Let's talk about Aussie M10's again....

[Old Corp]

Got mine yesterday, and will have to say I was pretty surprised that it was in such good shape. I got the 4" HB, RB.

About 80%, with most finish wear in the usual LE - gun places, backstrap and edges of muzzle. Bright blue everywhere else, no rust. Fairly tight.
I shot it at my LGS/Range and the first six rounds cleared a 6 steel plate rack like lightning at about 12 yards.

It's a 10-10, which I'm not sure is from what time span - 90's? Unless I missed it, the SCSW did not have that info. S/N: BKZ60xx.

Another surprising/interesting thing - it came with what appear to be a form of original S&W RB grips, complete with escutcheons. Most of the images I had seen of these guns showed some sort of plain vanilla wood grips, minus any sort of S&W escutcheons.

In tearing mine down today for a mostly-unneeded internal cleaning, the grips are obviously a wood laminated product, not like any other magnas I've ever had. Also, on the inside of the right panel, there is an ink stamp of a 3-leaf clover with the brand name of 'ACE', each letter occupying a leaf in the image.
So - are they Smith grips or not?

Oh - a Smartphone code reader will not decipher the little barcode sticker on the gun. I've not decided yet to keep it or remove it.

OK - Aussie experts chime in. Thanks.

 

[Maximumbob54]

Ace used to make laminate grips but I'm not aware they were ever OEM. I bought the exact same gun as you and mine came with one pair of VERY beat up magnas. I tried to clean them up but the right side is all bashed up. I nixed the little sticker as it has zero fun factor for me. I would have at least thought about keeping it if it had a logo of unit name on it. This is mine today:



I didn't like the round butt as much as I had hoped so I went with a more hand filling Ahrends Retro Combat round to square in cocobolo.

 

[holo]

I bought a 3'' now you guys are making me think I need a 4"

 

[Old Corp]

I bought a 3'' now you guys are making me think I need a 4"

I already HAD a 3", but, once again, spending time on the SWF made me want something else.

The mental game was:
-Already had a M&P 4" tapered SB (early '50's gun - have not checked it)
-Already had a M&P 3" tapered (1958)
-Already had a M65-3 3" RB

So, stands to reason that there's a need for one of the Bud's M10's in 4" HB RB.
Plus, with no shipping, tax, or transfer fees, just had to do it.

My bank account would look SO much better if I'd never found this place.

 

[Road Rat]

I'm waiting for Bud to get in more 3 inch Model 10's.

I bought one a couple of years ago and my daughter promptly decided it was hers!!!!!!!

I already have a 4 inch.............

 

[gatchelguy]

3 in. RB is my Grail Gun.

 

[jframejoey]

"-Already had a M&P 3" tapered (1958)" - Old Corp

I did'nt think they made 3 inch tappered barrels, and the 3 inch barrel at all until much latter. Any one have a picture of one? - Joe Mac

 

[CSG]

I got my 10-10 last week but was pretty disappointed with the grips. The finish was just OK but the action was tight. A buddy sent me some K-frame Targets which showed up yesterday and it's a whole new gun. Love the Target grips.

Mine was originally shipped in 1994 according to S&W. That surprised me as I thought these would be older guns.

 

[hotrod150]

I like 3" RB k-frames, but when Buds has used model 10's they always seem to be 3" SB or 4" RB. If I just had to have one, seems like the easiest thing t do would be to buy a 3" SB and modify to a RB.
How's the condition on those model 10's BTW? I'm kind of leary of buying a used gun sight unseen-- some people report getting good ones, while others get a gun that looks like it's been laying in a puddle of water for a couple years.

 

[jaykellogg]

I bought one of the 3" guns, they didn't last at all at $300. I have $326 in it otd. It has some very light rust and I plan on getting it engraved so it'll look like new when done.

At the last Asheville gun show there was a Model 64 with (ugly to me) rubber grips. The asking price was $375 otd. I was tempted to dicker a bit, but i figured by the time I bought a set of combat grips I would have too much in it.

 

[M3Stuart]

I got this 3" back in the first Bud's 'go round'. I got the rare 10-4 variety with the 1/8th inch sights. It is great. It had these horrid stocks on it. I swap out some hogues for shooting and period-correct factory magnas with a Tyler T-grip for presentation.

If I see more 3 inchers, I'll buy another one or two. But I'm not a fan of the HB's anymore after shooting my 15 and tapered-barrel 10 in 4".

Ok, now that I take another look, the stocks aren't THAT horrid. It has the number 63 engraved below the cylinder.

 

[Old Corp]

"-Already had a M&P 3" tapered (1958)" - Old Corp

I did'nt think they made 3 inch tappered barrels, and the 3 inch barrel at all until much latter. Any one have a picture of one? - Joe Mac

This came up as a discussion thread several weeks ago.
Mine is NOT marked 'M10', is a 3" SB, is not cut, and dated to a 1958 ship date, per Roy.
According to SCSW , M&P 3" was a special order.

 

[Andy the Aussie]

Mine was originally shipped in 1994 according to S&W. That surprised me as I thought these would be older guns.

....VicPol were using these till last year (I am not sure that even now the transition is complete), they were still buying new ones till a couple of years ago.