Contemplating 10mm club - at some point

[HOUSTON RICK]

I have heard mostly praise of the S&W 10mm third generation semiautomatics. However, I now understand that they are prone to extractor problems? Any first hand knowledge? Is $950 a fair price for a very good Model 1006. Other than more felt recoil and fun of shooting what should someone familar with 9mm and 45ACP know about S&W 10mm semiautos before getting one? Thank you in advance.

[Sevens]

Your post is the first I’ve heard of 10xx extractor troubles. Mine was bought new by a buddy in the summer of ‘92.. He bought four boxes of ammo to get us rolling and with that brass, I handloaded the rest until I bought the gun from him in 1996. It was my first ever S&W semiauto and I’ve never experienced a fail to extract or eject and I don’t recall any discussions here where folks have.

It’s a big forum with many metric tons of posts though. Maybe this has been discussed. I’ve never seen it.

[Aegis]

The 10mm all six models are very robust. The 1006 is pretty much identical to a 4506. I have several thousand rounds thru mine with no extractor or any other problems. Magazines are expensive upwards of 80-100 bucks.. Ammo is more expensive unless you reload. I have multiples of all variations of the S&W line.

[Mike, SC Hunter]

My old 1006 never had extractor problems.......Old wives tale........Neither does my new RIA in 10mm.

[colt_saa]

Originally Posted by HOUSTON RICK

I have heard mostly praise of the S&W 10mm third generation semiautomatics. However, I now understand that they are prone to extractor problems? Any first hand knowledge? Is $950 a fair price for a very good Model 1006. Other than more felt recoil and fun of shooting what should someone familar with 9mm and 45ACP know about S&W 10mm semiautos before getting one? Thank you in advance.

That sounds like a very good price

The 10xx family of auto loaders are among the lightest recoiling firearms ever chambered in 10MM Auto. About the only thing that is softer shooting is one of the rotating barrel pistols like the Mauser M2 or the Beretta (can not recall the model)

As to extractor problems, there is no such epidemic flaw in the design of the 10xx pistols

If, after 3+ decades of use, one of the 10xx firearms is having an extractor failure, that is probably nothing more than normal wear and tear

[dusty3030]

Ditto to previous posters. I will go out on a limb and say that Smith and Wesson 3rd generation autoloaders are about the best feeding and extracting autoloading pistols ever to hit the market. The large frame all stainless Smith autos are also extremely robust. If you wear one out you should get your name and photo on a wall somewhere in Springfield Mass.

[Univibe]

1. There are two levels of ammo. Most 10mm ammo is FBI-lite spec. It goes about 50 fps or so faster than .40. Then there are full power loads. 180 grains going 1250 to 1300 fps. I recommend Sig 180 grain FMJ. It's full power stuff at about $23 / box of 50. That's $10 cheaper than R-P FBI lite and it's good stuff.

2. 10mm full power isn't going to break your arm, but fire a few mags of full power stuff, and then .45 feels like marshmallows. 9mm feels like .22.

3. 1911s in 10mm have sharp subjective recoil, compared to others.

4. Consider the XDM 10mm. 15+1, costs $600, goes bang e very time. Much softer recoil than 1911. It's the M&P 10mm that Smith won't make. It's Darth Vader's EDC handgun.

5. 10mm is excellent for hand loading, very versatile. Send me any empty brass.

6. People claim that 10mm is a .41 magnum. This is regurgitated internet wisdom. Top 10mm loads are equivalent to top .357 mag loads in energy, maybe a few more foot pounds.

[robertrwalsh]

I never had any trouble with my 1006. I do remember early 39-59 pistols had significant extractor issues but that was back when dinosaurs still roamed the earth.

[tlawler]

I’ve had two different 1006’s and they were both trouble free. If I ever come across a 1076 at a decent price, I’m going to jump on it!

[stansdds]

If you manually place a cartridge into the chamber, then let the slide close on the chambered cartridge, there is a definite possibility you will eventually break the hook on the extractor. To avoid this possibility, only chamber rounds from the magazine. Other things that can interfere with proper functioning of the extractor is a build up of powder residue in the extractor channel and weakening of the extractor spring. Those are really the only things I know of that can affect the S&W extractors.


With full power loads, 10mm Auto will have a higher recoil impulse than 45 ACP. Back when I was shooting a Colt Delta Elite, full power 180 grain ammo felt like shooting full power ammo in a 4 inch barrel 357 Magnum revolver. The lightly loaded "FBI" ammo felt exactly the same as shooting 185 grain 45 ACP self-defense ammo. The 10mm is not a 44 Magnum, it is not a 41 Magnum, it can easily equal and slightly exceed 357 Magnum.

