S&W Model 610-3 10mm, 4", unfluted cylinder, with lock

I own a 610-3 10mm revolver with the 4" barrel, unfluted cylinder, and has the lock.

I recently purchased this gun at a local gun show in my small town and I love it. It's very accurate and powerful, and I like I can also shoot 40S&W ammo to save a little money vs the cost of 10mm. I've taken it out to the farm shooting several times and it quickly has replaced my Ruger GP100's as my favorite revolver.

Here is my question: A friend told me that this is a rare gun. I have no idea. Any truth to this?

I've attached a picture.

A 610 is a semi .rare gun. 4" and unfluted make it a little better. If it would be a pre-lock model, then you would really have something. Still a very nice gun. Enjoy

According to SCSW the 4", unfluted cylinder became standard production in 2001, and the gun was discontinued in 2005. The 610-3 began in 2002. I don't know how many were produced but someone here might be able to tell you. Is the right side of the barrel marked "610 Classic"?

Retired W4 said:

According to SCSW the 4", unfluted cylinder became standard production in 2001, and the gun was discontinued in 2005. The 610-3 began in 2002. I don't know how many were produced but someone here might be able to tell you. Is the right side of the barrel marked "610 Classic"?

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Thanks for the info. No, the right side does not say "610 Classic."

I've priced several S&W revolvers over the years, and I think (not positive) I got a pretty good deal on this gun I picked up last month. The reason I'm not really sure is its the first time I've come across a S&W 10mm. It's in excellent condition and with tax I paid a total of $658. I know I'm glad I got it, as it's fun to shoot and more accurate than I am.

The 610-3 is my favorite competition gun. Fast, reliable and will handle all breeds of ammo. My favorite clip for this gun is the same that Dan Short used to capture several recent titles from IDPA and ICORE, the RIMZ 610 Polymer Moonclip.

I also agree that it is a semi-rare gun. Most of the people who buy them just don't part with them because it really is a gem. I love mine and would never think of selling it. I also agree with the other member who recommended the RIMZ polymer moonclips. I use them as well at the range with no problems whatsoever.

skeeter7 said:

I also agree that it is a semi-rare gun. Most of the people who buy them just don't part with them because it really is a gem. I love mine and would never think of selling it. I also agree with the other member who recommended the RIMZ polymer moonclips. I use them as well at the range with no problems whatsoever.

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The gun came with a BUNCH of moonclips, about 25, but I'm not sure what kind they are. Is there any way to tell? While I've used the moonclips several times, I haven't looked at them closely. It's the first time I've ever used moonclips and it makes for a pretty sweet transition.

I bought a 610-2 4" new shortly after they came out in that barrel length and it's been my most used match revolver. 610s are not rare. It's just that the demand for them is too low to keep them in continuous production. S&W lets them sell out then lets demand build up for 3-5 years before doing another production run. At the moment most internet 610 sales are running $900-$1000 which is almost double what I paid for mine. You were lucky to find one priced reasonably. I believe that you have the least common variety of 4 inch 610 as most dash threes have fluted cylinders. My guess is that they used up some left over unfluted cylinders when they started dash 3 production. So far as I know that doesn't add value above what other 4 inchers sell for, but it might some day. Actually, if it's an investment, I'd sell it now. Every production run immediately floods the market. Just ask the owner of any large gun store how many he could sell per year when they were available. However, I'm hanging on to mine as long as I continue to use it, and maybe till I'm buried. It's owners like me that make 610 prices spike between production runs.


Oh, clips. The Rimz clips are plastic while most are blued metal. I've only used metal. Rimz clips are easier to put cartridges into and remove cases from at the expensive of being an assembly that easily looses cartridges if dropped. I find it easiest to load full moon clips by laying cartridges in a shallow groove on top of my plastic tool box/shooting box and pressing down with my strong side thumb inserted through the middle of a the clip while holding the clip with my off hand. I like the hollow tube type demooner that you twist.

