Is this Legit? Model 10 "Tunnel Rats" Limited Edition

Moo Moo · Oct 31, 2021

Hi everyone.

Was looking through an Australian retailers website and found this new Limited Edition Model 10 Classic "Tunnel Rats" Revolver.

I've not seen anything like this before. A quick check on the internet didn't really turn up much. Is this a factory Edition or something exclusive for Talo, etc? Or is it some gimmick that someone's thrown together?

(Sorry for the poor images. I wasn't able to do a direct Save and Upload. All I could do was screen shots.)

Charlie Foxtrott · Oct 31, 2021

I think that it is somebody's idea of a joke.

It got me laughing.

lihpster · Oct 31, 2021

That has "football bat" written all over it. More like one of those John Wayne "collectible commemoratives" where they plated some parts on a Model 92 and laser engraved **** in the stock. I could be wrong but I bet it was done by someone on some guns they purchased, and kinda poorly at that. JMHO.

glenwolde · Oct 31, 2021

Looks like an aftermarket attempt at creating a "collectible". I'd bet a standard model 10 that it's not factory. It's worth less than the unmodified donor gun to me.

SmithNut · Oct 31, 2021

It's so exclusive......

It's so exclusive, it's a one of one.....

If it went to auction, I bet it would fetch close to $9.00 US....

OLDSTER · Oct 31, 2021

If it's made of metal, it should hold down a stack of papers.

LostintheOzone · Oct 31, 2021

I think the tunnels rats all used ratty old 1911's. At least that's what all of the photos that I've seen indicate. I'm not sure a model 10 was even standard issue in the Vietnam war. The last revolvers issued that I'm aware of was in WW2 to pilots/air crew and tankers because of the shortage of 1911's. I'm not a history professor so I'm sure someone will come along soon to rebuff that.

Looks like a John Wayne special edition to me. Times are tough for people in the firearms bidness apparently.

lkabug · Oct 31, 2021

Now that's the one you want to buy for the story!

murphydog · Oct 31, 2021

A search here on the Forum will turn up a model 29 (?!) that was modified to fire a special round for tunnel work in the Vietnam War era. This one may have been "customized" for an individual but it is not factory.

diyj98 · Oct 31, 2021

LostintheOzone said:
I think the tunnels rats all used ratty old 1911's. At least that's what all of the photos that I've seen indicate. I'm not sure a model 10 was even standard issue in the Vietnam war. The last revolvers issued that I'm aware of was in WW2 to pilots/air crew and tankers because of the shortage of 1911's. I'm not a history professor so I'm sure someone will come along soon to rebuff that.

Looks like a John Wayne special edition to me. Times are tough for people in the firearms bidness apparently.

Actually they did issue Model 10's to some tunnel rats. There are photos of them in use.

Gunhacker · Oct 31, 2021

That gun has the same characteristics as one of the overpriced, gussied up "Tribute" guns advertised in gun magazines (especially prevalent in the monthly NRA magazines).

One never gets back what they paid... it's like buying a new car, it immediately loses value when you drive it off the lot.

MG34/bar · Oct 31, 2021

I was never a tunnel rat (6’2” and 225 Lbs., thank god) but I’ve seen many photos of those guys emerging from the ground, and the handguns seen most often seem to be: 1911; 1917 S&W revolvers; and last the .38 M&P. If I’m not mistaken, the US didn’t just re-use the WWII victory models, but later bought almost 100,000 new model 10 and Ruger revolvers during Vietnam.

ronbwolf · Nov 1, 2021

Not commenting on the legitimacy of this revolver, but a quick search turned up images of their use.

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk

jjmIII_Ruger · Nov 1, 2021

I notice in the pics the TR's keep finger on the trigger...and I'm not here to blame them!

Old_Cop · Nov 1, 2021

Looks like a commemorative for an organization. Worth whatever a shooter M10 is worth.

BrovoEchoSierra · Nov 1, 2021

Just read a book written about this subject. Talk about guys with a lot of guts! I would not go in one of those holes unless someone was holding a gun on me.
I had a friend that was over there in the late 60's, and he said they used to pump propane gas down the hole and drop a hand grenade down the hole.

Thanks to those who served!

Retired W4 · Nov 1, 2021

That Tunnel Rats LE is a mess. As for Victory models in Vietnam, my first issue revolver was a VM. Second was a model 10. They were every where in aviation units.

RoadVirus · Nov 1, 2021

USAF Air Crew carried Victory M&Ps during the first Gulf War.

Moo Moo · Nov 2, 2021

Here's a few other images found on the web.

7shooter · Nov 2, 2021

All the tunnel rats I met were short guys who carried a knife , a flashlight, and a 45. It sounded like an awful job.

Is this Legit? Model 10 "Tunnel Rats" Limited Edition

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