[Frank Black]

Originally Posted by Aegis

The 10mm all six models are very robust. The 1006 is pretty much identical to a 4506. I have several thousand rounds thru mine with no extractor or any other problems.

Same here. I have a 1006 and 1076, and neither has ever had an extractor issue.

Magazines are expensive upwards of 80-100 bucks.

Over the years I stocked up on a bunch of the 10XX-series mags, including the parts to keep them running: factory white followers and base pads, and XP mag springs from Wolff.

Last time I saw a NOS 10XX magazine for sale (still unopened in the factory S&W package), the seller dude wanted $150 for it, and wouldn't take a dime less.

Must've belonged to Sonny Crockett.

[Walter Rego]

I have fired everything from the original Norma 200 grain truncated nose FMJ's to Underwood 180 grain, Silvertip 175 grain, S&B and Sig 180 grain factory loads in my Model 1006. Every one of them worked flawlessly. I was expecting more recoil from the gun the first time I fired it. I have read that the Norma loads didn't meet their published velocity, and the Underwood ammo is definitely more powerful than the others, but I suspect that the weight and barrel length of the 1006 do a pretty good job of taming the cartridge. I actually find it to be a fun gun to shoot.

[robrossk]

I have fired 100 rounds through my recently acquired 1006. It was flawless with very felt recoil.

[lkabug]

I have two models 1006. Both are great shooters, very accurate with several thousand rounds fired combined. Never have had an extraction problem.
It is robust to say the least. But it is a great firearm. Buy one if you get the opportunity.
Now, if I could only find that 1046.

[Aegis]

Originally Posted by lkabug

I have two models 1006. Both are great shooters, very accurate with several thousand rounds fired combined. Never have had an extraction problem.
It is robust to say the least. But it is a great firearm. Buy one if you get the opportunity.
Now, if I could only find that 1046.

Yeah the elusive 1046 I have 2 with matching boxes..One was from the original owner, I think he put 200 rounds thru it. I think member snowcat has 3-4 of them..

[BLUEDOT37]

Same here, no troubles of any consequence with any of my 10xx's other than trigger play springs, which seem to be more prone to problems in the large frame 3rd Gens.

In 1991 American Handgunner did a 10,000 round torture test on a 1006, in 6-1/2 hours.

At 9000 rounds they did break the ejector (not the extractor) but the pistol keep operating until the end of the test.

Didn't they redesign the ejectors in these? (Only see (1) PN# listed so I maybe wrong.)

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[old tanker]

I got on the 10mm bandwagon early on with a Colt Delta in 1987. Ammo was a bit hard to get but I got a case of Norma 200 grain FMJ and was off and running. I was reloading using Sierra 180 grain HP bullets and Blue Dot. Duplicating Norma's performance safely with available powders just was not possible. Losing a piece of brass was nigh on a tragedy, but those Sierras would flatten a whitetail.

A few years later, a co-worker bought a Glock 20 when they first came out. Seemed OK but his brass had a bit of a bulge. You could see it if you looked for it but was certainly obvious going into the sizing die.

By this time ammo was easy to get. Added bonus, if you knew someone at Range Control, you could buckets of once-fired brass off the FBI range on Fort Knox. The KSP had recently adopted the S&W 1076 and after a trooper buddy let me shoot his, I was on the hunt for one.

So, I consider the 1076 to be the most practical all around shoot and carry 10mm pistol of the bunch. When I got mine yellow followers were just getting replaced with white follower mags and I luckily bought a good number of mags when they were "cheap" and available.

The Delta remains an emotional favorite. I cut my teeth on a 1911. I have shot it a bunch of full throttle ammo without problems, but I have heard about the frame cracking. By contrast the 1076 has the reputation of being able to digest any high performance boutique bullet you can buy. I see no reason to doubt that. The added heft of the 1076 makes recoil a bit less, it's not a problem with the full size Colt either.

The Glock 20 is meh. Maybe if all your T-shirts and ball caps are black and say "Perfection" on them it will strike your fancy, it does nothing for me.

Make me pick a 10mm for EDC and the 1076 would be my hands down choice.

[RonPagan]

If you do load 10mm for a 1006 there's no reason to hotrod your ammo. The 1006 will definitely handle it but remember they ain't making any more of those. Obviously if its your gun no one can tell you what to do with it I just feel bad revving up firearms that can't be replaced with a new one.

[Sevens]

There were over 50,000 units of Smith & Wesson 10mm semiauto pistols produced. They will never again make a 3rd Gen 10mm, this is absolutely true, but let’s not make it sound like these are impossible to find.

One day I’ll find a solid buy on a dirty, scraped up one. If I do, I’ll probably pound the hell out of it. Meanwhile, my 1006 stays in pretty high condition. It’s one of those guns of mine that gets a range trip once every year or two, I just love owning it.

