S&W Model 10 & .38 Special +P Safe?

[BlindJustice]

I have a friend flying back to S.Carolina see a grandparent before she passes. SHe is giving him an S&W Model 10 4' Bbl.

Is it safe to assume if it's a Model 10 and
post '57 .38 SPecial +P is ok to fire in it?
He asked me because he's a semi-auto shooter, and it is his first revolver.

Randall

 

[BlindJustice]

I have a friend flying back to S.Carolina see a grandparent before she passes. SHe is giving him an S&W Model 10 4' Bbl.

Is it safe to assume if it's a Model 10 and
post '57 .38 SPecial +P is ok to fire in it?
He asked me because he's a semi-auto shooter, and it is his first revolver.

Randall

 

[Spotteddog]

FBI load. It's the gun and barrel length it was designed for.

 

[BlindJustice]

Is the FBI Load +P oh, SottedDOg ?

Randall - I ain't sotted yet, it isn't even
past noon here.

 

[Erich]

It is.

Yes, it's perfectly safe to fire .38 Special +P rounds in a steel-framed model-numbered K-frame.

 

[Bacon]

Although you can shoot +P in a modern revolver, it isn't a good idea to give it +P as a regular diet. A revolver not made for it can wear out prematurely. What many folks do, including myself, is practice with regular 38 Special and keep +P in it for real life situations.

 

[Texas Star]

Bacon is correct. The USAF experienced considerable accelerated wear to their M-15 S&W's when used with Plus P ammo.

Just use it for occasional practice and when you need the added power. This is especially true of the little J-frame guns. I follow that rule even though my M-60-4 is Rated by the factory for Plus P's.

If you need a small gun that will fire Plus P's often, I suggest Ruger's SP -101.

But the M-10 will handle all the Plus P that you really need to fire. I'd sure use it for defense, against both men and other animals.

T-Star
P.S. Bacon-
I like that avatar!

 

[Bobwtn]

I agree 110% with Erich and Bacon. Carry either 45 acp +P or 38 spl. +P for CCW. In my Smith's, I have an old Model 10 pencil barrel and an old Mod. 64 pencil barrel. I have a modern day 5 shot J frame smith and wesson and it is rated of +P. I carry the hoter +P for protection, for for target play, it is much cheaper to use target loads and as stated, easy on firearm and shooter. I have shot +P 38's since 1975 and no problem. I have seen two very damaged older S & W airweight frame Model 37's due to four or five rounds of +P ammo. Older alloy frame, such as with S & W, the "pin barrel" type, I would not ever shoot a +P.

During the 70's, it was my dept. issued load in 125 gr. Rem. HP (controlled expansion projectile for the progessive/liberal wing.) Our dept. used the round a few times on thugs and some got to meet their maker upon the reception of the Remington. We bought our revolvers then, they gave us the ammo. Frankly, I think those "old fashioned" +P 38 rounds did better than some of the 40 cal rounds most carry today.

 

[Hulkami40]

I have a Mod 10-6 I purchased in 1981, It has the Mod.10 stamped in frame and is a "3 Bull barrel. I've shot many +P rounds through it with no problems(loud as hell though, wear ear protection all the time).I bought this at the time because an FBI agent friend of mine recommended it to me, as it was their carry revolver at the time. Very smooth shooter with special or +P ammo. I will never get rid of this gun, it sets on my night stand. I have a Glock 23 Gen 4, and a S&W .9mm Shield that I love, Shield is definately my go to carry pistol!

 

[Targets Guy]

+P's are fine just use moderation. No reason to plink with a +P.

 

[cowboy4evr]

Todays +P (except buffalo bore etc) is a lot tamer than 30+ yrs ago . I wouldn't worry about it . The model 10 is not a " weak sister " like some foreign makes . For target practice , I just don' t see a need to hotter rounds . There's many a bad guy taking a " dirt nap " from std 38spl rounds .

 

[ArchAngelCD]

This thread is 9 years old so I'm sure the OP has gotten his answer. There is no reason to bring this thread back from the Abyss.

 

[Alk8944]

This thread is 9 years old so I'm sure the OP has gotten his answer. There is no reason to bring this thread back from the Abyss.

Not when there are any number of more recent or even current posts that ask exactly the same question!

 

[rwsmith]

Every expressed their opinion....

....but I'll add mine.

The model 10 laughs at +P. Especially latter day +Ps. I've pushed some hotter loads and felt safe. Continued use of the heaviest loads might accelerate wear, but it's built to take it. A model 19 that shoots .357 is a 'K' frame but it's not recommended for continuous duty with hot loads.

 

[38SPL HV]

I can't resist answering also....In my older Smiths, and I had a few, I just stayed with factory standard velocity. Yea, occasionally shot some +Ps through them, but later in their careers, they were fed standard factory 158 gr loadings or my reload duplicate of 3.5 grs Bullseye with 158 gr RNL or SWC

I don't own any 38 Spl only revolvers anymore (I've downsized) - teary eyed though, miss my 6 inch Model 10.

 

[wbraswell]

Well, since I wasn't even a member of the forum when this started, I'll add my .02. A model 10 being hurt by +P, is about like me being hurt by eating a strip of bacon. I keep +P 125 gr. in my .357 HD gun, but in a Model 10, you could keep a .38/44 load for defense, just don't shoot a lot of them. I recently took both .38 +P 125 gr., and factory 148 WC target ammo to the range, and was surprised how much less the recoil was on the +P, but it sure was a lot louder.