I just don't see the point of auto cartridges in a revolver. But it seems like most of you guys are pretty excited so there must be something to it.
They use moon clips and the 10mm has almost identical ballistics to high end .357 magnums BUT the long, skinny .357s are a pain to load quickly with moon clips, they can become pitched and hang up.
The shorter, fatter, rounder 10mms slide ride into the cylinders, especially after a chamfer job. Basically, the 10mm is easier and faster to reload under stress vs the .357 even if both use moon clips.
Also, the 10mm shoots a bigger heavier bullet with every bit as much energy as a .357 magnum. It just all adds up to a fast loading, very hard hitting, superb little setup. Also another plus to the 610 is it can use .40 S&W ammo for cheap practice and/or lower recoil. Prices on .40 S&W are very low today, actually often lower than .38 Special, but few will argue a .38 hits harder than the .40, so for the same "buck" you get more bang!
What a versatile pistol the 610 is! With the longer barrel and maximum 10mm loads with heavy bullets, it's suitable for everything up to boar and deer. With the shorter 4" bbl, it makes an ideal defensive revolver. If I were a cop on duty today and had to use a wheel gun for whatever reason, it would be the 610 and I'd have a speedloader pouch modified to carry two moonclips stacked on top of each other.
So yeah... no wonder the 610 is a huge hit with guys in the know! On the surface, it might be a head scratcher to some, but consider the benefits and the beauty quickly shows!!