Buying a Model 10, looking for advice

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MajorMajorMajorMajor

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Hi guys,

Based on friends' recommendations I'm looking for a S&W Model 10 for target shooting/home defense (originally was after a .38 Diamondback but decided it really wasn't worth paying 4 digits for one). Max budget is around $500, but from what I've seen the market value is significantly lower. What would be a reasonable price for a blue 5" gun (6 ok, but that's a bit long) in fairly good shape?

I've looked through quite a few threads here and elsewhere and estimates of values are anywhere between $200 to $400+. Signed up here because it seems like the most knowledgeable folks were posting here.

Looking around on gunbroker I see a few close to what I'm looking for:
1. 10-7 6" for $315, finish & stock a bit chewed up
2. $360+ 5" pre-model 10, 1954. Does age matter?
3. 5" 10-5, exactly the specs I want, original box and papers, but a bit spendy at $425+. Fair price?
4. $299+, 5" 10-5, but refinished--pics look a bit funny
5. 10-5 6" in great shape but already bid up to $375

Any thoughts on these? Advice for this new shooter (have shot handguns and hunted quite a bit with airguns but buying first real firearm) is MUCH appreciated. Thanks!
 
Any particular reason why you want a 5" barrel? I think you'll find a much larger selection, for less money, if you consider a 4" barrel Model 10 instead. You should be able to find one locally instead of having to go through an auction site. If I were looking for a K frame for target shooting/home defense, I would opt for either a heavy barrel Model 10 (or a Model 13 in .357), or a Model 15 Combat Masterpiece. Good luck with your search.
 
Go with a 4 inch barrel, fine shooters and a lot more common. Check the pawn shops and gunshows if possible. When buying used I like the ideal of looking them over really good. I have no problem buying a nice used gun, you can tell if it been abused or took care off most the time from sight.
 
All gun prices are fairly insane of late. But I have seen knock around 10s and 64s (same gun in stainless) priced at $225 or a little less.

The 4" is most common for a good reason. You will pay a premium for the less often seen 5". Look around for an ex-cop or security gun. Usually well worn on the outside they are shot little and are a great value.
 
Five-inch barrel is an oddball size in the context of any recent production.
Common among much older guns.

If you WANT an older gun, that's fine, but you WILL pay a premium for one that is in very good external condition.

Find the gun you really want, and buy THAT gun.
Don't get hung up on pinching pennies - especially when shopping for out-of-production guns.
If you miss your chance at the gun you really want, you will miss that gun a lot more than you will miss a few dollars.
 
Does age matter? Very much so, but condition may be more important.

The original Military & Police revolvers were made with 2, 4, 5 and 6 inch barrels. Of those lengths, the 5 and 6 inch one's are the least popular, and often sell for less then a 4-inch, and considerably less then a 2-inch. While they are less convinent to carry, you will find the two longer lengths to be tack-driving shooters. Also the older you go the more expert hand-fitting was involved, with fewer cost-cutting changes that seldom met better quality.

Looking at your list, I would jump at #2 (a pre-model 10, made in 1954 with a 5" barrel. You don't need a box and papers, if the revolvers is in perfect mechanical condition, and has limited cosmetic wear it would make an excellent shooter, and if the price wasn't bidded up (and I doubt it was or would be), the price would be very reasonable.

We are fortunate in that there are not a whole lot of folks left that have much experience with these older revolvers, and I sure hope the knowldege doesn't spread. :evil: :D
 
If yah want a 38 SPecial it for target shooting as one of the criteria

S&W has added to the classic line the:

S&W MOdel 15 K-38 Combat Masterpiece
Blued / square butt wood grips / 4" Bbl. .38 SPecial +P
Ramp front / W&E Adj. Rear sight standard size Hammer / Trigger

or look for a nice Pre-80 on the used market

Handy Bbl. len. and more versatile / adaptable than a Model 10

The new or current Model 10 appears to have a bit bigger /better grips
as well as a bull barrel. if you must.


R-
 
I'd suggest looking for a 4" Model 15 instead of the model 10. Heavy barrel, adjustable target sights. If you find an older one the triggers were especially good.

John
 
38 for Target Shooting/Defense

Summit Gunbroker still has one S & W Model 10 Heavy Barrel for sale
at $275. A few Colt Official Police and Colt Police Positive revolvers in
the $245-$275 price range are also available. The website is:
www.summitgunbroker.com.

Dan
 
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I love my Model 10 but the fixed sights limit me to specific power loads if the gun is to shoot to match the POA. If you're going to use it for a mix of HD and target shooting then I'd also strongly recomend one of the other variants of the K frame .38 only guns which has adjustable sights in either the light "pencil barrel" or heavy barrel. It would be a lot more flexible for your application as you could tune the POA to match the POI for whatever load you elect to go with for target shooting.

