S&W Model 10-10 .....Wow !

[HJBM&P22Custom]

A friend showed up at the range last week with his Smith and Wesson Model 10-10! What a beautiful gun and he let me shoot it. Fantastic trigger in both double action and single action. I'd love to have one but I would never carry it. Only 6 rounds and the trigger is so light I'd actually be afraid to carry it because I might shoot someone by accident. But I wish I had one just for the range.

Anyone else have one of them? I would assume some of the later models by Smith and Wesson are probably similar and have the same trgger as the Model 10.

 

[S-W4EVER]

I’ve got a retired Aussie LE Model 10-10 (4”, round butt) and it’s a nice revolver but it doesn’t have a hair trigger (but I shoot double action). I wouldn’t have a problem carrying it for self-defense (after all, it served the purpose a LEO in its previous life).

 

[bobsguns]

I have a pre-Model 10, which might be older than I am (65).

By & large, Smith revolver triggers have always been the high point of their design, IMO. Back-in-the-day, their single action pull was a joy to behold. Some models got at or below the 2lb mark, which is bullseye-level setting. Some would call that light trigger a "hair trigger" as well. Some would call it "just right".

Don't fear a good trigger on a carry gun! The fix is perfectly simple: don't cock the hammer! In a defensive situation leave the hammer down! That way it's a longer, double action pull, somewhere in the 8-9lb area, most likely. If you're holding someone for the cops at gun point, you certainly don't want a negligent discharge if the guy sneezes, for example.

Prior to about the mid-1960s or so, the Model 10 was arming the vast majority of America's police officers. The remaining went with a Colt model. The two guns looked different but operated the same for all intents & purposes.

The Model 10 allows a shooter to ease into using centerfire ammo without dealing with a lot of recoil. Using wadcutter-type ammo, it's not much more recoil than a .22LR gun. As the shooter gets more experience & comfortable, they can bump up the ammo loadings to where they're most confident with it.

Every gun owner should own some sort of .38sp steel-framed revolver, IMO. They're perfect nightstand guns, IMO.

While the wonderful police trade-in deals are now long gone, a used Model 10 can sometimes be had in the upper-$300s, lower $400s with a little shopping. They may not look as pretty as a new one, but they'll often outshoot the newer guns.

My .o2

 

[flagaman1950]

I do agree with Bobsguns. It is surprising at how some of the older smiths (and younger) can have light and very smooth triggers. I recently picked up a old victory model that is lighter in both double and single action than all but my old K38 that I used in local competition many years ago. Personally, I would not hesitate to carry this old victory as a concealed carry weapon as I can hit with hit almost as well as with my old K38.

 

[stansdds]

Although a negligent discharge can happen with a light, crisp, single action trigger, it will not happen with a double action trigger. This is why some law enforcement agency issued revolvers would have the hammer spur removed and maybe even have hammers that lacked the single action cocking notch. As for a super smooth trigger action, that usually comes from either a talented gunsmith or lots of live and dry firing combined with good cleaning and lubrication habits. Modern production Model 10's are more likely to have a heavier trigger action, they are built to avoid litigation.

 

[redglare]

I failed to land this one off GunBroker.com a few years back, and have regretted it ever since.

200623DS04 - Google Photos

 

[heeter3]

HJBM&P22Custom.I have 2 earlier M&P models a 4 in and 6 in.Both are fantastic and I do mean fantastic shooters.You cant go wrong with a 10 or earlier M&P and even and average shooter like me is not allowed to make a bad shot with one.For me at least 6 rounds are plenty out of one of these gems.Glad you got to experience shooting a 10.

 

[ruger 22]

My son and I picked up 2 sequentially numbered LE Model 10-10's for a bit over $500 combined. Not really shot a lot but a lot of holster bluing wear. These both have very light triggers for both single and double action. They have rapidly become our favorite centerfires . His has Crimson Trace laser grips on it and I have magnas with an old Pach adapter on mine. I took the wobble out of the Pach and these are darn close to perfection!!

 

[Peak53]

Model 10's are the real deal; I have a handful, including a police turn in purchased from Bud's quite a few years ago. It has some blue wear, and I added some Herritt's to replace the worn magnas, plus one of the best SA/DA triggers known to man. Probably the result of thousands of fired rounds. It's a joy to shoot.