S&W 610 or S&W 629

[klhender]

I'm new to S&W (always been a Glock and Ruger man). I shot a friends 610 and his 629 and decided to pick one up myself. But, which one .. I guess I always thought I'd purchase a S&W one day but never went much down that trail until now. Both are great guns - but this purchase is not for need as much as it is for a little fun... and to add a S&W to my collection?

All advice is welcome!

 

[The Analyst]

Do you have a preference? Which is more appealing to your eye?

 

[Nukewaste]

Hello
I don't have as much experience with SW as some of the more experienced folks, but I recommend avoiding the pistol caliber 610 and go with the 629. May be more fun!

 

[Tanners Owner]

OP- what do you intend on using the gun for? If hunting, I'd lean toward the 629. If range or non hunting I'd go for the 10mm. That is what I'd do if faced with your problem.

That said both can serve you well. Some will say the 10mm can do well for hunting, and it probably can, but think the 44 mag has more versatility for that discreet purpose. Some also may say the moonclips are frustrating to use. That has not been my experience, but understand how one can view it.

The 610 can also shoot 40 S&W while the 629 can also shoot 44 Spl.

 

[shocker]

I'd check out a 357 magnum like the 686.

Unless you going hunting, or want to test your pain tolerance, the 357 is a funner range gun than a 44. Cheaper to shoot too whether you reload or buy ammo. And if you stoke it up, the 357 still has a lot of smack.
Leave the 10 mm for a Glock 20.
IMO, of course.

 

[pasound]

.44 spl in a 629 is easy to shoot. And accurate. For target, it's the way to go. 10's are full power unless you load your own.

 

[jdlii]

I am fortunate to have both and though a favorite may be a little hard to choose, the . 44 magnum would have a slight edge.

The fact that I reload gives me the opportunity to provide ammo that fits the occasion, hunting, range time or plinking. The 610, as I am sure you know can handle the 10mm or the .40 caliber so, you have a choice of ammo with this one as well.

For barrel length on the .44 magnum, a 4 inch may be the best but, for all around use, a 6 or 6.5" inch brings out all this round has to offer.

 

[hogblue]

Well the solution is to get both. Start your Smith and Wesson collection off on the right foot. You'll need to get another safe though, once you start it never stops.

You'll be infected with the S&W blue virus.

 

[cadmike]

IMO the choice is easy. 629

 

[Invictus357]

Easy.

Start with the 629.

Then get a 610.

Then get a 686.

Then get a PC 327

Then get a pinned 4 screw hand ejector

Then get a 5 screw with numbered grips and the original pristine box it came in

Then get a...

 

[WCCPHD]

I have both and love both. The 629 is a bit more versatile because you can shoot .44 Special ammo which has less recoil. Both are expensive to feed as the .44 mag and special is pricey as is the 10mm.

One advantage of the 610 is that you can also shoot .40 in it and that is a bit less pricey than 10MM or 44.

As others have said it really depends on what you plan to use it for.

Here are mine. As you can see I have more 629's than 610's, but I do have a 1076 and a 10mm 1911, so I'm even on what I now have.

610




629's




1076

 

[Gas tube]

610 is a awesome gun from target shooting to bowling pin matches you can shoot 40s&w all day long Nice to have moon clips at the ready

 

[cmj8591]

Not to disparage the 10mm, I own several, but the 44 is a lot more versatile when talking about revolvers. You can make a 44 do anything a 10 can do but you can't make the 10 do a lot of things the 44 can. Both of those guns are the same except for chambering. I am still trying to wrap my head around the reason for a 10mm revolver. The 45 revolver was an answer to quickly being able to provide handguns for WW1 and hung around since. But for me, a 10mm revolver is a solution looking for a problem.

 

[Gas tube]

Not to disparage the 10mm, I own several, but the 44 is a lot more versatile when talking about revolvers. You can make a 44 do anything a 10 can do but you can't make the 10 do a lot of things the 44 can. Both of those guns are the same except for chambering. I am still trying to wrap my head around the reason for a 10mm revolver. The 45 revolver was an answer to quickly being able to provide handguns for WW1 and hung around since. But for me, a 10mm revolver is a solution looking for a problem.

