Educate me please on 610's

[Lou_NC]

I own a 625 and really, really like the .45ACP and moon clip approach to loading/unloading a revolver.

I'm considering the purchase of a 610 to compliment my 625, but am not very familiar with the history of that revolver. Could some of you fine folks please provide me with a brief history of:

1) years of production and "dash" history of the 610.
2) barrel lengths available (both in pre-lock and IL versions).
3) fair pricing for the variants

I just saw one sell for north of $1000 on GunBroker: Smith & Wesson S&W 610 No Dash 10mm 5" : Revolvers at GunBroker.com Was there something really special about this particular gun (I see that it was pre-lock)?

I don't mind paying a fair price for an out of production gun, but it would really help me if I could understand what fair pricing is for these guns these days. If it helps, I'm a fan of the 4" to 5" barrel lengths, not really interested in anything shorter or longer.

Thanks,
Lou

 

[9146gt]

They made the 610's in 3-4-5 and 6.5". The 5" is my favorite but the 3" is the most fun to shoot.

Tom

 

[Iowahunter]

The 5 Inch 610's were No Dash guns. limited # produced and the 3 inch 610's were a limited run of just a few hundred for a distributer.

 

[Shooting4life]

That is the going rate these days. I have seen 610 with the locks that sold over 900 which I believe was over msrp. S&w seem to make them every few years. I enjoy my no dash 6.5 inch.

 

[mes227]

I don't know the history but wanted to say that I have a 610 4" barrel and it's one of my favorite revolvers!! I use both steel and plastic moonclips with the 10mm rounds but the plastics give some trouble with the .40S&W loads so I only use steel with them. You can chamber the 10mms without moonclips, which adds some versatility (as well as a way to shoot in a bind) but ejecting the brass requires a tool (even a pencil works for this). I bought mine on a whim as I say a good price at a gun show last year, and the first time at the range fell in love with it.

 

[jcjacobvt]

610 series

To the best of my knowledge -

3" - 300 made, a special run of non-fluted, no-lock models made for and smithed by Lew Horton, if you've ever shot one you'll know how smooth a revolver's trigger should be.

5" - 1900 made, the first of the 610's produced, all with fluted cylinders and no locks.

4" (#?)all non-fluted, some with and some without the locks

6.5" (#?)- some fluted, some not, with and without the locks

I believe the 610-1 is the 6.5" 'Classic' that was reintroduced in 1998 and then followed by the 6.5" 610-2 which has no lock and unfluted cylinder.
The Lew Horton 300 special run of 3" was 610-2 has no lock and unfluted cylinder. The 610-3 is the 4" with the unfluted cylinder and some with the lock, some without.

All current production have lock.

In 2008 MSRP for 4" and 6" was $979.00 and it cost $653.30 at distributor level prior to shipping to dealer.

Check here and GunBroker for a good deal.

 

[scooter123]

I purchased my 6 1/2 inch 610-3 new it 2009 from a local dealer after ordering it via Sports South. Cost was 775.00 OTD provided that I paid in cash, which I did. In hindsight I wish that I'd also purchased another 6 1/2 inch 610 and a 4 inch 610 because the prices for this model in any barrel length have risen enough that the profit on that extra 610 would have gone a long way towards paying for the 4 inch version. I'm still looking for a 4 inch 610 but the current prices are a stopper for me, typical market price realized is trending around 1100 to 1300 bucks for a clean lightly used sample. I did find one 4 inch locally but it had been used as a competition gun and the cylinder stop notches were really beat up bad so I had to pass on it, didn't make sense to pay 750 dollars for a gun that needed to have a new cylinder fitted to it. BTW, not a fan of unfluted cylinders, those flutes reduce the intertia and helps save the stop notches.

Personally, I think that S&W is missing out on a splendid market opportunity by not offering revolvers specifically set up to run the 9mm and the 40 S&W. I've seen posts by members who have converted their 686's to run 9mm ammo on moon clips and they report good to excellent accuracy with the smaller 0.355 inch bullet. I've also probably saved enough on ammo shooting the cheap 40 from walmart in my 610 to go a long way towards paying for my 610. Cuttently I've shot at least 50 boxes of that Federal champion in the 610 at a savings of 6 dollars a box when compared to 38 spl. Compare the savings to 357 Magnums and the 610 is totally paid for, locally the only 357 Magnum I can find runs 28 dollars a box. Point is the cheapest centerfire ammo today is either the 9mm or the 40 S&W and the cost of revolver ammunition today probably drives many shooters away from revolvers. I know that when the "great ammo droubt of 2008" drove 38 spl. up to 23 dollars a box locally I put my 620 into storage and shot the heck out of my 610.

Bottomline, more people want the 610 than there are people willing to sell them. So, if you really want a 610 you'll have to pay a premium for it or wait until someone at S&W wakes up and re-institutes it's production. It's where I am now, if I can find a nice one locally for under a grand, it's mine.

 

[Jack Flash]

From time to time you see a new one (with the lock of course) in gun shops; I thought they were still in production, more or less anyways, but I guess they are not in production now.

On S&W's website, all I see is the M310 "Night Guard", which looks like it may be a dandy little gun if it suits your purposes:
Product: Model 310 Night Guard

Current MSRP on the M310 is $1,185. That, plus the relative rarity of the M610, is why you will see $1k+ prices for the latter.

 

[cyberiad]

I wanted a "fluted" 610-3 4" (lock doesn't bother me) at one time but I'm not willing to pay the current price. I bought a 625 instead. Around the same time I sold the only 40 S&W semi-auto I had and don't feel the need to start reloading 40 again so I tend to doubt I'll get a 610 unless I can find one for around $700 which is probably impossible now.

