A couple of Models 10s with Forum history come home

[T. McIntyre]

Friends,

Many years ago I was on the Forum under a different handle. My memory is a little hazy about this but in 2004 I had to re-register for some reason, as I could not log in.

Anyways there used to be a member here, and I bet some of you will know who I am thinking of. I want to say he was an NYPD detective, but I am not 100% on that. Might have been Patrol. I ended up going overseas and getting hit with some rockets and mortar blasts and I have some cognitive issues with memory.

Anyways, the member was on here selling Model 10s and Model 36s and 442s at really, really good prices back around the turn of the century. These were straight up working guns. What I would refer to as Old School Gunfighter guns from a bygone era.

I ended up buying a few. My dad who was retired and living in the mountains of central ID saw them, showed them to his retired buddies up there and a number of them wanted them, so I facilitated these old guys getting some of these well worn, but serviceable old Model 10s.

In one case I guess I told one older gentleman who had bought a pair for his home that I would like to buy them back if he gets to the point that he gets too old/wants to sell them, etc.

Fast forward about 25 years. My dad who passed away 2 months ago today. Last fall, prior to passing away, he puts me in contact with the guy with the model 10s and he asked if I still wanted them. OF COURSE! Long story short, he sold them back to me for the same price I gave them to him for all those years earlier, and he even had the box of ammo that I had gave him as a gift. Obviously he had not used the guns at all.

The S&W Forum member who I had shared a number of emails and conversations with ended up sending some patches out to me. I made a post over on Pistol-Forum, about these guns but thought I had lost the patches or given them away.

I was a State Police Firearms instructor, and later an instructor when I did some other work for the .gov working out of the country. Well, I just finally came across those patches! I did not lose them! I was very happy to see them turn up after all these years. The Forum Friend also managed to pick up a NYPD Firearms Instructor patch which was quite cool of him too. Very much appreciated. I am not really a patch collector, but sometimes certain ones, or certain units do matter, depending on if I have a connection.

So here are some pics of some old School Gunfighter guns that came from NY courtesy of a Smith & Wesson Forum member, all the way to the mountains of Idaho. There they would serve a more relaxed duty as house guns in the beautiful mountains of central Idaho for the next 25 years. Finally they are back to being shot and appreciated in a more public venue.

Neat old guns with very smooth actions!

If you gave me the option of choosing a brand new Model 10 and one of these old well worn, but mechanically sound M-10s, I would opt for the old school M10 every time. When you pick it up, you know it is "Just Right".

 

[DoubleNickel]

Very cool! Thank you for sharing!

 

[VASCAR2]

I agree thanks for sharing! And if those model 10’s could only talk. Those revolvers are from the good old days to some of us retirees.

 

[murphydog]

Perhaps BigBoku? I believe he was an NYPD armorer.

 

[T. McIntyre]

Perhaps BigBoku? I believe he was an NYPD armorer.

BigBoku sure sounds right. In fact armorer rings a bell, as I too was an armorer. Too many years have passed. Sadly I lost a nice nickel plated 442 in my divorce that came from the same gentleman. More annoyed about losing the great gun (among others) than the wife of 20+ years...

That was a great little 442.

Even whacked a few Jacks with it.

 

[wproct]

That's such a wonderful story! It's great to own guns with the kind of history that these revolvers have.

 

[SS336]

Great story, enjoyed it.
M10s are very good revolvers, bare bones, lean and mean and ready to do any job you have in mind. Their history alone will bring a smile to your face every time you shoot them.

 

[T. McIntyre]

The grips on these guns are obviously very well worn, and show many years of use. In this particular pic you can see that it would appear that the gun was likely worn in a flap holster, based on the wear on the grips.

I actually really like the feel of these and there is just something about the way they feel when you pick them up and feel how the wood has been worn smooth, blending against the frame from so many thousands of hours of use.

I shot these when I picked them up and with a poly coated 158 grain target SWC load that I produce * I have a small handgun ammo manufacturing company* . The load is an updated re-creation of Phil Hemphill's load he used to win so many championships. I simply use a poly coated projectile, rather than a cast lead, to keep the guns cleaner, and produce less smoke. Plus some poly coated wadcutter loads, they were quite easy to keep the hits center mass. Obvious that S&W has had the sights regulated.

