I purchased a very nice 610 off of z me fly about a year back and loved the gun. it is probably my favorite pistol at this point. Only 5000 610 no dashes were made with a 6.5 inch barrel like mine. I then had the cylinder bored to take the 10mm magnum cartridge that was introduced back in the 80's and never really got off the ground. I did not really have a good reason for the change, only because i wanted something a little different. After saving up money and then spending it on something else I finally saved enough and sent my cylinder off to Clement's Customs. $108 dollars later and about 6 weeks I had my cylinder back. I am hoping to get these 180gr xtp's moving over 1500fps.

Very interesting piece.

As I've posted before, I tried that a while back and gave up on it. The advantage of the magnum is case capacity. A max load of slow powder fills the short 10mm case to the point of compression. The extra capacity lets you cram in more powder, but at the same time drops pressures so you have to add a lot more to compensate, then raise that pressure for additional performance. Published data from Accurate Arms (AA9 rules 10mm) and Taffin's numbers gave me performance way below stock 10mm. Their numbers were derived using a tighter chamber than you get in a revolver. I kept adding for a while, then lost my nerve. Lots of luck with it! Hope you get your 1500fps.

I love my 610!

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Rolan Kraps
Gainesville, Ga

Rolin I got the clone to that with the combat finger groove wood grips. Pending arrival of my backordered Light Saber, it's my favorite plinking revolver.

I've shot pins with both the 10mm and 40. The 40 will knock 'em over fine, but the 10 moves 'em back about a foot first then knocks 'em over.

I don't know what a 10mm mag would do better.

Hope to see some updated data on the load development.

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Dum vivimus Vivamas

I got these sandalwood grips from a guy in Thailand who makes grips cheap.

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Rolan Kraps
Gainesville, Ga

I had also thought about the 10mm Magnum and was about to do it to my 610-3 below. However I decided that it was not worth the time and trouble because of lack of reliable load data, and that it would not do anything more then my Dan Wesson 8" and Marlin 1894P 16.25" barrel 44 magnums can.

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Cranky Old Retired USN Guy

Is bullet creep a problem in 10mm magnum, without a heavy roll crimp?

Most magnums I've reloaded need a roll crimp, depends on the powder and gun. A slow burn powder like #5 needs a good roll crimp and is why I don't use it for the 10mm Auto, but it's a good powder for 240gr bullet in my 44 magnum lever gun.

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Cranky Old Retired USN Guy

I need one of these with a 3' tube

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"Non sibi, sed patriae"

Bet that puts out a BIG flame at night.

I will have to try it sometime.

I have one rifle I have I shot at night one time that put out about 3 feet of flame a friend said.

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Cranky Old Retired USN Guy

Hello Shooting4Life,

That’s a very tempting conversion. When you come up with the reloading data it should be very close to the .41 mag. which has been the exaggerated sales pitch for the regular 10 mm. Did Clements cut a square head spacing shoulder or taper it? I’ve read on this forum that the 610-3s headspace 10 mm more reliably without moon clips than earlier 610s but at the expense of accumulating metallic fouling at the headspace shoulder when firing .40s. Can you comment on this?

Best regards,

Gil

The cut looks square to me the best I can tell. I did not request one way or the other. I won't be shooting anything else besides the 10mm magnum through this gun though I might keep some reduced loads if I rally want to plink with it. I have other revolvers that are better suited for plinking and general duty than this is going to be. I am starting off with 17.5 gr's of 2400 and I'll go from there.

Hello again,

I’m not sure whether I’d chose a more tapered head space shoulder given a choice but tomorrow I’m going to fire .40s in my 3 7/8” unfluted 610 in a match where the moon clip’s speed helps a whole bunch. I’ve done that a lot and shorter cases give a slight advantage in theory at least because the empties fall away quicker. It’s really just fancy plinking and you might have fun at it with your 10 mm mag.

Thanks for answering,

Gil

I have a 625 -3 or -4 can't remeber that has a very nice double action pull that is fun for the fast reloads. At least fast for my standards.

Shooting4life,

I can’t argue with your logic. I was just offering another excuse to play with your new toy. 625s do reload faster than 610s for 2 reasons: round nose .45 bullets are readily available while most .400” are flat point and 625s have thinner metal separating their chambers. With chamfered chambers you only need to have a 625 reload in your peripheral vision while throw the moon clip in with a little spin. A 610’s cartridges have to be aligned with the chambers.

Gil

I'm with you guys! I love my 610. It's one of my favorite revolvers.

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NRA Benefactor Life Member

You guys with the 610 LH guns sure give me shorty envy.

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Cranky Old Retired USN Guy

625 guys, don't ream yours for .45 Winchester Magnums. I have feeling things would not go so well.

I also sent my S&W 610 cylinder off to Clement's. I just got an email saying it's on the way back home. I have plenty of new Starline brass. I'm looking forward to shooting it.

BTW, I replaced the stock grip with a S&W 310 grip. I find it more comfortable and it's less bulky.

I think that grip is a Pachmayr grip, Decelerator or most likely a Gripper Proffesional or Compac grip. I have a Pachmayr Decelerator on my 3 inch 629 and love them, love light loaded ammo even better.

