job! And it will never tell anyone how scared you were with it by your side.

[Mbrgr1]

I would and do feel well armed with my 10s, pre 10s, 12s, 36s etc etc, any 38 special is all I need, I even carry my 32 s&w long regulation police models from time to time.


The chances of needing any of them is very small and I hope I never have to use one in a defensive situation, but I would rather have any of them than none.


Plus, the armadillos in Oklahoma don't care about the laws!

[.455_Hunter]

I wouldn't be concerned being armed only with a Model 10.

[DWalt]

Remember that the best type of self-defense lies in avoiding potentially dangerous situations and places. Under more common circumstances, virtually any .38 Special revolver and standard ammunition should allow you to successfully provide any self-defense needs 99% of the time - provided you know how to use it. I could say the same thing about any handgun in a caliber larger than .22 LR.

[Justamessenger]

https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/rev...llistics-test/

http://https://www.luckygunner.com/l...llistics-test/

“Good ammo” and “standard ammo” aren’t very specific recommendations. I recommend spending some time reading this information about 38 Special ammo fired out of 2” and 4” revolvers. Spoiler - Federal HST standard pressure ‘micro’ expanded to double the size of FMJ- with good penetration. You’ve got one gun, make the most of it. If you can’t find it, (I haven’t found it in 38 Special myself), several Winchester loads were close.

[usm1rifle]

If a model 10 won't do it, you need a rifle!

[jcs266]

Originally Posted by Justamessenger

https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/rev...llistics-test/

http://https://www.luckygunner.com/l...llistics-test/

“Good ammo” and “standard ammo” aren’t very specific recommendations. I recommend spending some time reading this information about 38 Special ammo fired out of 2” and 4” revolvers. Spoiler - Federal HST standard pressure ‘micro’ expanded to double the size of FMJ- with good penetration. You’ve got one gun, make the most of it. If you can’t find it, (I haven’t found it in 38 Special myself), several Winchester loads were close.

Yes good ammo selection is a major help with any handgun.

To keep it simple for you... Federal HST or Speer Gold Dot are pretty much the Gold Standard in nearly every caliber. If you can find one of those you're very well equipped.

Any HP ammo is better than LRN or FMJ obviously. But use whatever you have in this day of scarcity.

GOOD HITS in the vitals are what count more than anything else.

[RKmesa]

Originally Posted by PALADIN85020

... I also have a 10-5, vintage of December, 1977. It's virtually untouched, so I have chosen not to fire it, but should I need to do so, I know it will deliver reliably.

John

John:

Great photo of a beautiful little SHINEY M&P.

[stansdds]

For self defense against two-legged predators, a Model 10-5 is sufficient. Stoke it with a modern, +P 38 Special "short barrel" load, the Model 10 will handle it just fine, it won't blow up. If we are talking about defense against wild dogs, wolves, bears, etc., then I'd suggest a 357 Magnum as the minimum.

[Overalls87]

At the moment. It's loaded with 158 grain lswc. It's a cci small pistol primer and 3 grains of bullseye. Still seem like it will take care of business??? I have a lee loader that I make bullets with and an old texan scale. It's not the setup that over half of you have. But it's worked for me. Thanks again Brian

[Rolandag2]

I carry model 10s one is 3” 357 and the other 2” 357, but I normally load them with 38+p. They’ll do great for concealment and protection

The snub, I recently gifted it to someone. Hope he gets many years of use out of it.

[7shooter]

At the HR218 qual I worked at on Sat there wasn't a single revolver. There was a tear in my eye.

[jcs266]

Originally Posted by Overalls87

At the moment. It's loaded with 158 grain lswc. It's a cci small pistol primer and 3 grains of bullseye. Still seem like it will take care of business??? I have a lee loader that I make bullets with and an old texan scale. It's not the setup that over half of you have. But it's worked for me. Thanks again Brian

That’s a very low velocity load you describe. Ideally I’d suggest you get a 20-pack of +P 125gr HP ammo.

[stansdds]

Originally Posted by Overalls87

At the moment. It's loaded with 158 grain lswc. It's a cci small pistol primer and 3 grains of bullseye. Still seem like it will take care of business??? I have a lee loader that I make bullets with and an old texan scale. It's not the setup that over half of you have. But it's worked for me. Thanks again Brian

That's a pretty low velocity load. Per the Alliant Powder online guide, 3.5 grains is a full power, 38 Special loading, 3.9 grains is tops for +P.
I am a fan of +P 38 Special in revolvers that are rated as safe with +P. Federal's 130 grain HST, Speer's 135 grain Gold Dot, and Remington's 125 grain Golden Saber are among the top rated defense loads in 38 Special.

[Doug M.]

Beware the man with one gun. He probably knows how to use it.

There are other guns I prefer for myself based my training, and the fixed sights of a standard S&W revolver don't cut it for my old eyes. BUT: those are personal to me. For the vast majority of folks, if reasonably well trained with the platform, a 6 shot .38 is not a bad package. I happen to like the standard velocity LSWC; if placed properly, it will do the job on humans. It's what I load the most in my 4" M66.

That revolver will take more ammo than you are likely to make or buy in your lifetime if the ammo is properly made. Train with the revolver, carry it every waking moment you can. I think you will get more value out of keeping and training with this revolver than you would out of trading/selling, especially if you have have the budget limits of someone with 2 kids.

[brendonjames65]

Yes, plenty adequate as a defensive weapon. Situational awareness, common sense and trusting your gut instinct are far more important than your choice of sidearm.

[BAM-BAM]

I once had a 4 and 7 year old in tow....... a model 10 is about as good as it gets in a revolver ........... and with two boys in tow.... your only job is to get you and them "Out of Dodge"..

For general use a 4" is better than a 2"; except for concealed carry..... and a 3" is damn near perfect!

Would advise you get a couple of speedloaders (I like Safariland Comp IIs) and Safariland split-six mag pouches...... or some Speed Strips.

[Old cop]

Your Model 10 is enough unless you’re a working cop up against suspects w/more modern weapons, or a soldier in a combat zone. My issued .38 saved me more than once during my career, when all cops carried wheel guns, and I carry a J Frame in retirement.

[Retired W4]

Carried a M-10 and a Victory model (same thing) in Vietnam. The issued ammo left a lot to be desired though. There were two M-60's (GPMG) mounted right behind me so I never thought much about the .38 special.

[ISCS Yoda]

I'd rely on this Model 10-7 every day and not worry about much. I don't carry it as often as I used to but it was always all I figured to need.