I gave S&W a phone call and in minutes they emailed a return shipping label. I've decided to go ahead and send in my 4" heavy barrel model 10-8 38 special to get refurbished back to like new. I am incredibly happy with the work S&W has done to my Victory 22 pistol that was sent in for repair and even more thrilled with the quality of work done to my M&P 9mm. I sent that in for the m&p action package..

I included a note with my mod 10 requesting a quote to inspect and replace any worn or out of spec parts, tune the action and a reblue & polish. I know it won't come cheap but this is a pre lock police trade that has also been my EDC. It's going to stay with me for life and I want it in top shape when it's time to pass it on...

Has anyone else sent in their revolvers for similar work, and how did it come out? Show me some pics!


How it looks now.

Looks in perfect shape as is for a EDC.

I believe you should do whatever would make you happy. That Model 10 looks pretty good, but if you want to have it refinished, then you should. I had this Model 10 refinished by Fords in FL. Not concerned about value, just wanted it to look good. Good luck with whatever you decide!

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For some reason I thought S&W would not work on older models. Nice to know a 10-8 will still get a once over.

Mine has been to Jordan and back but I like the "character" and it still shoots just fine.









Very anxious to see the after results.

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Mike
S&WCA #3065

I forgot what the cutoff year was but mine was made in 1985. I want to say revolvers prior to 1957, but that's just my guess.

I called S&W CS and they informed me of the date of manufacture and I asked if I could send it in for a look over and replace any worn/out of sec parts and they emailed me the shipping label. The revolver mechanically seems tight, good lockup, timing is spot on. Good shooter. There is some shiny wear marks on the ejector star that makes contact with the hand. A few screws that look like they were abused with the wrong screwdriver, and maybe some new springs here & there. Other than that just normal wear & tear for a 33 yr old gun. But yeah, this 4" old police revolver is one of my EDC's but not to worry, I still have my 642 & 4" 686 that will protect me until I get my mod 10 back.....In a few months

I hope you mean after 1957. Mine is a 1981 so there is a chance for it to get pretty again.

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Mike
S&WCA #3065

I think you're fine

I would not even consider re-finishing the gun in the OP.

Looking forward to the follow-up picture post.

I have sent in a Model 19 and a Model 64 for the Combat Action Package.

While the finish on both are a Matte, and not the original blued/stainless, I was very pleased with the work.

The action came back superb and both look great!

While many think this is a waste of money to refinish an older revolver I was very pleased I did and have bordered on sending in a 3 inch Model 10 for the standard refinish.

Here is the work on the 19 and 64 and a current shot of the 3 inch Model 10 that was matte finished by a local gunsmith.

I am concerned that having it done locally may hinder getting S&W to do a refinish on it and I should have waited. It looks better in person, and after having shot it some I can tell you that it is a very accurate revolver.

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One of the true classic S&W. Reliable, durable, and just plain works.

Nice job!

I have a theory about refinishing. While it may be frowned on today by serious “collectors”, I suspect in the future as these old guns become more and more scarce, a good professional reblue won’t detract at all from an otherwise solid firearm’s value. Some may not agree. Having said that, if it has any real historical or sentimental value, leave it alone.
Doug

I personally wouldn’t do a thing to the 3”. I really like a matte finish blue. Gives it more of a combat ready look.

I'm the OP.
This is for a 4" heavy barrel model 10. There's what? About 6 million more or less of these produced? The model 10 is by far the most common police duty revolver for many many years. In fact mine was a ex police gun. I shoot a lot. At least 300 rounds a week. this revolver is also my EDC. I sent it in to get refurbished due to its age and that it is not a safe queen but a working gun. I want it to look good and last another 30+ years of weekend shoots at the range.

I think maybe you misunderstood me, or rather I wasn’t clear. I’m all for refinishing your nice Model 10. My post was actually aimed at the fellow above who said he would leave it as is. What I was trying to communicate (poorly, it seems) is that the only reason I wouldn’t have one refinished is if it had some historical significance, which, as you say, yours clearly doesn’t. I guess if I had done this quote thing with the other fellow’s post it would have been more clear. Sorry if I offended you. I would never intentionally do that.
Regards,
Doug

P.S. Very much looking forward to seeing the finished product

Oh no, I wasn't offended at all. No worries

I'm really looking forward in seeing the finished result too. It's a great revolver that's going to be even better.

I have always liked Model 10s, and looked at a lot of them considering buying one, but I keep coming back to their only flaw which is that they are not chambered for 357 Mag. I look forward to reading that your "tune up" on your Model 10 exceeds your expectations.

S&W produced a variant of the model 10 chambered in .357 magnum called the model 13. It's based on the same K frame. Then we have the model 19, which is basically the same gun but with adjustable sights. The model 65 is a stainless version of the mod 13. These revolvers were used heavily with many police and federal agencies throughout the US.