I was also thinking about having a M66 cut for moon clips. That's still a possibility.

 

[JGus]

I guess I must have really lucked out without knowing it. I just bought a Model 610 4" non-fluted barrel with the lock at a small, local gun show in my hometown for $620, $658 after tax. It's in excellent condition and locks up tight. Looks like it's had little use. While I own a S&W 500mag and many Ruger and Taurus revolvers as well as many auto handguns and many long guns, I knew very little about the M610. I told the dealer if he would sell it for $600 I'd pay cash right now to add it to my gun collection. He countered with $620 and it seemed fair so I bought it. I guess it was a much better deal than I originally thought it was.

 

[scooter123]

JGus, you happened on a dealer who is obviously NOT keeping up with market values. If you look at the completed auctions for the 4 inch 610 on Gunbroker you'll see they run 1000-1200 bucks. So, basically you got that gun for half price. I would suggest that you make it a habit to visit that dealer frequently, you may stumble on an unfired Registered Magnum for 500 bucks.

PS; I've given up on finding a 4 inch 610 at a reasonable price, just ordered a 625JM and should have it Thursday or Friday.

 

[BaldEagle1313]

PS; I've given up on finding a 4 inch 610 at a reasonable price,

The place I use for transfers has 4" 610 stainless on their website for $781.17. It's listed as out of stock right now. I guess I'll have to inquire further.

 

[scooter123]

The place I use for transfers has 4" 610 stainless on their website for $781.17. It's listed as out of stock right now. I guess I'll have to inquire further.

I've seen a lot of internet firearms retailers continue to list out of production guns for up to a year as "out of stock". Davidson's may be the worst for doing this, they've been carrying the Marlin 357 Magnum lever guns in their catalog for 3 full years as "out of stock".

Before I put the money down on that 625JM I had the dealer check every single distributor he was linked up with for a 4 inch 610 and that search came up empty. Quite simply, if a distributor is sitting on a 4 inch 610 he's lost it in his inventory.

I've also found that dealers who list on the internet are pretty good about keeping up to date on market prices for used guns. About 9 months ago I saw what I thought was a "bargain" used 610 listed, a closer look at the pictures posted the showed the reason for that bargain price of 700 dollars, the stop notches on the cylinder were beat up really badly. Considering the cost and difficulty in finding a replacement cylinder and having it fitted, that "bargain" was priced about where it deserved to be, meaning properly repaired it was probably an 1100 dollar 610.

As much as I didn't want to add another caliber the only current option for finding a 4 inch N frame set up for moon clips is one of the 625's. Tomorrow, after I'm certain my 625JM is on the way, I'll post up where I found it for those interested.

 

[Ursoboostd]

My brother wants a 4" 610. I told him we'd never find one. lol

 

[Nightowl]

I finally ran into a 5" fluted no dash 610 after about 20 years of searching. Had to pay $1000 for it after all that time, what is a hundred or two hundred dollars.

 

[jhackl]

Normally I get hosed on guns, but a 5-inch 610 from the first 1990s run was one of the few good-ish deals I've ever had. In early 2009 I was thinking about bidding on a long-nosed one with the ILS posted on gunsamerica.com. When I called a gun store here to see if they would handle the transfer for me, they said they had one! I ran over to find this:

with round-to-square Ahrends fingergrooves. I walked out with it that afternoon having parted with $641.

I still need to smooth out the ledges in the chambers (where the throats start) to prevent jacket shaving (and corresponding ridiculous amounts of leading) when shooting .40 S&W. I really want a dedicated .40 cylinder for it, but it's not a priority right now.

I am still interested in a 6-inch or 6.5-inch 610, but it's not quite a $1000 gun to me yet.

 

[Engine49guy]

WOW, that 10mm is awesome Jhakl.
I have been debating a 45 and or 10mm/40 wheelgun for a while.
Now I WANT one bad....
Also always wanted an FN Browning High Power....
I found one in 40 S&W for $450 bucks last month....
Its an omen that a 10mm is coming my way.

PS...I am a 4" barrel guy but if I find a long tube I will pass it on.

 

[jhackl]

It depends on what you want to do with it. Based on what I've read and seen, most of the gun games (IDPA, USPSA, IPSC) seem to be practically built around the 625 in various forms. Giant charge holes swallow up the short fat ACP cartridges. Load fast, shoot fast, repeat.

I'd like to think that a 610 would be 80% of the gun that the 625 is for practical shooting competition, but with significantly more utility for bowling pins, hunting and whatnot (possibly even silhouettes, but I've never heard of anybody bothering). Not what the 629 is, but just enough to do the job, so to speak.

My experience is sadly limited to the huge grin that comes with shooting it at paper. That's enough to make it one of my favorites already. I know the early '90s were a time of chaos for S&W, but every gun I have from that era (all 10mm) seem plenty high quality to me.

 

[Dave T]

That last picture gave me heart palpitations (LOL). I want a 5" 610 really bad but every time I find one for sale my money situation can't swing it. A member here offered me one but I just didn't have the money. I keep hoping my financial situation will line up with one for sale at the right price...some day! (smile)

Dave

 

[Richard Simmons]

Obviously I'm more than a little biased but unless you're going to be hunting with it, IMO the 3" Lew Horton is the best bang for the buck in a 10mm revolver. I love this gun.

It carries like a dream and shoots like a scalded dog especially with Double Tap 180gr HP.