Not to disagree with a 44 magnum it's good for hunting but For a first revolver the 44 is a flincher using ammo from stores.if you reload 240gr waddcutters with 8grains of unique that's accurate and more pleasant to shoot .. 10MM is still good for hunting a little less bite than. 357magnum and 40s&w to shoot what ever you want and ammo is pretty cheap and accurate

 

[heavyduty5150!]

629 44 magnum all the way. A 10mm revolver is redundant and I don't see a use for it. 357 magnum is more powerful and you can get up to 8 shots and 44 magnum is even more powerful than 357 magnum hence the 10mm revolver is redundant and worthless

 

[sparkyvega]

Well, one thing the 44Mag can't do is shoot 10mm ammo, which I shoot in my 1911 and 610. Not to disparage the 629. I have and enjoy shooting one of those too.

Not to disparage the 10mm, I own several, but the 44 is a lot more versatile when talking about revolvers. You can make a 44 do anything a 10 can do but you can't make the 10 do a lot of things the 44 can. Both of those guns are the same except for chambering. I am still trying to wrap my head around the reason for a 10mm revolver. The 45 revolver was an answer to quickly being able to provide handguns for WW1 and hung around since. But for me, a 10mm revolver is a solution looking for a problem.

 

[Dieseltech56]

I didn't think I would like the 610 and moonclips as much as I do. Makes reloading a breeze and with handloads there's plenty of power from a 10.

Even though these have the IL they are 2 of my favorite guns

629-6

610-3 3 7/8

 

[Jon651]

I'm new to S&W (always been a Glock and Ruger man). I shot a friends 610 and his 629 and decided to pick one up myself. But, which one .. I guess I always thought I'd purchase a S&W one day but never went much down that trail until now. Both are great guns - but this purchase is not for need as much as it is for a little fun... and to add a S&W to my collection?

All advice is welcome!

I own a 629 Classic so my opinion just may be a little skewed. However, if the choice is between the 610 and the 629 then I would select the 629 if for nothing more than the versatility of being able to use .44 Special - which I do. And I also don't want to have to use moon clips, which the 610 needs because it uses semi-auto ammunition.

Of course, now there's going to be an entire discussion about barrel length...

 

[Dave Lively]

I would go with the 44 unless you already own a 10mm Glock and like the idea of sharing ammo.

I bought a 610 in the early 90s after the 10mm auto I had broke. A few years ago I bought a S&W 69 in 44 magnum and sold the 610. The 610 was great gun but I found the 44 did everything I want a revolver to do better. More power than a 10mm when you want it and factory ammo ranging from weak cowboy loads to full power magnums loads that pack a bigger punch than any 10mm load. Of course reloaders can pick any power level they want with a 10mm revolver but factory ammo is 40 or 10mm with not much in between. I also like not needing a moon clip or having to pluck the empties out individually.

Just because your friend prefers the big N frames like the 610 and 629 doesn't mean you will. At least look and the smaller L frame revolvers like the 686 (357 magnum) and 69 (44 magnum). I find they handle and balance better but that is subjective. Lighter than the N frames so there will be more recoil but that was a tradeoff I was willing to make. I do not shoot many full power magnums through mine though.

 

[colt_saa]

Welcome to the Forum

With these as the only two choices, I would purchase a 610 in a heartbeat. But then, I have never been a fan of the 44 Magnum.

I own a few 44 Magnums because I collect Smith & Wesson

But I am not making this purchase, you are.

Since you did not tell us you are hand loader, I presume you are not.

With that in mind and again with these as the only two choices, I would recommend that you purchase a 629

A selection of 44 Magnum ammunition is on the shelf of any retailer in any town of the US. That can not be said about 10MM Auto ammunition

Now, if we can go outside of your two choices, like many others I would recommend a 357 Magnum. The cartridge is beautiful for paper punching, there are lots of 38 target loads geared toward to organized competition and of course, there is always full power 357 Magnum.

​

Plus, as you can see modern 357 Magnums are available in an 8 shot variety

 

[Rammer Jammer]

Another vote for a 629 or any other 44 Magnum for all the reasons already stated in favor for the caliber.

 

[Bullzaye]

Hmm...a lot of varying opinions. Not terribly surprising.

