2'' vs 3'' vs 4'' Model 10 CCW

[Piedmont Plinker]

Would you rather carry:
S&W M10 HB, round butt, internal lock, rebarreled to 2'', clear DuraCoat applied to both gun and grips, Eagle Grips Regular Style grips w/optional T-Grip
S&W M10 HB, round butt, internal lock, rebarreled to 3'', clear DuraCoat applied to both gun and grips, Eagle Grips Regular Style grips w/optional T-Grip
S&W M10 4'', round butt, internal lock, clear DuraCoat applied to both gun and grips, Eagle Grips Regular Style w/optional T-Grip
Specify which gun, why, T-Grip or not, method of carry and specific holster, and what factory loading would be used.

 

[MCgunner]

S&W M10 HB, round butt, internal lock, rebarreled to 3'', clear DuraCoat applied to both gun and grips, Eagle Grips Regular Style grips w/optional T-Grip

This one with a T grip for stealth. I really like Hogue monogrips in rubber, but they do print under a T shirt a little worse. I carry my 3" Taurus M66 currently with a Pachmayr Gripper and it seems to work okay, though. Rubber can grab on cloth some, though. The T grip would be the option here IMHO with the standard wood M10 grips.

I like the 2" gun, too, but a 3" gun would be just as easy to carry and give you a little more sight radius to work with. The gun ain't a pocket gun anyway, so I think the 3" barrel is the way to go. JMHO of course.

Holster, I'd just carry it in the one I made. It works well. It's made of heavy leather IWB strong side. Store bought, I'd buy a Milt Sparks Summer Special, best IWB I've tried for big guns. I have one for my P90. It's comfortable and conceals well.

I'd shoot my +P handloads, but in lieu of that, a standard 158 grain SWC HP +P is fine.

 

[Marko Kloos]

The three-inch gun is perfection for CCW. Short enough to conceal and carry well, just long enough to give a full ejector rod stroke, and as perfect a balance as you can get in a handgun.

T-grip? Sure. I prefer the Pachy Compaq Pros, but the Tylers and factory stocks work just as well.

Factory load? 158gr. LSWCHP +P, the old FBI load.

For a holster, the DeSantis Speed Scabbard pancake rig, or a Bianchi #3S "Pistol Pocket" IWB.

Doesn't get much better for a CCW gun/holster/load combo, IMHO.

 

[gezzer]

M13 rb 357 3"

 

[fed_wif_a_sig]

3" for me.

I love wheelguns and still on occasion carry them. After over 25 years of carrying and concealing weapons for work, in the wheel gun catagory I go with the 3" version. There is a reason that the FBI chose a 3" weapon, you get better balistics that a 2" (which rarely is a true 2 inches" and easier to conceal than a 4" (it really is).

I'm lucky enough to own a 3" model 66, and love it dearly due to their rareness. In 38 spl, the model 10 in 3" is awsome. If you hapen to chose a model with adjustable sights, check out the combat sight sold by Cylinder and Slide for adjustable sight revolvers, they are blanking awsome.

Ok back to my box.

 

[joneb]

Yep I'd go for the 3" rnd. butt, BUT I would not carry one with a internal lock. If I want questionable reliabilty I'll carry a auto loader

 

[Deanimator]

Yep I'd go for the 3" rnd. butt, BUT I would not carry one with a internal lock. If I want questionable reliabilty I'll carry a auto loader

+1. I would NEVER trust my life to an S&W revolver with the internal lock. There are documented reports of the locks locking by themselves during firing. Their quality control is kind of crappy these days too.

 

[wcwhitey]

3" gun for sure, for a couple of reasons. In a belt holster (pancake, speed scabbard, etc.) the 3" sits higher enough over the belt as opposed to the 2" to actually make it easier to conceal. The grip and cylinder tuck away better than the 2". Ballistically, the 3" has the edge, you will gain enough FPS to make the 158 swchp expand reliably. Pointability, the 3" is a natural pointer and with a better sight radius making it easier to hit with. I have both a 2" model 10 and a 3" 64 with bobbed hammer. The blue gun looks better to me but the 64 is the better shooter, 1" makes that much of a difference. For grips try a set of Hogue Bantoms in rubber for $20, great grips and are not any larger than the factory wood with a Tyler T Grip.