A Model 10, most favored in service pistol competition!

Hello my friends!
This six-inch Model 10-5 Service Revolver was obtained at a local gun show several years ago. The vendor had stated to me that it was a former PD trade-in, although no PD markings were found. For the modest sum of 250-dollars, I was to take home a six-gun that would later be used in quite a few local PD service pistol matches by myself. I really loved the little extra accuracy obtained with the long, elegant looking, barrel and easy-to-see front sight, using standard .38 Match 148-gr. wadcutters. This late 60's production Smith & Wesson was extremely accurate in these contests and actually gave a 'modest' shooter, like myself, a chance to shine. At the time I was using this Model 10 there were still a couple of retired cops participating that used revolvers. These fellas were using the ultra-reliable/accurate Model 19 Combat Magnum in blue steel and a 4-inch barrel. Both have since passed on, leaving myself as the sole revolver user still serving. Oh, how they could shoot those Model 19's!

I always wanted to carry a six-inch, fixed sight Model 10 on duty and since I am serving inside a government building AKA: FT. Apache the 4-inch model is more comfortable from behind the front desk. I may qualify with it one year and pack it because this six-inch .38 Revolver has a huge history in law enforcement, especially in pre-war years when 6-inch Colt Official Police/Army Specials/Police Positive Specials and the S&W Military & Police six-guns were common sights on walking beat cops. The large cities like Chicago and others made large contract purchases of .38 six-inchers. I hope the fans and friends of the Model 10 enjoy this post of a 'classic' that still can shoot tight group patterns. Your friend and servant;

David

Very nice, I love 6" 10's. I had a 6" 10-5 that I bought cheap but someone had pretty much kitchen table gunsmithed it to death. That thing outshot a Model 14 that I had. I replaced it with a 6" M&P I bought with my C&R.

Those old Model 10s may not be sexy or tacticool these days, but they sure did a good job at what they were designed for.

A great old wheel gun, still reporting for duty. Thanks for sharing.

My Mod 10 police trade in . Great gun

My Mod 10 HB 4 in is a great pistol. $199 police trade in

Great story, great gun and thanks for sharing.

When I first became enamored by S&W revolvers I looked at Model 10s with a certain degree of disdain. They were common and seemed to lack the elegance of so many other S&W models. Well, that crappy attitude is long gone. Now I see Md 10s as the true workhorse of the line. Years and years of reliable service to who knows how many LEOs all over the world. Now when I look at my nickel Md 10 that was issued to the Detroit Police Department I see beauty and elegance that I once failed to see. As a matter of fact, I think my next gun purchase will be the stainless version, a model 64.

dabney, do I see a white front sight on your revolver? If so, did you get it like that or did you make it that way?

Mr. Jinx, that front sight was 'doctored' by myself with bright white enamel. I come back from time to time and touch it up. Thanks for your interest sir as these long barrel 10's have some great target shooting capability.

David

I am another who is fond of the Mod 10

dabney:

I really enjoy your posts and the pics you post posing with your revolvers.

If I was anywhere near Columbus GA, I'd drop in just to shake your hand!

That's a beauty there. I have a 10 -7 that I haven't shot but am dying to. I love the weight and balance to it. Action seems smooth as well. Recently I put a pre model 10 on lay away. Probably paid to much for it but bought it on gun broker because they let me pay it off in 6 months and money has been tight recently.

The model 10 was indeed a workhorse, both in law enforcement and in the military. The first handgun I qualified with in the Navy was a model 10 .38 special. After I retired, I found on in a pawnshop that had the parkerized finish. It was a sweet shooting, accurate gun. Even my wife, who doesn't shoot often, could hit the target with it. Unfortunately I sold it to help pay for a larger caliber gun. I often wish I had just waited and saved my money and now I would have the 10 and the larger caliber gun. Live and learn.

Very nice guns in the pics

I can't think of a better example of "simple elegance" than a 6" M&P - Model 10.

My 6" M&P is one of my favorites, I think the only nicer looking M&P is the 6.5" round butt version, would like to get one of those. I think with a few boxes of 158 gr. LRN here and there this one will be around another 100 years or more.

I love the refininements seen even on this "basic" model service revolver. Like the dished out area above the forcing cone to keep the topstrap from being flame cut, the beautifully knurled large knob on the ejector rod, and the grips that are hand fitted so well not even the slightest hint of grip frame can be seen from the side,and no wood stands out from the seams. Like they were grown on the gun.

Instinct shooting is the order of the day with this one, the sights, if you can call them that, are only completely visible on a bright sunny day shooting at a bright white target.....and when the hammer is down part of the rear sight is obscured. The gun is extremely accurate, once you get that micro sized rear sight lined up with the paper thin front blade That long action DA pull is just perfectly smooth and even. People just must have had better vision back then Kind of like the pop up peep sight on my Krag, I wonder just who the heck could actually see through that pin sized peep....

David:

I hadn't heard from you for awhile, and thought I'd see if you had any new threads. Well, this one isn't new, but it is a good one, so I'm going revive it, to say a few words here about the model 10, and also about my friend David, AKA "dabney".

Although my first duty sidearm was a model 66 no dash, what, in essence is that but a stainless steel model 10, with a few enhancements. The basic lock work and size of frame, the diameter and rifling of the bore etc, are essentially the same as the fantastic k frame Smith and Wesson that dates back to the late 19th century. Yes, there have been a few tweaks along the way, but the basic gun is the same. And the reason that it is essentialy the same is that it worked, it worked well, it was usable by the vast majority of folks, and that it was chambered for one of the most usful cartridges ever devised: the .38 Smith and Wesson Special. (Well, some others as well, but this was the most prevalent). Fast forward to the closing days of the twentieth century... This fine firearm was still in use all over the world. Copied by many foreign companies.

A true classic.

I have three of these fine firearms, two Heavy Barrel 4" blued revolvers that I have used as trainers for 35 years now. Each has had a minimum of a hundred thousand rounds put through them. Mostly mild target loads. I also have a 2" RB snub that was appropriated by my better half because she can shoot it better than any other gun in my stable. She relies on it, and it has seen her through several tight spots here in wild and woolly West Virginia. Great guns!!

And now a word about my friend, David. It somehow makes sense that he would cling to the tried and true, the proven sidearms of the golden age of policing here in America. He still uses the Model 10 as well as another American Classic, the Colt Official Police. This is another classic handgun, and another product of a centuries service. How fitting that this stalwart champion of law and order would rely even in this technological age on his old faithful companions from years gone by.

On this, the eve (almost) of the celebration of our Independence, I salute both an old time Law Man, and his faithful companions, the Model 10 and the Official Police!!!

Best Regards, Les

The mod. 10 was a great gun & if one can be found in shootable condition this includes the earlier M&P it's still a good choice for a lot of uses. Not only that it's pretty yup pretty.

I'd love to have one with police markings similar to loemans. Let's not let this mod. 10 thread die they are great guns. Others out there must like them too, let's share our likes.