What is it with the pencil barrel model 10's

PRETTY STRONG FEELINGS.

Seeing as S&W has SO MANY different models and variations/options within each model, I can't get so worked up to the point of hating/detesting/despising one vs the other. Being "skinny/pencil/standard" or "fat/heavy" the eye of the beholder, TEHO, come into play. Some "weirdo's" prefer plastic. :eek: They are just guns. Life's too short to get your knickers in a knot over it. My personal preference is for non tapered barrels on the shorter bbl.'s & the longer bbl.'s MAY look better tapered, but there are a bunch of exceptions when looking beyond model 10's. Nothing set in stone for me, if I like it fine, if I don't fine.
 
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What it is they're pretty darn nice.
10-7.jpg
 
My brother in law has a 5" 10-5 that his mother bought new in 68. When his father passed (his mother passed a few years earlier), he received it. It was in the box with the papers, tools and receipt ($109, I believe). It was in a small makeup bag his mother kept it in. It had a box of 38 spl, bought on the same receipt. 6 rd were missing. We figured that it hadn't been fired since those first six. We ended up emptying that box (and kept it...just because) and it hasn't been fired again since. That was about four years ago.
He is considering selling it to me. He doesn't like revolvers. Never did. He has always been a 1911 guy. Bought his first two Colt's in the early to mid 70's.
 
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I've owned a few over the years, and still own two of them, but they've never been my favorite.
 
First I finally bought a Model 10 5" last spring. I always wanted one and when this one appeared I grabbed it. As some might know the 5" Model 10 served for many years as the RCMP's handgun.

Now for a sad story. It has been several years since the Model 10 was replaced by the RCMP. That said their Depot has a huge supply of unfired Model 10's in their inventory. Our local Dog Officer used one to train his new dog. Basically he would drive down a rural road, toss the gun into the ditch along the road, drive a couple of hundred yards then release his dog to go find the gun.

I did get to shoot his NEW UNFIRED revolver before it went into his training regimen. I would have done anything to get that gun before he put it to use. Two weeks later I saw the gun. Battered, scarred beyong redemption from landing in gravel etc. Ah what can I say. ..

Take Care

Bob
 
I posted earlier in this thread that I had a finish worn Model 10. Well, I sold that one to a kid (a young man really) who was starting a security guard job and needed something inexpensive. I'm sure that old Model 10 will serve him well.

Since then I have picked up a couple more. They're both 10-5's, one from 1968, the other from 1973. They're both in pretty decent shape.









I haven't fired either of them yet. Not sure if I ever will, but I do like having them.
 
Back in ancient times ( before police had 200 rd wonder nines) I carried a Mod 19 as a duty weapon, I also used the same 4" for PPC shooting that often took place after working a grave yard shift. We were good in those days for a then small dept beating out the " big boys" on many occasions and earning a place on The Governors Top Twenty Teams ( in the state). One of our team members had four kids and a new house so he made do with a 4" pencil Model 10, he could out shoot all of us with our fancy sights and K 38 target guns and he did it with grace.
He later got a K. 38 but by then PPC had gone over to the " gamers".
 
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To me the standard barrel & a round butt frame gives a satisfying retro look to the 10. The round butt seems to me to make a connection with the style of older S&W revolvers (pre 1900 or so).
 
We have two M&P revolvers. First is a really nice nickel finish 5" .32-20 from about 1919 that was originally my wife's grandfather's pride and joy. The old gentleman was reported to be a fine shot with it. It likely has not been fired since the early fifties when Gragdaddy had a disabling stroke. Wife inherited it from her brother, who had told us that he never shot it.

The other is an early fifties blue 2" that I bought from a pawn shop within the last few years. It is in great condition with little wear. It appears to have lived in a sock drawer somewhere for most of it's life.

I'm getting too many years on my bones to be a collector, but I could still be had on a nice round butt four inch, either barrel, or five inch.

Best wishes,

Jack
 
My dad had one , his dad had one and so did his . It' a thing called Nostalgia , a mental condition caused by a slight softening of the heart towards things we were exposed to early in life and sometimes just towards old things in general . It's not usually fatal but has occasionally been known to cause spousal unrest and severely deflated financial health .

I have started a Foundation to help combat this disease and it's side affects . If you feel this particular ailment taking a hold on you just box up the item that is causing the problem and ship it to me and I will pray for you . This is only a temporary fix and not a cure so you may find that you need to repeat this treatment several times over the course of your illness .

Eddie's Nostalgia Foundation
P.O. Box OU812
Minor Hill, Tennessee
38473

Sorry but this is probably not tax dedutable but I gurantee it will make you (and me ) feel better .

Eddie :D
 
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This thread made me pull my no dash model 10 out of the safe. It's a 4 screw with a 5" barrel. I almost never see these early ones.
 
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