I was practicing bullseye at the local indoor range this evening and took a break. I took a look at their used handguns and saw a 2" Pre-Model 10 that hadn't been there yesterday.
The C prefix 166XXX serial number dates it to around 1949-50. The numbers on the frame, barrel flat, crane, cylinder and ejector star all matched. It had at least 98% on the bluing and the hammer and trigger had bright, deep color. The right hand stock was stamped/numbered to the revolver.
I looked at the $599 price (firm) and said I'd think about it. I shot another 30 rounds, took another break, figured I should get it before someone else does and bought it.
The lighting in the pictures doesn't do it justice. There is a slight turn line, 4 small marks on the cylinder, and a very slight bit of bluing wear on the left edge of the muzzle, otherwise it's in perfect condition. It appears to have been fired very little with a perfect forcing cone and a clean cylinder face.
Since I'd only brought .22LR to the range for my Victor, I bought a box of 158 grain ammunition and proceeded to shoot my new revolver. At 8 yards with a 6 o'clock hold it grouped at the top of the 9 ring on a B-3. Given where it was shooting, and given what I'd been doing earlier, I hung another B-3 target and ran it out to 50'. The 1/10" wide half moon front sight and small square notch rear sight are hard to pick up but they are fairly precise. It shot slightly high on average with a 6 o'clock hold, but six shots resulted in a 54 out of a possible 60 points, even with a flier that was probably my fault. Not bad for a 70 year old revolver.
Some folks might argue that $599 was too much, but if S&W still made one, you'd have to pay a lot more for a new one, and it wouldn't be the same quality.
The C prefix 166XXX serial number dates it to around 1949-50. The numbers on the frame, barrel flat, crane, cylinder and ejector star all matched. It had at least 98% on the bluing and the hammer and trigger had bright, deep color. The right hand stock was stamped/numbered to the revolver.
I looked at the $599 price (firm) and said I'd think about it. I shot another 30 rounds, took another break, figured I should get it before someone else does and bought it.
The lighting in the pictures doesn't do it justice. There is a slight turn line, 4 small marks on the cylinder, and a very slight bit of bluing wear on the left edge of the muzzle, otherwise it's in perfect condition. It appears to have been fired very little with a perfect forcing cone and a clean cylinder face.
Since I'd only brought .22LR to the range for my Victor, I bought a box of 158 grain ammunition and proceeded to shoot my new revolver. At 8 yards with a 6 o'clock hold it grouped at the top of the 9 ring on a B-3. Given where it was shooting, and given what I'd been doing earlier, I hung another B-3 target and ran it out to 50'. The 1/10" wide half moon front sight and small square notch rear sight are hard to pick up but they are fairly precise. It shot slightly high on average with a 6 o'clock hold, but six shots resulted in a 54 out of a possible 60 points, even with a flier that was probably my fault. Not bad for a 70 year old revolver.
Some folks might argue that $599 was too much, but if S&W still made one, you'd have to pay a lot more for a new one, and it wouldn't be the same quality.