Actually, the 4 inch 610-3's all came with unfluted cylinders, it was the 6 1/2 inch 610-3 that came with the fluted cylinder. I have a 6 1/2 inch 610-3 and won't ever part with it, however I really regret not purchasing a 4 inch 610-3 at the same time. I've spent the past year and a half looking for a 4 inch 610 at a somewhat reasonable price and finally gave up and purchased a 625JM to fill the need for a 4 inch 6 shot moon clip revolver.

One thing about the steel 10mm moon clips that isn't featured on any other caliber is that the "fingers" have a relief cut that makes them very easy to load or unload by hand. In order to load or unload the steel clips for my 625, tools are a must.

I love mine. I use it for IDPA with .40 S&W loads.

scooter123 said:

Actually, the 4 inch 610-3's all came with unfluted cylinders, must.

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My 4" (3 7/8" actual) 610-3, bought new by me in May '08, would probably argue that point.
One of the best revolvers I own.

Bishop, I'm not really surprized by that, S&W has an extensive history of releasing oddballs assembled using whatever stock was at hand. However, 4 inch 610-3's were supposed to feature unfluted cylinders and the 6 1/2 inch version got the fluted cylinders. Personally, I would have just loved to have stumbled on a 4 inch 610 with a fluted cylinder, to me the unfluted cylinders look unfinished.

scooter123; said:

[...] to me the unfluted cylinders look unfinished.

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That much we can agree on. We also agree that the heavier unfluted cylinders are harder on the mechanism increasing the rate of end shake wear and stop notch peening. However, from my match shooting I think the increased stop notch peening is more theory than reality as long as you follow Miculek's advise to gently close the cylinder. He just does it without wasting time. Some of the competitors and instructors I see slam cylinders closed and pound down their ejector rods with unnecessary force.
I wouldn't buy an unfluted revolver if the same gun was offered with flutes, but unfluted cylinders do have one slight advantage: they draw smoother through my some what dated break front match holster. The cylinder spreads the spring loaded sides of my old Ernie Hill leather during the draw.
I wound up with an unfluted 3 7/8" 610-2 because the 2001 introduction of 3 7/8" barrels continued S&W's mid 1990s policy of not fluting 610 cylinders. Starting with dash one 610s all 610 cylinders were unfluted until flutes were returned at the start of or during dash 3 production. 610s were discontinued after the production run in which mine was made. After a few years 610s were reintroduced and officially cataloged in both 4" and 6.5". The pictures of 610-3s on S&W's website showed both the 6 1/2" and 4" guns with flutes. Those pictures were up for quite a while and all the 4" 610-3s I saw for sale on the web during that time had flutes. I was surprised the first time a member posted a picture of a 4" 610-3 without flutes. I was hopping another member or two would post pictures of fluted 610-3s.

Which ever was standard or more numerous, it's too bad S&W didn't make another batch of 4" 610s so you could have purchased one without paying through the nose. I'm sure you'll learn to like your 4" 625. That's what I wanted but couldn't find at a reasonable price so I settled for a 4" 610.

My 610-3 in the 4" variety. I think it's my favorite pistol in the safe.

From what I've seen the -3 610's were a real mixed bag in concern to fluted cylinders. Every 6 1/2 inch -3 I've seen has fluted cylinders but with the 4 inch version it seems that S&W started building them using cylinders left over from the prior production run. Later on the 4 inch version got fluted cylinders, which I strongly prefer.

One model that I really wish they had made is a 610 Mountain Gun with a tapered semi lugged barrel. Who knows, with S&W anything is possible, next time they re-issue the 610 maybe a distributor such as Lipsey's will order up a batch of 610 Mountain Guns. If so, I hope they insist on a properly roll stamped barrel, the laser etching they put on the 686 Mountain Gun was IMO too gaudy and in poor taste for such a fine revolver.

Rolan_Kraps said:

I love mine. I use it for IDPA with .40 S&W loads.