I thinking of doing the same thing, I got a good deal on mine and plan on carrying it.

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This thread might just inspire me to do something with the finish on mine. It's a CDC (California Corrections) trade in, carried a lot and shot little before I got it. I had it machined for moonclips and put a Miculek grip on it and shoot it in ICORE and IPSC. Very reliable, plenty accurate and lotsa fun. I'm looking forward to seeing your finished product back from S&W.

Mine is a Victoria PD trade in that I got for $220. I would like to have the frame color case hardened and the barrel and cylinder finished in the bright shiney blueing. But I can't put mine down long enough! I just loaded 500 more for it to grind up.

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I think you will be happy with the redo on your model 10. The refinish will use a similar process as original, and (for safety reasons, and since they have to disassemble it anyhow) they will automatically go through the mechanicals and let you know if anything needs to be repaired or replaced. Fortunately the factory still seems to have the older forged parts, for now.

I have had two fairly modern guns go through the process and was very happy with the results.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

I love the value in the S&W police turn-ins. I recently changed this model 64 4" barrel into a 3" barrel.

I have a Model 10-6 4" Heavy Barrel whose finish looks like the O.P.'s. It is a used leo trade-in. It had wonderful smooth action from being shot for so many years. Shortly after I got it the cylinder would bind up and stop rotating after three rounds. I contacted S&W and sent it in for repair. I asked about rebluing it but they told me they did not do it on gun this old.

Pro; The factory corrected what they called "ammo binding." It appears they installed all new internal parts including trigger and hammer.

Pro; The gun functions perfectly like a new one out of the box.

Pro; It only cost me a little over $100.00 for repairs.

Con; The wonderful smooth action from over 30 years of shooting is gone as the gun now has all new action parts.

In the end I am glad I did NOT get the gun reblued. If I had I would have it stored in the safe to keep it in mint condition. Instead I have a nice gun for both range shooting and carry.

p.s. I have been looking for a long time for another Model 10 in the same condition as the O.P. to match my current one.

I'm guessing the factory replaced the parts with MIM parts, in which case, obtaining a smooth action would not take more than a few minutes for someone competent with stones to fix. My experience with MIM parts are they are already very smooth, as there is no machining done to most of the part surfaces. I've found working on them very easy and doing a action job easier than the older forged parts.

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So many S&W's, so few funds!!

Perfect gun to go enjoy and not worry about a mark or two..

Wait till it comes back. You'll treat it like an egg.

I vote for the re-finish. It's why I shave every day and look so darn good!

Not a bad idea to have a LE turn-in looked at on the inside. Those guns have been holstered through a lot of bad weather. Yes, they'll function, but some posters have mentioned EDC. My casino 64s, altho unfired when purchased, were caked up with hardened lube in the interiors. Seems that passed for maintenance by the security staff. After cleaning out, 2 of the sweetest DAs ever now. Refitted with magnas and T-grips. Oh my.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

The rebluing is probably the new process so don't use anything with ammonia on it.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

I refinished a 10-8 a few years ago. Photobucket is gone so you can’t review my post, but I’ll repost pics with Flickr this weekend. It was pretty beat up. I had it done at a local place so I didn’t have to send it in. I do wish I had sent it to Smith just to get a once over but it shoots perfectly. It came out looking new. I do shoot it every now and then but never holster it.

I haven't heard about this. What's it all about?

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Centennial Every Day

Supposedly ammonia based products will affect the newer blue on guns. Best to use some of the newer environmentally friendly cleaners. I know I use MPro 7 when I clean my refinished 10-8. Hoppes for everything else.

This is a new one to me. Just bought the blued 586 L-Comp; I'll stop the #9 and try the Hoppe's Elite which I was advised to use on the 340s, I forget why. Many thanks, partner. Stay safe.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

Interesting. Have never heard of that. I'm aware of the no ammonia products on nickel plated guns.

I use MPro7 to clean on every gun I have.

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Centennial Every Day

No problem. Better safe than sorry, right? I know for a fact that gunscrubber will remove the clear coat on the 642 because I’ve seen it. I called S&W and they told me to use nothing but oil to clean the gun! Not even Hoppes # 9! Personally, I think any finish that is harmed by one of the oldest gun cleaners out there should not be used on a firearm. My 10-8 is clean with MPro, but guns just feel clean to me unless they smell like Hoppes when I’m done.

For at least 30 some odd years I've always used Hoppe's #9 and Rem oil. I've tried other products but nothing beats these two.