 

[Baxter6551]

Sorry to hear about you injuries. Two great model 10s you have there! Wish I was on the forum back when those were being sold.
I love that NYPD instructors patch in Army MP colors and logo with crossed pistols.
My model 10 was a police Capts but much more finish worn. I had it bead blasted and reblued so now it is a matte blue.
Nice ammo. Is it available for sale ?

 

[Pisgah]

Nice. I'd strap those on to show off at a barbeque...

 

[ladder13]

I’m going with BigBoku. Yes, he was a detective. Also worked at Rodmans Neck.

 

[heeter3]

T.Mcintyre those beauties are priceless good for you.

 

[MajorD]

That is exactly the type of model ten I like! Mechanically good, with exterior wear that shows they served proudly ( it usually keeps the purchase price down too)

 

[T. McIntyre]

Sorry to hear about you injuries. Two great model 10s you have there! Wish I was on the forum back when those were being sold.
I love that NYPD instructors patch in Army MP colors and logo with crossed pistols.
My model 10 was a police Capts but much more finish worn. I had it bead blasted and reblued so now it is a matte blue.
Nice ammo. Is it available for sale ?

Sorry, I did not see the last sentence/question previously.

Yes. I have a little outfit (by little I mean just me). After my LE career I started an ammo biz. I didn't want to put anything in the thread as it wasn't really the focus. Anyways, I own Lost River Ammunition Company. It is all handgun ammo. All the loads are practical common sense stuff. Not geared towards the low information buyer who makes buying decisions based on "who has the hottest, fastest (regardless of if it will function/tear up the gun) loads. It is more towards buyers who put some thought processes into things.

In fact I just had a very long conversation with someone who wants to write about the .32 H&R 130 grain load that I just put out. It was made specifically for J Frames/LCRs and in a specific velocity range. Made to penetrate plenty deep, but not be so fast and hot that it was too nasty to shoot and so unpleasant that you skinned up your thumb knuckle on the cylinder release when you fired it.

In T&E I actually tested loads that were both slower and faster. I also had some people who were handgun owners, but not really avid shooters come be my test subjects.
I had them shoot the gun/loads to find out what was tolerable for them. Long story short, I found the optimal "Goldilocks" range right at 850 FPS out of the 2" barreled snubby guns.

Anyways, I am starting to go down rabbit trails LOL

But yes I know a guy who makes ammo and he is a long time member

 

[Muley Gil]

Member RM Vivas sold a number of ex NYPD Model 10s and Colt OPs that wound up with (IIRC) racetrack security. I bought a couple myself.

 

[Doriangray6]

My model 10-10 made in May of 1994 that I inherited when my father died.
It has a C.A.I. Georgia VT stamp on it so I assume it went overseas as an LEO handgun and was then imported back into the US. I contacted C.A.I. to see if they can give me more info and am waiting for a reply.
At some point the wood grips were replaced with S&W rubber grips and it acquired a +P barrel.
It's a great shooter.

 

[luis]

RM Vivas sold many guns at the time. I purchased several from him. He only sold NYPD used Leo guns not re impoerts.

 

[Baxter6551]

Doriangrey6 if I am not mistaken those are Sile rubber grips. I have a couple of pairs and find them (for me) very comfortable and better than the well known brand. Take them off (especially to wipe down and check as rubber grips hold moisture) and look for “made in Italy”. That will ID as Sile.

 

[1911-10MM]

What a great story, Thanks for sharing.

 

[Doriangray6]

Doriangrey6 if I am not mistaken those are Sile rubber grips. I have a couple of pairs and find them (for me) very comfortable and better than the well known brand. Take them off (especially to wipe down and check as rubber grips hold moisture) and look for “made in Italy”. That will ID as Sile.

Thanks for the info. They do have "Italy" in tiny letters along with S&W - K Square Butt on the inside. They're very comfortable and don't get slippery if my hands are sweaty.
Fortunately Wyoming has a semi arid environment so rust and corrosion aren't real concerns but I periodically take the grips off all my handguns to check for crud or corrosion underneath anyway.