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Great looking gun! Really like the grips. I know some don't like the unfluted cylinder look, but I really like the looks of it. Makes it look sleek and different looking than any of my other revolvers.

k22fan said:

That much we can agree on. We also agree that the heavier unfluted cylinders are harder on the mechanism increasing the rate of end shake wear and stop notch peening. However, from my match shooting I think the increased stop notch peening is more theory than reality as long as you follow Miculek's advise to gently close the cylinder. He just does it without wasting time. Some of the competitors and instructors I see slam cylinders closed and pound down their ejector rods with unnecessary force.
I wouldn't buy an unfluted revolver if the same gun was offered with flutes, but unfluted cylinders do have one slight advantage: they draw smoother through my some what dated break front match holster. The cylinder spreads the spring loaded sides of my old Ernie Hill leather during the draw.
I wound up with an unfluted 3 7/8" 610-2 because the 2001 introduction of 3 7/8" barrels continued S&W's mid 1990s policy of not fluting 610 cylinders. Starting with dash one 610s all 610 cylinders were unfluted until flutes were returned at the start of or during dash 3 production. 610s were discontinued after the production run in which mine was made. After a few years 610s were reintroduced and officially cataloged in both 4" and 6.5". The pictures of 610-3s on S&W's website showed both the 6 1/2" and 4" guns with flutes. Those pictures were up for quite a while and all the 4" 610-3s I saw for sale on the web during that time had flutes. I was surprised the first time a member posted a picture of a 4" 610-3 without flutes. I was hopping another member or two would post pictures of fluted 610-3s.

Which ever was standard or more numerous, it's too bad S&W didn't make another batch of 4" 610s so you could have purchased one without paying through the nose. I'm sure you'll learn to like your 4" 625. That's what I wanted but couldn't find at a reasonable price so I settled for a 4" 610.

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How much more weight is an unfluted cylinder than a fluted one?

scooter123 said:

[...] One model that I really wish they had made is a 610 Mountain Gun with a tapered semi lugged barrel. [...]

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I'd buy a new 610 Mountain Gun in a heart beat! While we're dreaming we may as well dream of S&W drilling the hole in the frame midway between where they are in 6 and 8 shot N frames to make us 7 shot 610 Mountain Guns. Non of that is likely to happen. 10mms wouldn't sell well enough to stay in production in either autos or revolvers.

Incidentally, since we're talking about S&Ws rather than some other brand, Mountain Guns have ejector rod shrouds, not half or partial lugs. The only S&Ws that I'm aware of that have half lugs are 686s. Sorry to be bitchy, but this terminology is a pet peeve of mine.

Retired LTC said:

How much more weight is an unfluted cylinder than a fluted one?

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Not much. We're mostly talking theory about accelerated wear from heavier cylinders, but I think it's sound theory. The weight difference is going to vary based on the age of the fluted cylinder. S&W used to cut nice attractive deep flutes. They changed to shallow flutes in the mid 1990s presumably to cut down machining time. I'd prefer that a member with an electronic scale post a comparison of fluted vs. non-fluted cylinder weights. My old fashioned beam powder scale doesn't go high enough. The only scale I could use is an antique food scale that does give me an accurate count on a coffee can of cast bullets but is no match for a modern electronic scale.

In addition to reduced wear, cylinder flutes have two more important advantages. First, less weight also reduces DA trigger pull. The old speed trick shooter Bill Jordan used to write how a K frame's light cylinder weight gave K frames easier DA pulls than N frames. That big a difference I can feel in the DA pull myself. Lastly, flutes aid in closing the cylinder with a chamber in line with the barrel, and especially aids aligning a partially loaded cylinder so that all the cartridges fire before an empty rotates to the top. That's significant firing revolvers with more than six charge holes in matches with rules that don't allow loading more than 6 cartridges.

scooter123 said:

Actually, the 4 inch 610-3's all came with unfluted cylinders, it was the 6 1/2 inch 610-3 that came with the fluted cylinder.]

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scooter123 said:

Scooter123, there is currently a 610-3, 4" with the fluted cylinder currently for sale on Gunbroker.com.

S&W 610-3 10mm 3 7/8" Smith Wesson : Revolvers at GunBroker.com

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