Here's my take on these products I've tried

Ballistol- Works great/smells terrible, hard to find

Mpro7- works good but may have to use elbow grease/odorless makes it more wife friendly

Gunscrubber- I use this on occasion to deep clean trigger action on my M&P's and other hard to reach spots/will destroy scratch resistant coating if it gets on your glasses.

Have used GunScrubber for years. Only problem: it removed the KlearKote finish on a 342, the ultra-lightweight .38 model. No problem with the 'sister' 337 ultra-lightweight. Too many posters report finish damage on their 642s, fortunately, I haven't had any on my 3. Darned if I'm going to use oil by itself to clean a revolver and certainly NOT in the chambers. Agree with you on finishes 'damaged' by Hoppe's #9. Check 6, partner.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

I don't even try to find Ballistol at local retail level as it never seems to be available. So:

Robot Check

Amazon always has it.

IMG_2343.jpg

I have a 10-10 and a 10-6 paired up that are police trade-ins, I would like to have both of them polished and re blued or maybe engraved. My son's and I bought a bunch of them a few years ago at $209 each. I've had custom made holsters and smooth elk grips made for both. So any thing to enhance the beauty or the service I don't think will de-value these revolvers at all. Their not Triple Locks or Registered Magnums and like the man said "There's over six million of them" We bought'em to shoot, and we've have enjoyed them. I preferred the square grip and the firing pins in the hammers, one son like the round grip frames and the internal firing pins. The other son has no preference as long as it goes BANG !!! So you now know who got stuck with the internal locks. LOL Age is the same thing as seniority !!!! For what we have invested in these revolvers and what enjoyment we have received, we can't go wrong as to what we do to them.

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and everything Kentucky !!

Here’s a post I made awhile back about my Model 10 project. Still love it!

My Glorious Model 10-10 Money Pit
My Glorious Model 10-10 Money Pit

Believe it or not but I buy my Ballistol at the parts counter of my Local Ford dealer. They keep them in stock.

UPDATE!!!

Just received the repair quote from S&W in the mail today. Not too shabby, $247 bux for a reblue & polish and repair the timing. They said they'll do their best to remove any PD markings from the frame. C/S said any other parts that need replacing such as springs or screws etc they just replace them. There's no charge for repairing the timing. Although I've shot hundreds of rounds thru it when I had it, I haven't noticed any signs of the timing being off but they're the experts and I trust them.

It'll still be a couple more weeks before they ship it back but when they do I promise to share pics & my experience with them.

Fords in Florida did a good job on the Re-Blue! What a beautiful classic piece of Americana! A blued Tyler-T grip to go with those Magna grips and it would be a perfect fit for my big mitts!

That's been my experience with Smith&Wesson's customer service... they are a class act! Give her a nice pair of wood stocks though when you get it back to show you missed her!

Already got 'em! Factory original replacements

I was told by S&W customer service that my CC won't be billed until the work is finished. Well today I got notified that I was charged! So I guess that means the work is done and all I gotta do is wait for that Fedex email with the tracking #.

I wonder if I'll really get that tracking number or will I get a delivery attempt notification from FEDEX taped to my front door on some random day between now and the next 14 days?

Smith will email you a tracking number.

I finally got my mod 10-8 back!

I'm not a professional photographer and these photos don't do any justice at all to the high gloss shine and quality of work. I tore into the FEDEX box like a kid on Christmas morning, tossed out the newspaper filler, opened up the other little cardboard box, unwrapped the oily brown wax paper that smith uses to reveal a very glossy black and well oiled revolver. I was shocked to see that the gunsmith even replaced my PD issued Uncle mikes rubber grip with a new set of replacement S&W wood stocks!

This started life as a well worn police trade in that I purchased from J&G sales. Square butt heavy barrel model 10 for $329.99. + $20 bux for the hand picked option. (which was optimistic at best IMHO)

It came with lots of typical holster wear alongside both sides of the barrel and some minor pitting on the side plate. I sent it back to S&W early march 2018 and I just got it back via FEDEX yesterday. The pistol is very nice & tight. It feels like a new revolver. They replaced the hand, the ejector and the screws. And it locks up real tight and the timing is dead on. The even cleaned up the peening that was on the slots on the cylinder. Either that or it's a new one I can't tell!
They cleaned up the nicks on the end of the barrel and completely totally removed the PD stamping on the side as I requested. They sent me back all the parts as well as the old Uncle Mikes PD grip that came with it when i bought it. I haven't shot it yet and will do so this weekend however I did load up some 38 cal snap caps to feel the trigger and it...is....smooth.


To those guys who commented that it would ruin it's value or that they wouldn't invest money in a mod 10.... What do you say now?
In all aspects I basically have a "new" pre lock model 10-8.

Beautiful revolver, congratulations!

Very nice!
After seeing the results I would like to do the same if I can find the right candidate.