Originally Posted by goldenbb

Okay, I need to know something: When I hold my 10-6 up next to say a Model 19, you can barely tell they are any different. But I have heard that the frames on the Magnums were hardened or something? I just wondered if that was true or if any heavy barrel Model 10 could become a Magnum merely by having a cylinder swap (or boring, I suppose) done. Think safety first, of course. Not that I'm going to do anything like this, I just wondered is all.

My favorite S&W oddity is the 581 and 681--Distinguished Service Magnums, the flat-top version of the more familiar adjustable sight models.