First Shots...
Hello. The weather finally got nicer and I was able to get to the range with the Model 10 HB. Since the hammer spur was previously bobbed before I bought it, all shooting was done double-action...which is not a bad thing with this one as the action is quite nice.
I tried a number of rounds through the revolver. I was pleasantly surprised that at 12 yards, where I did most of my shooting, the POA varies but a small amount with one exception: Sellier & Bellot 158-gr. JFP hit about 2" higher than POA.
These shots were fired at 12 yards double-action and hit slightly higher than the POA.
Winchester's USA 130-gr. JFP was dead-bang "on" at 12 yards with this revolver.
The man-shaped targets were shot in fairly rapid-fire, standing and with 2-hand hold while slow-fire was used on the bullseye targets from a seated position and with my wrists braced.
Long a favorite of mine, Remington's 158-gr. LSWCHP +P struck just very slightly higher than the Winchester 130-gr. practice load with the same sight picture. Windage was perfect with all loads tried so far, be they jacketed or plain lead.
The relatively new Speer 135-gr. Gold Dot +P "Short Barrel" load from Speer grouped well. I plan to test this one a bit more in the near future. It has worked fine in 17/8" J-frames but I want to try it in the 4" as well.
For those who might be interested, here's a comparison of three 38 Special loads including the Gold Dot and DPX +P:
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/38 Snub Ammo Test.htm
Corbon 110-gr. DPX +P also hit POA at 12 yards and grouped nicely.
I blew a couple of shots at 30 yards but they were my fault and not the ammunition's. These groups were fired using the Remington SWCHP +P load.
I was nicely surprised at how well this revolver's fixed sights are regulated for me and the loads I often shoot. I have run into some that were not.
A total of approximately 250 shots were fired.
There was one malfunction. I had one round of the hard-primered Sellier & Bellot that didn't fire on the first strike; it did on the second.
This really doesn't concern me because I've run into hard primers from this maker in 9mm and .45 ACP before and have made it a practice to only use this ammunition for the range. The revolver itself didn't drag, fail to extract, or anything else other than to just do what it was supposed to. (It retains a full-power mainspring and trigger-return spring.)
Even though this revolver was refinished (matte blue) and had the hammer spur bobbed, it is quickly becoming another favorite. Given my druthers, it would have had the hammer spur when I got it, but such simply was not to be. After shooting it, I believe that I'll leave it as a match to my 2" Model 10-5, also purchased used and with a previously bobbed hammer.
Over three decades ago, my first duty revolver was a Model 10 Heavy Barrel. I liked them before then, too, but really enjoyed visiting with this one. It put me in mind of the "old days" when we loaded from the loops and autoloaders were so seldom seen in police holsters.
I'll be keeping this one and consider the modest amount it cost to be well spent.
Like the barrel top the Model 10 is resting on, I find myself getting a bit rusty compared to years past and maybe this revolver helps me remember those fun days of learning and shooting with true masters of the double-action revolver. These days, the old revolver may not be so exciting to many, but I still find them loads of fun and capable performers.
Best.