[TercGen]

I have also been considering expanding my collection of S&W 3rd Gens into the 10mm realm, and recently took my first step by purchasing a handful of 10mm mags. Now I find myself browsing Gunbroker for a nice shooter-grade 1006 or 1066, hopefully under the $1,000 mark.

Searching past auction history on Gunbroker says this may be a challenge, but luckily this is not an immediate need and I have patience on my side. Here's hoping that we're not bidding against each other in the future Rick!

[The_Truth]

The 3rd gen S&W 10mm is IMO one of S&W's crown jewels. Such a robust, magnificent beast, yet refined and contoured with just enough utilitarianism in mind to be capable of serving as one of the finest duty pistols one may acquire.

I would be perfectly happy with only 1 semi auto as long as it was a 1076 or 1086.

[tlawler]

Originally Posted by The_Truth

The 3rd gen S&W 10mm is IMO one of S&W's crown jewels. Such a robust, magnificent beast, yet refined and contoured with just enough utilitarianism in mind to be capable of serving as one of the finest duty pistols one may acquire.

Ain’t that The Truth!

[Walter Rego]

Well since no one has posted a photo yet....

[tlawler]

Ohhhhh!....picture thread

[HOUSTON RICK]

The LGS turned down my offer to buy the 1006, that is that for a while. 10MM is hot and it is a great pistol, but the guy who came in after me was shown the 1006 and said that he did not want that "old thing". So much the better. I just smiled at the clerk who had turned me down. They may get their price, they may not. Maybe I should be looking for a 1076 anyway. The hunt continues.

[Frank Black]

S&W 1006 & Sig P220 Elite ...

[Erocksmash]

Join the 10mm club! I've had all the 3rd gen 10mm with the acception of the DA only guns....

I even have a salt n pepper pair of conversions 1013/1014s.... a couple of hand cannons!

[The_Truth]

Originally Posted by Frank Black

S&W 1006 & Sig P220 Elite ...

The only pistol in 10mm I might actually like as much as the 1076 would be the all steel P220 10mm. I regret selling mine...but I sold it to fund a 1076

[Frank Black]

Originally Posted by The_Truth

The only pistol in 10mm I might actually like as much as the 1076 would be the all steel P220 10mm. I regret selling mine...but I sold it to fund a 1076

Yeah, I like my P220. It's the 5" DA/SA model with the fixed night sights.

Interestingly, it uses the same two-tone color scheme as the original Bren Ten.

There is, however, an appreciable weight difference between the P220 and the 1006, mainly due to the thicker frame area where the 220's rail is. That's also what makes finding a holster for it aggravating. It's worse if you're also running a dedicated light on it.

The 1006 handles with more pointability and less heft. Both guns shoot the full-throttle 10mm loads very well.

[Erocksmash]

Originally Posted by tlawler

Ohhhhh!....picture thread

Yea yea 10mm picture thread !

[cmier2]

As others have said, 10MM is a kindred cartridge to 357 Rem Mag. There's not a lot either can't be configured to do. If you're loading for it you could spend a hell of a lot of time learning everything you can do with it.

If a 10xx is in your future, get your account going at a parts retailer. The guns are built like a brick poo house, but you're your own customer service for the piece. Numrich has saved my bacon several times for proper springs and I've made several of the precious magazines from parts (buy base pads, which were made to fail IMO). Even found adjustable sight parts for a 52-1! Also, get to know Midwest Gun Works and Wolff Gun Springs.

Contrary to the others, my 1006 wasn't 100% on ejecting. The extractor was (is) in beautiful condition, but didn't have the correct purchase on the case head. There's a small pad on the inner surface of the extractor arm that determines the resting position. A little bit of fitting, using a new case as a gauge, now has my gun running rock solid. Please heed the advice on only feeding from a magazine. IMHO, the only reason to smack the extractor over a chambered cartridge is because someone (or something) is about to maladjust your day.

Best o' luck and enjoy

[cmier2]

Originally Posted by Aegis

Yeah the elusive 1046 I have 2 with matching boxes..One was from the original owner, I think he put 200 rounds thru it. I think member snowcat has 3-4 of them..

It's not polite to boast

[hammy5150]

Picked up a 1006 (not easy to do in California where they're not legal to sell except through a private party) that had been absolutely beat on. I had failures to fire every other round when I took it out (which a quick spray of gun cleaner took care of mostly), so I sent it to BMCM to have it retouched. It came back recently, looks good as new and performed admirably on the range, fed an entire ammo can's worth of 10mm with no issues whatsoever. I'd take it in a heartbeat over either of the other 10mms I've fired (Glock 20 and Kimber).