Advice on a 10-5

[cpirtle]

I was at a local shop today and they had a very nice condition (98%) S&W 10-5 with the (4") pencil barrel for $319.

Blueing was nice and shiney, grips were good with a little wear and lockup on the cylinder was better than most Smith's I've seen or owned, even new ones.

They had 2 snub nose 10-5's in much worse condition priced at $319 & $410.

What do you think? I know the price may be on the high end but this one seems like a nice find and I've always wanted an old model 10..

 

[Gordon]

Pencil barrels are very nice and the cherry gun is a better deal . 10-5's are my favorite. That gun is a great gun if there ever was one!

 

[Black Knight]

The Model 10 is a gun everyone should have in their collection. It is one of if not the finest 38 Special ever produced. In either the pencil or heavy barrel they are top notch shooters if in good shape. Most cops carried some version of it at one time or another. Those that didn't, most likely carried a Colt equivalent. If it were me and I had the money to spare it would come home.

 

[Sistema1927]

Those prices sound a bit high to me. I am sure that you can find another at a more reasonable price. For example, I purchased a pencil barrel S&W 64 for $230 OTD, and they are way more rare than a Model 10.

 

[Will5A1]

For a 98% 10-5 I would make the shop an offer of $280 out the door and probably go as high as $300 out the door. If the revolver had the box/papers/wiper, brush and rod I'd go $350. Serviceable Model 10's, mechancially tight but with holster wear and worn stocks are fetching $225 and up in my neck of the woods. But here's the deal - you buy that 98% Smith and are you going to shoot it or make it a safe queen? Make it a safe queen and you'll have to find a lower condition 10-5 to shoot. At that point you're hooked, you'll need a 10-7 and a no dash 10 and a 10-9 and then maybe some heavy barrels (10-6, 10-8, etc.). Just buy that first one and see what happens.

 

[cpirtle]

Thanks for the advice. I'm still on the fence...

If I buy it I will shoot it, I'm not one to collect or sit on things. (I have been known to buy a gun cheap and turn it for a profit though ) This is also why I don't mind paying a little more for a gun that's going to be used - - for me it almost needs to be compared to the price of a new gun.

Since I don't have a lot of great "used gun" shops around I use Gunbroker as a baseline for good used prices. Seems to me the model 10's there go (asking prices) for between $250 and as high as $450 to get one in the condition of this one. Is GB not a good place to look for M-10's?

Thanks again,
Chad

PS: This is a retail dealer (Gander) and they don't negotiate so that's pretty much the price I'll get it for unless I can score a coupon.

 

[Will5A1]

Prices vary but I don't think $319 is too far out or line for a 98% 10-5. You may well be able to pick up a nice, but more used 10 at a lower price if you are willing to wait and look around some. Either way you won't go wrong, the M10 is a classic, and as you are aware, new ones retail for a lot more.

 

[scubie02]

who says they don't negotiate? Try talking to a different sales guy next time if one told you that. I have negotiated at Gander's before on price or getting them to throw in a box of ammo or two at least, but there are alot of jerks that work at our local one and it totally depends on which one you get how good of a trade you get or price or if you even get decent service (or waited on at all while 4 of them sit around talking to each other, for that matter). I really loathe Gander, actually, but sometimes that's where you find what you want.

$319 would be high a couple of years ago (I bought a 4" heavy barrel in excellent shape a couple of years ago for $195 and felt it was a LITTLE high at the time...) but prices on them have been really going up the past couple of years. I'd still try to talk them down a bit, but sadly the price isn't that out of line these days for one on pristine shape. As an aside, if you can find a 2" round butt model 10 it is one of my favorite classic carry revolvers--not bad at all with the stock grips and can comfortably shoot 158 gr swhp +P's all day long. Both of mine shoot these right on the money, and amazingly accurately.

model 10's are like 1911's, so be warned, it's rare to have just one I think

btw, I actually sold a 1st state 1st issue Colt DS and got enough to buy 2 or 3 Smith's...one of the best things about them used to be the amazing affordability for the quality...they are still a deal, but less so than they used to be just a couple of years ago

 

[cpirtle]

Thanks again. I'm waiting to hear back from someone on another gun purchase and if that falls through I'll probably pick this 10 up.

About the negotiating - I buy a ton of guns from this local GM and the guys at the gun counter take care of me, I've scored many excellent/incredible deals there. A while back they would always give me (& a couple of other good customers) a deal off of asking price and management came down on them for it, now they are not allowed to discount without manager approval and he doesn't usually do it. This GM is a good one but I've been in others that I wouldn't bother with.

 

[dogngun]

The 10-5 is IMO, one of the best shooting/carry revolvers made. The price is a bit high, but if the condition is there and the gun is tight, buy it. I have had many .38 Spl Smiths, some in very worn condition, but have never had a bad shooter.
This gun in this condition will last for a lifetime of use, and beyond,and no one will ever make a revolver of this quality again.
Look at it that way, it's a bargain.

Mark

 

[scubie02]

I wish I could say that about ours. You literally better plan on having at LEAST 45 minutes on your hands if you want to actually look at a gun, because it will generally take you at least that long standing by a counter before you get waited on. I understand there are other customers, but many times they are just BSing with someone. That's fine if they don't have actual customers standing around not being waited on. I have finally walked out without getting waited on any number of times. Plus their prices are generally very high here--I can literally ask my local mom and pop one room gunstore guy for a price and get one better than Gander's, often significantly better, and you KNOW they are getting volume pricing, while he's ordering a single item for you. I dread the day that he goes out, as most of the small shops have in the past few years--he's about the last good one left that's at all local.

 

[cpirtle]

Got it for $299 - no box or papers but it is definitely in prime condition.

I'll post pictures of it soon.

 

[Will5A1]

Post the serial number, obsure or XX out the last 2 or 3 digits, any we can probably tell you what year it was made. Pull the stocks, the right one should have the serial number stamped on it. I'm sure you'll enjoy it and that wasn't a bad buy at all.

 

[cpirtle]

I took it out and shot 36 rounds with it tonight. From 40 yards on my 12x12 steel plates in my back yard with my cowboy loads I am very pleased with its accuracy!

Here are some pictures.

Not sure but I'm guessing this was a foreign service pistol as it is stamped "Marcas Registradas". It also has a (departmental??) stamp of "30141E A9"..

Serial number is C9345xx

My K frame family..

 

[Will5A1]

1966 - 1967 according to SCSW; the "Marcas Registradas" line was added, IIRC, to all post-war revolvers as Smith& Wesson sought to differentiate their revolvers from the cheaper foreign copies. Have fun with it.

 

[cpirtle]

Cool, that puts the 10-5 to within a year of my 19. I appreciate the info.

 

[armoredman]

I still haven't figured out what to do with my 10-5 5 inch...

 

[Ala Dan]

A good old S&W model 10 makes for a nice addition to any collection~!
I have a factory nickel 2" S&W model 10-5 that I gave $162.50 for back
in the fall of '04. $319 does seem a bit over priced; but todays market
might bear that kind'a money, depending on your locale. Here, we would
probably mark it in our showcase for $269.95~!