Looking at some model 10's online with 4 inch barrels in 38 special only. Which would be more comfortable to shoot? Round or square butt handles?

What should I know about purchasing one? What should I know about them?

They are the same, comfort wise. The issue will be, for YOU, how does each one point?

Round butt or square butt stocks are a matter of preference. Stocks can be changed to suit one's needs. I like the tapered barrel round butt in the photo, but tend to shoot the heavy barrel gun better. You can also find 3" heavy barrel guns in both models.

Round or square butt is up too you, pick one of each up and see how it feels in your hand, which one points better. I personally prefer the round butt because it fits me better and is easier too hide.
As for the check list; First check it's overall condition, is there pitting, rust,? Then check for "push off" that is cock the hammer and attempt to push it down with your thumb. Then check its timing by slowly pulling the trigger and watching the cylinder revolve, does it lock up before the hammer falls? If it does then your in good shape! Now look at the revolver from the front, your looking at the seam between the frame and crane where the too meet, is there a gap? If so pass on to another. Lastly dry fire it double action just to make sure there are no glitches in the action, and check the strain screw on the grip, make sure it's tight as with all the screws.
Smith model 10s are wonderful workhorses, just make sure yours has been rode too hard. Dale

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He said...

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Usually, neither square-butt nor round-butt Magna grips will fit your hand properly without a grip adapter, although I'm sure some folks like them without. Best to find out on someone else's gun before you buy. If all else fails, get a round butt - you can easily enough find larger grips that will fit, but if the square butt is too large for your hand, you may have wasted a bit of money. It is not cheap to convert a SB to RB, if it can even be done. And it's usually not pretty.

Just get a round butt grip. Since most of the later K/L frame models were made in round butt configurations (to streamline production) there are plenty of aftermarket and custon conversion grips to make a round butt into a square butt if you like.

Also check the screw heads on the side plate. If they are chewed up chances are someone was messing with the lockwork. Recently there has been a flood of police and prison guard Model 10 HBs hit the used market. They range from very nice, to "shot a little and carried a lot" (worn bluing), to real basket cases destined to be truck/tackle box guns.

I will not be able to test the gun, since the purchase will be online.

Beautiful examples Colby. These days, I am most fond of the K-Frame 4" HB square butts M10 (and "spinoffs"). However, for a carry weapon, you just can't go wrong with a 3" RB. For my hands, which are rather small, the tradtional service grips on a square butt fit almost perfectly, but I do have to weigh in on the round butt, with one addition. I also have a L-Frame with Ahrend's finger groove (RB) panels. It is one of the best fitting (for me) set of grips I have ever owned on a revolver and if I had a K-Frame RB, I would have a set on them as well. As soon as I find a 3", RB 547, I intend on re-stocking them with those Ahrend's, and think they would do well on an M10. But I gotta' tell you, nothing beats the look and balance of an M10 4" HB with service grips. I think the military should issue it still, but that's another subject!

Here's how those Ahrends look on an L-Frame RB, I think they would look even better on a 3" RB M10:




And my M10 lookalike. Sort of a Euro version of a Model 10, if you know what I mean:

SB works for me but I have very big hands w/long thin fingers.

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