I've got a 1076, I can tell you they're built like Chevy big blocks and can easily be used as daily shooters. Up until S&W abandoned 3rd Gen shooters on warranty and parts, I'd have said shoot the snot out of it. I'm taking it a bit easier on mine now, since parts will be an issue in the future. On thing, if you buy it, call S&W and give them the serial number - there were some that had to be recalled due to, IIRC, decocker problems that might render the gun useless. You can Google it, but I think those that have been repaired have a small drill spot on the frame to indicate they've been serviced. I believe Smith will still do this for free. Holsters and mags, as stated, are the only real bugaboos.
The Colt Delta is a beauty and is pure class, but the barrel isn't fully supported so I wouldn't be comfortable shooting really hot rounds through it for a extended periods of time. But now that they've been resurrected and are more common, they're not the rare item they used to be so maybe being a bit hard on 'em isn't as sacrilegious as it might've been once upon a time. The cracking issue has already been covered in previous posts, but IMHO it was an overstated criticism and affected only the early run 80's version. The newer Delta has no such issue to my knowledge, so this is a phantom problem for the most part.
If it was me, I'd opt for the 1076 due to it's rarity and shoot mild to medium loads through it, with only the occasional hot round. They shoot great, are brilliantly accurate and will feed any type of 10mm ammo you can throw at it. Those things will feed anything, and I mean anything...Blazers, lead reloads, wide mouth hollowpoints, rocks, sticks, broken piston rods, small children, you name it - they're typical 3rd Gen greatness, but only in the Mighty Ten.
And you'll never lose money on it as long as it's in good shape, someone will
always buy it from you in future. Then later on down the road, pick up a newer model Delta Elite since they're now more plentiful and less a collector's object of unreasonable desire (full disclosure: I plead guilty on that charge).
Third option? Save up and get a Sig P220-10mm....they're built like an Königstiger Tiger II tank, you can get it in SAO or DA/SA, fixed or target sights, stainless, two tone or Kryptek and they can be used for self defense or hunting. And if Sig stays true to their erratic product offering tangents, it won't be available for too long. Just $00.02 to throw in from an incurable Sig Sauer fanboy....
