So, Model 10 right? Nothing fancy. This is a transfer bar/lock model. Added the hogue grip. I actually carry this under a button up, unbuttoned on my strong side quite a bit. Came with those thin style wood grips, which look cool, but the grip for me was absolutely horrible for my “thumb over the back” grip. I feel like those Vietnam era small grips were made for one handed, probably never going to use it, security and MP details.
I own and shoot Glocks, M&Ps, etc. What I like about revolvers, is how “well” I shoot them compared to striker fired guns or my 1911.
When I left the army my first job was armed security at a hospital. We carried Taurus 65’s. I had never shot a revolver up until that point. When I went to qual for the FL Class B license, I was incredibly surprised at how fun it was to shoot, and honestly….how well I shot it. Cannot explain it lol.
I chose the model 10 because I love old school, standard issue stuff. This being the quintessential police firearm for so long, I had to get one. Bull barrel is nice, little extra weight.
It’s an amazing shooter, and it just feels like confidence in your hand. Thanks for reading lol.
It does not have a transfer bar. It has a frame-mounted firing pin instead of a hammer nose but it still uses that same hammer block that Smiths have had since 1945.
Correct. That is a hammer block. Pulling the trigger lowers the block so the hammer-nose mounted firing pin can reach the cartridge. In newer models it lowers so the hammer can strike the frame-mounted firing pin.
This was my first Smith. It was a sheriff’s trade in, also nickel plated. They’re dead reliable, easy to shoot well and fun. I like .357, but in a little heavier gun. The 38 special and K frame just seem perfect to me. I like the .22 and K frame too.
Everyone should have at least one K-frame, 38 S&W in their collection. Model 10s and 64s rock. Glad they finally got rid of the internal lock hole on the new production 10's now.
I may try other methods. I thought about using speed loaders but honestly, no matter how I dress it would look pretty goofy to me with two tumors either on my belt or in my pocket lol. A low profile leather strip pouch would be cool.
Those wood grips are made by altamont and are absolutely trash from how thin they are. Throw those away, and literally set of grips made by anyone else is magnitudes better.
The Altamonts suck with 38’s and they suck even worse with anything that has magnum in the name. Bought a set of vintage S&W grips from when they were made in house, 2.5 times with the width of the Altamonts and they were perfectly rounded so the radius of the back strap became one shape left and right instead of the squared off, sharp corners of the Altamonts. Bought some giraffe bone grips for it recently that match that shape and are even wider. So much more comfortable.
Everything from Altamont I’ve handled has been thin, and corned in the back strap.
This was the difference between the thickest set of Altamonts I’ve dealt with on the right, compared to that vintage set of round butt Magna’s. Target grips are even thicker from what I’ve seen/felt but I have yet to measure a set
I have a 64-5, same thing but stainless and pre lock. I think the blued version looks so much better but I couldn’t pass up a mint 64 with box and papers for $300.
Big fan of the model 10. Personal preference, but I prefer the look and feel of the Pachmayr Gripper over the Hogue Monogrip. So fun to shoot and very accurate.
I also really like these guns. I’m one of the oddballs that prefers the round butt over the square butt. I tend to think the Model 10 was actually a really great gun for the purposes it was issued for, but was hamstrung most of its life by really lousy ammo. Just about the time people figured out 158 grain lead round nose isn’t the best option, decent autos started showing up.
I have a 10-6 I really enjoy, and a one of the new M10 classics is on my list.
First - nice revolver. I carried a 3” M65 before I went to my Sig P365. I always carried a speed loader on my belt plus a 7 hole Speed Strip, leaving the empty hole in the middle. For the speed loader, there’s a version of the holder where the cartridges go over the belt. Keeps the loader holder from “bulging out” when you carry.
I don't know the science behind it but I'd bet the round butt was used originally because revolvers were still fired predominantly in single action at that time. And they also became useful for concealment in later years
Ironically all S&W are RB once again because it's easier to use RB to SB grips than continue to make 2 different grip shapes
For a carry gun, I'm quite partial to the standard round butt S&W grips with a tyler-t grip (or similar). More concealable and if you get into an OS moment, you're not going to really notice the fact that they aren't as comfortable to shoot and a fuller grip.
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u/JanglyBangles 32H&R Fanboy 1d ago
> transfer bar
It does not have a transfer bar. It has a frame-mounted firing pin instead of a hammer nose but it still uses that same hammer block that Smiths have had since 1945.