3" Model 10 HAPPINESS! (formerly frustration and sadness)

[HamHands]

Like many of you, a 3" Model 10 round-butt is on my want list. Over the past year or so, a local firearms purveyor has seemed to have a bottomless source of confiscated police firearms mostly from the 50's to early 00's. They might have .38 M&P right next to a .40 USP compact. There general condition indicates storage in a humid climate (maybe Puerto Rico?) and many are electropenciled with case numbers. The other evening, I saw a 80's 3" 10-8 round-butt hanging out on the shelf- finish was dull, a few scratches, grips kinda beat-up, marked with case number, but you could tell the round count was very low. The $379 price peaked my interest- maybe I could get the perfect Model 10 carry gun with no worry about the wear and tear of daily use. The bore looked like it had some dried grease in it so I came back the next day with a cleaning kit and solvents. With the clerk watching, I applied some solvent then hit it with a brush and a bore snake. The bore was pristine except for one groove- rusty 2/3 the length of the barrel.

Really?!?!?!

My acquisition was so close, yet so far away.

Should I go back again with a stainless brush and see what happens?

Your thoughts?

Am I being dumb (one way or the other)?

After just 2 cylinders full of FMJ semi-wads thru her and there will be zero rust along any lands and groves. Buy IT, Now!

 

[HamHands]

A few years ago I bought a (Belgium, French, who knows) revolver at an estate sale that nobody would bid on and was not caliber marked. I guessed it was some kind of a .38 and offered $25. and took it home. I've never saw a gun as rusty and still function as that gun. There was very little rifleing in the barrel and it was the most pitted barrel I've ever seen. It was chambered in .38 Short Colt. It shot minute of man at 15 yds. and not one bullet key holed.
That pistol really confirmed my thoughts that a rough bore is not detrimental to the average shooter. Larry

Absolutely! What a great find and save! That Revo will outshoot 90% of all shooter's abilities.

 

[.455_Hunter]

Buy IT, Now!

See post #27.

 

[.455_Hunter]

I almost bought the 2" Model 12 for $239 but the frame was cracked under the barrel.

That is unfortunate. I hope they pull it from the shelf. I didn't actually look at it, just saw the price.

 

[sigp220.45]

That is unfortunate. I hope they pull it from the shelf. I didn't actually look at it, just saw the price.

I showed them and the counter guy could not have possibly cared less. (A guy asked what caliber a 7 1/2" SAA clone was. He looked at the tag and told the customer it was a "7.5")

Not a wasted trip. I headed up the road to Frederick and found out I had just missed an evidence gun feeding frenzy at Adamson's. There were still a few left. I bought this Hi Standard Sentinel, and passed on this M&P 9L.

Hijack over!

 

[SuperMan]

$125!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If that HS was in as nice a shape as it looks it would 2-3 times that on GunBroker...

Nice score...

Bob

 

[Green Frog]

I showed them and the counter guy could not have possibly cared less. (A guy asked what caliber a 7 1/2" SAA clone was. He looked at the tag and told the customer it was a "7.5")

Not a wasted trip. I headed up the road to Frederick and found out I had just missed an evidence gun feeding frenzy at Adamson's. There were still a few left. I bought this Hi Standard Sentinel, and passed on this M&P 9L.

Hijack over!

That High Standard Sentinel is worth the hijack since the OP started the thread talking about a bargain gun! That one certainly qualifies and is an under rated gun anytime, and way underpriced there. My first handgun was a Sentinel Snub that I got in a trade in 1970 and still have. That one you found should be a good addition for you. Congratulations.

Froggie

 

[slight_turn_line_69]

I would buy it because I haven't seen a 3" model 10 of any variation sell for under $650 in the last 2 years. I don't get out much.
As far as the barrel rust, I have 2 revolvers that have visible pits in their bores. A 6" K38 Target Masterpiece with a visible pit about 2 inches from the forcing cone will put 5 shots into about 3/4" at 25 yards with a sand bag rest. The other is a 357 Model 27-2, 5" that has a visible pit about an inch from the end of the barrel. It will shoot 6 shots into one hole at 15 yards, off hand, with potent handloads and 65 year old eyes.
Your results may vary, and, as always, I could be wrong. Hell, I'm wrong all the time.

 

[The_Truth]

So without going back and reading the thread, is the 3" M10 still available?

 

[raljr1]

So without going back and reading the thread, is the 3" M10 still available?

no.............

 

[ShadyDrifter]

10-6 slightly altered

 

[JAREDSHS]

SWEET!!!!!!

 

[HamHands]

I showed them and the counter guy could not have possibly cared less. (A guy asked what caliber a 7 1/2" SAA clone was. He looked at the tag and told the customer it was a "7.5")

Not a wasted trip. I headed up the road to Frederick and found out I had just missed an evidence gun feeding frenzy at Adamson's. There were still a few left. I bought this Hi Standard Sentinel, and passed on this M&P 9L.

Hijack over!

15 years ago I showed a local shop one of their nicer than most AK's had a bad barrel trunion to frame mounting allowing the barrel to be offset by 4-5* degrees to the right... I mean an IDIOT could see the barrel appeared to be offset strait out of the receiver to the point the barrel looked bent. Same thing... Counter clown acted like it wasn't a big deal and didn't even pull it from the line. That was the last time I walked into my "friend's" shop as I let them all know what happened afterwards. Been buying off interwebs and GB ever since. Good for me, here, and GB but bad for the local small time Shop Owner. "Stupid is as stupid does..." though so It's hard to feel too bad about it. So I don't...

 

[Borderboss]

15 years ago I showed a local shop one of their nicer than most AK's had a bad barrel trunion to frame mounting allowing the barrel to be offset by 4-5* degrees to the right... I mean an IDIOT could see the barrel appeared to be offset strait out of the receiver to the point the barrel looked bent. Same thing... Counter clown acted like it wasn't a big deal and didn't even pull it from the line. That was the last time I walked into my "friend's" shop as I let them all know what happened afterwards. Been buying off interwebs and GB ever since. Good for me, here, and GB but bad for the local small time Shop Owner. "Stupid is as stupid does..." though so It's hard to feel too bad about it. So I don't...

I think the laissez-faire attitude by some gun shops about problems with guns they're selling is because for the most part, it's not their problem once the ownership changes hands from them to the customer. If the gun has a problem that it came out of the factory with that the buyer didn't notice, it doesn't matter to the gun shop. The new owner has to send it back to the manufacturer and put up with the BS. If gun shops were run like car dealerships, where they had to fix the problem, or like Amazon, where you had 30 days to return the problem product, then gun shop owners would care more.

 

[needsmostuff]

A bit of elbow grease and here she is so far...

The rusty bore groove is now just a stain.

You guys are such enablers. A nice shooting grade 3" Model 10 Round-Butt doesn't show up around here everyday at a fair price. I will need to do a full teardown and scrub of the action parts- some light rust and dried gunk.

Good job buyin it but don't be acting like you're done!
Now you gotta start looking for Banana grips.

 

[ACORN]

(A guy asked what caliber a 7 1/2" SAA clone was. He looked at the tag and told the customer it was a "7.5")

That is too funny. And sad!