As others have said, it really depends on your main purpose/use for this revolver.

It sounds to me as if you are just looking for a nice S&W revolver to add to your stable, without any definitive role for it to fulfill. So, assuming that my presumption is more-or-less correct...I would offer this:

I have the first variant of the 610, a 5 in. barreled, unfluted cylinder, made around 1990-92. I also have a couple 29/629s. One of them is post-lock. So...a couple considerations. First, if you break out an N frame to show off to people, they're going to expect to be seeing a .44 Magnum. Yes, there are other calibers to be found in an N frame...such as .44 Spl, .45 ACP, .45 Colt, 10 MM, .357 Magnum, and perhaps some others. But...most people will associate the N frame with the .44 Mag.

So...if you pull out an N frame, others might be disappointed to see that it's not a "Dirty Harry" gun. Or, more savvy S&W enthusiasts *might* be pleasantly surprised to see the less common 10 MM.

Also...are you looking to get a currently available model, with the IL? Or will you be wanting to find an earlier pre-lock version. IMO, if you're looking for a real addition to your collection, one that will enhance it, and likely appreciate in value...you'll want to look for a nice pre-lock version, hopefully in the best condition possible, with original box and accessories. In this case, I'm presuming you'll only be shooting it very casually, and not a lot of rounds...so the cost/availability of ammo is not really a large factor. Nor is the capability/utility of the caliber an issue either. So...purely as an addition to a collection, the .44 is probably more iconic.

The first variant of the 610 is also rather sought after, so amongst S&W afficionados, the 5 in. M.610 from the early 90's can be very cool. To be honest, the desirability of any model may be very contingent on the barrel length/dash number. Of course, as the desirability of any given model rises...so does the price. Also, purely as an addition to a collection, early blued models (in pristine condition) may be slightly more desirable, in the eyes of a collector. (Blued is not an option for the 10 MM.) Obviously...opinions will vary.

If, however...you're looking to add a nice S&W, which will also be a useful shooter, for recreational use, target shooting, hunting, and/or self defense...you'll probably be better served by a newer model with the IL. I say that only because they are generally less expensive...I think(?). Of course, you might locate a nice, slightly worn older pre-lock for similar money, which...assuming that it's mechanically sound, would be preferable.

So, as a shooter, as others have said...the choice of caliber will be dependent on your primary purpose, and also to some extent, on whether or not you reload, or are planning on reloading. For target shooting/self defense, I would opt for the 10 MM. For SD, the use of moon clips, and the ability to practice with less expensive .40 S&W ammo is another plus for the 10 MM. For hunting or self defense in the great outdoors, I'd probably go with the .44 Magnum. If you're using commercial ammo, the 10 MM is less expensive, if less common. But, if you buy in quantity online, availability isn't really an issue. If you want to be guaranteed of being able to walk into an average gun shop and finding a box of ammo...obviously .44 Mag is the better choice.

One last comment. As others have mentioned, depending on your actual intended usage, there are other models which you may want to consider. Even in the N frame, there is the gorgeous (and expensive) early Model 27, plenty of relatively affordable and very useful M.28s, the later very nice M.627 with 5 in. barrel and unfluted cylinder, the Model of 1988/1989 M.625 in .45 ACP, and the M.625 in .45 Colt. Moving away from the N frames, the M.586/686 are exceptional revolvers...big enough to tame full house .357 loads, but more "carryable" than M.627s. And the M.19/66...much easier to carry, and while more of a handful and not quite as durable as the larger L & N frames, perfectly adequate for a lifetime of reasonable Magnum usage.

So...I feel as though I've rambled on too long, and not provided much *solid* insight. So, I guess I'll close with the abrupt, no-frills answer which you seemed to be seeking. I *love* my 10 MMs...I have 2 Glock 20s, the 610, and I'd dearly love to find a 1066 or 1076. BUT...the unfortunate truth is that the future of 10 MM is uncertain. The .44 Magnum will obviously be around for a long time. So, if you wish to know that ammunition will remain available...I'd get the .44 Magnum.

Best of luck! Don't rush...enjoy the hunt.