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Cranky Old Retired USN Guy

i tried this route years ago. The 10mm magnum in the 610 wouldn't do anything that the .41Magnum would do in Rugers or Smiths. I still shoot my semi 10mms though as they are the closest,in a decent sized carry weapon, that comes fairly close to the .41Magnum.

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JOE MACK aka .41FAN

The only real downside to 41 when comparing it to 10mm Mag is the bullets available for reloading 40/10mm is about 4 times the number offered in 41 caliber. I reload for 357, 10mm and 44 Mag, and the 40/10mm has more bullet options then even the 80 year old 357 round. In jacketed 40/10mm I load 135, 155, 165, 180 and 200 gr JHP and several of those weights also in TC or ball, then you go to lead and I have found HC in WC, SWC, Cone and a bunch I've never used in 145, 155, 170, 180 and 200 gr bullets. Now there are 210 and 220 grain available in jacketed, but never used them.

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Cranky Old Retired USN Guy

Hmmmm... In cast, I've shot everything from a 165gr collar button to the SSK 275 gr. For jacketed stuff I can go from Sierra's 170grJHC to Hawk bullets 300gr. FP. I've found that the 250grLFNGC will work on elk, moose, boar, and large bear as well as the heavier bullets and you can drive one at 1450fps depending on the gun.

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JOE MACK aka .41FAN

Joe you may be missing the point, yes there are some big bullets for the 41 out there and you can push them right along, but there are not a LARGE selection like 10/40 has. Now if I want a heavy HC lead I switch to my 44 magnum Dan Wesson which makes a 629 look and feel like an Airweight and run 300 gr JHP or HC lead about 1650fps with ease and have manageable recoil.

The 41 was or would have been the best gun ever for a LEO but it came too late and the double stack 9mm's and later 10mm/40 cal for the LEO scene and does not measure up to 44 or 44mag. The 10mm to me in a revolver seems to me to fall in that category of why bother with it when for same money why bother for niche round other then just being different. But at least the 10mm in an automatic is the best in a carry and CCW autoloader.

Having owned a 5" 610 & 6.5" revolver I will say it's better then 357, but falls short of 41 revolver a tad, but when revamped to 10mm magnum they become so close as to be no real difference, but why bother when 44 mag has been around forever and is far better for Elk or Bear and if not reloader good ammo can be found in every Wal-Mart or gun shop. I have sold both 610's and for revo it's 357 or 44 mag for me.

I love my two Colt DE and Dan Wesson 1911's and carry the new Colt SS DE and the DW is a tack driving range gun or feral hog and dog gun for this area where Brown & Grizzly bears are not found and even black bear are rare.

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Cranky Old Retired USN Guy

First you can perk up a 625 by rechambering it to 460 Rolland. Starline has brass for it. My 3" 625 has been rechambered to 460, but I have not worked with it in a long time.

10mm Magnum Loads:

The below information is a computer generated calculation, and not proven safe reloading data. It is provided for Informtion Only.

Per Quick Load with 2400 Powder your 17.5 grain load is over the Max Pressure of 34,974 psi. It also shows a 100% case fill.

It looks like 16.5 grains of 2400 should do 1515 FPS from a 6.5" barrel with 31,927 psi. Fill is 94.5%.

Quick Load shows AA#9 should make 1500 fps with 16.3 grains, with 82.6% fill, at 32,472 psi.

Quick Load shows Power Pistol breaking 1500 fps with 11.5 grains, with 78.7% fill, at 32,692 psi.

Looks promising.

Bob

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ICORE MO2908

I use #9 a lot in 10mm and for the specility load with Hornedy FXT bullets for levey gun, and 2400 in 44 and 357 magnum. I've never used the Power Pistol, but as yet I have found no load in 10mm, 357 or 44 that works with 800X for some reason.

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Cranky Old Retired USN Guy

As I said, I have experimented with the 10mm magnum in both the 610 and T/C.I went so far as having a custom crimp die made. It comes CLOSE to the. 41Magnum but no cigar. Choice of bullets is not a limiting factor. I've taken elk,moose,kudu,gemsbok,range cows,and large black bears with the. 41Magnum. If I want more in. 41 caliber,I'll go to the. 414SM or wildcat.When after DG or really large game, I pull out the. 475 or. 500 LB.I've had. 44mags and they've been sold off for the more interesting (to me) .41Magnum.

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JOE MACK aka .41FAN

Someone tell me what the wood is on the OP's 610!?!?! I know it's an Ahrends Tactical Smooth Front, but that red coloration in the wood is amazing!!!

I forget what type of wood it is but it was something that was dyed.
Here is an article on the 10 mm magnum by taffin, has reloading data at the bottom. I am right at 17 grs of 2400 with no signs of presure pushing 180gr right around 1450. I could jump it up faster but the groups open up a little. No need to push it, have more powerful smiths if I need. they actuallygive the max load for 2400 at 18grs.
Taffin Test the 10 mm Magnum
Here is a more recent picture with factory combat grips

Dan Wesson BT Razerback 10mm what 10mm is about, a semi-auto pistol.

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Cranky Old Retired USN Guy