New Model 10

91B40

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Location
Crescent City, CA USA
Does anyone have experience with the new Model 10?
Is the 2 piece barrel an issue?
Are the fit quality and finish acceptable?
I am stuck in California and it has become impossible to find used S&W .38 Specials.
 
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Does anyone have experience with the new Model 10?
Is the 2 piece barrel an issue?
Are the fit quality and finish acceptable?
I am stuck in California and it has become impossible to find used S&W .38 Specials.

The new Model 10 and Model 36 do not have two-piece barrels, only the new 19 does. From the reviews I'm seeing, it's typical S&W hit or miss, with some folks getting guns they aren't happy with and some guns looking phenomenal.

But if you live in Crescent City, I'd more be looking for something like this....(that town used to be nice, once...)
i-dQpM9gW-X2.jpg
 
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Are you saying that you are restricted to buying guns in CA or you just can't find anything good on gunbroker.com et al?
 
Clarification

Crescent City has no gun store anymore. If I were to take the chance of buying online, sight unseen (which I HAVE done), I would have to travel quite a distance to pick up the gun from a California FFL. Also, since we’re considering revolvers that aren’t on the CA Handgun Roster, the only used Model 10’s I could purchase online would have to already be within the state. Since the same amount of travel would be required to buy a new gun, I have asked here about anyones’ experiences with the new ones.
There are a number of gun sellers across the Oregon border, but they will not sell any firearms to Californians as a matter of policy.
 
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There are a number of gun sellers across the Oregon border, but they will not sell any firearms to Californians as a matter of policy.

And as a matter of law... It's illegal to sell a handgun to an out of state resident in any state.
 
Not at all. They can sell to an out-of-state resident all day long.

But the buyer can't take DELIVERY except in their own state. Huge difference.

Sorry, I thought that went without saying. I don't believe the OP meant he would drive to a gun store in OR and then have them ship to an FFL in California, given he said he has no local FFL's. Crescent City, where he lives, is closer to Oregon than to any other town in California, so I believe he meant purchasing at an OR dealer when he made his comment.
 
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I have two of the new Model 10-14. Solid bull barrel.

C92pdLFl.jpg

shown with Model 36-10

The first one I purchased new online in early 2022. It was a hot mess: buggered screws, and rough double action. Returned it to S&W, and they completely replaced the revolver, saying the frame was bad. Replacement was perfect.

Second one I purchased used, late last year. It was built within a few months of my other one. No flaws at all.

These are very solid guns if made correctly. Neither the lock nor the MIM parts don't bother me in least. The guns have good actions out of the box and can be made better by someone who knows what he is doing. (N.B. Dropping a Miculek spring kit into the gun does not constitute "knows what he is doing") Both are more accurate than any of the M&Ps and Model 10s I've had previously, and they shoot to the sights.

Both my guns have proper roll markings and engraving. However, the guns made since at least 2023 have hideous raised laser etching of the S&W seal, Marcas Registradas block and serial number, which in my opinion look like dodo on a polished blued gun.

As has been said, I wouldn't buy a new S&W revolver sight unseen unless I was desperate. The quality is not consistent.
 
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Crescent City has no gun store anymore. If I were to take the chance of buying online, sight unseen (which I HAVE done), I would have to travel quite a distance to pick up the gun from a California FFL. Also, since we’re considering revolvers that aren’t on the CA Handgun Roster, the only used Model 10’s I could purchase online would have to already be within the state. Since the same amount of travel would be required to buy a new gun, I have asked here about anyones’ experiences with the new ones.
There are a number of gun sellers across the Oregon border, but they will not sell any firearms to Californians as a matter of policy.

I can’t blame the Oregon dealers for not wanting to sell guns to CA residents.
I wouldn’t even risk a private sale on handguns, long guns, or high-capacity magazines either.
 
That's illegal too, unless the gun goes through an FFL holder in the buyers home State.

This is incorrect. The law only applies to handguns.

What about rifles / shotguns ??

Yes, an out of state resident can purchase a rifle or shotgun in-person in another state. The caveat is that the firearm must be legal for the purchaser to own both in the state they are buying it in, and in their own state. For this reason, it may be difficult to find a dealer who is willing to sell to an out of state buyer, because it would require the dealer to be up to date on firearm laws in other states.

Here it is right off the ATF's website:

"A licensee may sell a rifle or shotgun to a person who is not a resident of the state where the licensee’s business premises is located in an over–the–counter transaction, provided the transaction complies with state law in the state where the licensee is located and in the state where the purchaser resides.

[18 U.S.C. 922(b)(3); 27 CFR 478.99(a)]
"

And here is the Washington state law, as an example:

"RCW 9.41.122
Out-of-state purchasing.
Residents of Washington may purchase rifles and shotguns in a state other than Washington: PROVIDED, That such residents conform to the applicable provisions of the federal Gun Control Act of 1968, Title IV, Pub. L. 90-351 as administered by the United States secretary of the treasury: AND PROVIDED FURTHER, That such residents are eligible to purchase or possess such weapons in Washington and in the state in which such purchase is made: AND PROVIDED FURTHER, That when any part of the transaction takes place in Washington , including, but not limited to, internet sales, such residents are subject to the procedures and background checks required by this chapter.
[ 2015 c 1 s 6 (Initiative Measure No. 594, approved November 4, 2014); 1970 ex.s. c 74 s 1. Formerly RCW 19.70.010.]"


Note that it doesn't say, "may purchase from", it says, "May purchase in" another state...
 
Unless they changed the law (I left CA in 2019), C&R's (50 years or older) are exempt from the roster. Just find a nice pre-1975 model 10 or M&P and have it sent to your local FFL. That 75+ years of model 10's or M&P's you can buy.

It seems a lot of new production S&W's have issues and may need to go back to the factory for repair. I'm not sure how much of a hassle that would be in CA if that happened to you. But overall, I actually find I like the quality of newer (1990's and on) production S&W's better than some of the older guns.
 
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That's illegal too, unless the gun goes through an FFL holder in the buyers home State.



Not true. In many states long guns can be purchased & delivery made to out-of-state buyers.

It's perfectly legal in most of the states in the South. I myself bought a Norinco 22 ATD from a FL FFL as a TN resident.
 
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