 

[cmj8591]

Not to disagree with a 44 magnum it's good for hunting but For a first revolver the 44 is a flincher using ammo from stores.if you reload 240gr waddcutters with 8grains of unique that's accurate and more pleasant to shoot .. 10MM is still good for hunting a little less bite than. 357magnum and 40s&w to shoot what ever you want and ammo is pretty cheap and accurate

True enough but you shouldn't be buying either of them as a beginner gun if your goal is to actually learn how to shoot. If you haven't developed some kind proficiency already you're going to have a hard time with any of these cartridges including the 40. If you are just looking for soft loads and don't want to reload, there is the 44 special for the 629, which I would argue is softer than a 40. Just my opinion, but you should have a lot of trigger time with 22's and 38 wadcutters under your belt before you even start looking at either one of these.

 

[Bullzaye]

True enough but you shouldn't be buying either of them as a beginner gun if your goal is to actually learn how to shoot. If you haven't developed some kind proficiency already you're going to have a hard time with any of these cartridges including the 40. If you are just looking for soft loads and don't want to reload, there is the 44 special for the 629, which I would argue is softer than a 40. Just my opinion, but you should have a lot of trigger time with 22's and 38 wadcutters under your belt before you even start looking at either one of these.

Unless I'm mistaken...I didn't get the impression that the OP was a "beginner". He says he has other guns, mostly Glocks and Rugers, if I recall. And, he says he already shot his friend's 629 & 610. So, he has experience with handguns, perhaps already owns some Magnum Ruger revolvers, but he wants a S&W now. And, he's fired these guns, so he has a notion of what he's getting involved with.

Ordinarily, I would say your advice is sound. It still is...but I'm not *sure* if it's quite as applicable to this situation.

 

[gerhard1]

Liking them both, my preference is the 610. 10 mm is a good round and the moon clips make a very fast reload. Recoil is more manageable in my experience as well.

Here is a picture.

Either would be a good choice.

 

[mikerjf]

If you're just looking to add "a revolver", I'd go with a K or L frame 357, just because it is so versatile and is the classic revolver of all time, pretty much.

If you want big-bore, then the 629 because the 44 Mag is the classic big-bore, and you don't want to be *required* to use moons.

Unless you love the 10mm and want ammo-compatibility.

 

[m657]

IF you're not confused enough yet, and perhaps might become a reloader, don't overlook the marvelous 41 Magnum. A whole stable of S&W N-frame revolvers in a double handful of calibers and barrel lengths, all to bring pleasure and satisfaction to your revolver needs.



At one point, I had a little collection of the mighty 629s in barrels 3/4/6/8-3/8" at the same time. They all had favorite loads and all provided a different sense of target accuracy and sensory feedback. Despite geezer vision, I recently developed a load for my iron sighted long barrel, capable of golf-ball accuracy at 70' from the bench, in 10 out of 12 shots.




Betcha won't want to stop at just one, whatever your first choice may be.

 

[CJSmith]

....hence the 10mm revolver is redundant and worthless

I know the comment isn't in response to the market price but that may be one thing to consider if under a budget restriction. I don't have anything to add about the caliber comparison but those pre-lock 610's sure demand a high price. The 629s seem to be much more readily available and at a lower price on the secondary market if strictly considering pre-lock guns.

Like others have alluded to in many posts, questions like this lead to one buying both guns at some point. Need ain't got nothing to do with it. Good luck.

 

[clang444]

If you do not reload and are not rich - get the 610 and fire .40 S&W out of it.

If you do reload - get whichever floats your boat. You'll probably wind up with both eventually if you become a revolver guy.

If you are in the market for a first revolver I suggest you look at the following:
617 - for lots of 22lr plinking fun.
686 or 627 - .357 Mag goodness that also fires .38 Special.
625 - if you already have a .45ACP pistol, this is a fine .45ACP revolver that uses the same ammo.

 

[gerhard1]

Liking them both, my preference is the 610. 10 mm is a good round and the moon clips make a very fast reload. Recoil is more manageable in my experience as well.

Here is a picture.

Either would be a good choice.

Having my left hand in a cast, (I am right-handed) I just got to the point where I can reload my 610, using the moon clips. I don 't think I could it without using the clips.

Minor advantage of the 610.