As for barrel length anything of 4 inch or longer will do nicely. I would also suggest that with the heavy barrel guns a 4 inch would balance in the hand a little nicer. Up here I can't own a 4 inch barrel gun due to our laws so I'm "stuck" with my 5 and 6 inch S&W's. It's hardly a great hardship of course. But when I do get to handle and shoot a 4 inch version of my guns they definetly comes across as being that little bit nicer for balance.
 
Thanks to everyone (esp Old Fuff's knowledge of old M&Ps) who gave advice! I had not given too much attention to that 1954 M&P--"older is better" is a bit counterintuitive, but it does make sense now that I think about it. Going to go for that one.

I did consider the Colt OP but have read in multiple places that maintenance is significantly harder with fewer gunsmiths able to work on them and the parts being tough to find.

Maybe if I can't get a 5 or 6 I will also consider a 4 barrel like some of you suggested.

Thanks again guys!
 
Sorry to double post but I have another question for those who are familiar with M&Ps. I'm guessing that one issue with these older guns is they don't take +p ammo very well. What kind of bullets should I be using for these two purposes (range practice, defense) with a pre-model 10?
 
Prices on K's are starting to fluctuate higher lately. However there's a good lot of 10's out there, especially the 10-6 and 10-8 heavy barrel 4" guns, which were used by prisons, armored car companys, transit cops, etc. that are still turning up as trade ins. My local gunstore gets them in periodically, and condition varies from very well used/gnawed all the way up to pretty nice. I know of at least 3 separate 10-6 heavy barrel 4" that have sold for well under $200 in the past 90 days from there. None of them were collectible beauties but they were all solid, decent shooters with a lot of carrying and not much shooting. For that price, you can't go wrong.
 
1. 10-7 6" for $315, finish & stock a bit chewed up Do they ever talk about the gun in their ginormous auction listing???
2. $360+ 5" pre-model 10, 1954. Does age matter? Interesting piece, but sparse info and bad pictures. Over $400 already.
3. 5" 10-5, exactly the specs I want, original box and papers, but a bit spendy at $425+. Fair price? Nice, if you want a new-ish in box gun.
4. $299+, 5" 10-5, but refinished--pics look a bit funny This particular gun is about $100 overpriced.
5. 10-5 6" in great shape but already bid up to $375 Now over $405, and will go higher.


May I suggest:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=210672444
a 10-5 5" which has a few cosmetic detractions but which is priced much more favorably?

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=210005650
10-7 pencil barrel, in box, like new, reasonable buy-it-now but unknown reserve (worth bidding against)

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=210879835
Nice looking 10-7 pencil barrel, low round count, with holster? Not a pinned barrel but at least no Hilary lock.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=210366638
Here's a 5" 10-5 pencil barrel, looks very nice, but unknown reserve.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=210656338
Like new in box 10-5 pencil barrel 4", with unknown reserve but might be worth bidding against?
 
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Thanks for the research Evan. I had seen some of those but it's nice to get some perspective. Wasn't sure if rust spots and such could have an effect on the shooting mechanics. I bid on #2 already but if it goes too high I'll keep those in mind. Thanks again!
 
Any good condition M&P made after around 1930 (due to steel tempering issues before then) is fine with +P which is not loaded beyond industry standards anyway. It's a myth that +P is a "hot load."
 
Major, the 5" is very uncommon and into the collectable area...

If you want a longer barrel, get the 6", but you would be as well served with a 4". A lot of the Model 10's saw a lot of wear in police holsters, but little actual shooting. You can find a shooter very easily for under $300, and if you plan to actually use it, that is a reasonable price range. Smith & Wesson revolvers are locked when the trigger is completely to the rear-pull the trigger of an unloaded Smith till the hammer rises and falls and hold it in place, then check the cylinder for side to side slop. It should be pretty minimal. Also look for a deep flame cut on the inside of the top strap at the gap, and check for a uniform gap on all chambers in the cylinder, by eyeball is OK-If there is too much of any of the above, look for another gun, but there is usually no problem with these old revolvers.

They are among the best revolvers ever made by anyone, and they are a pleasure to shoot.

mark
 
The 5-inch barrel length is neither rare or uncommon, except in middle 1960 guns going forward. More were made during the 1950's because of left-over barrels and forgings from .38-200 Victory Model production, but then the longer lengths (5 and 6 inches) dropped from favor as police officers stopped walking beats and started driving radio equiped patrol cars. That said, those that have tried them usually find the platform to exceptionally well balanced, and they make great shooters.

In any barrel length, only those revolvers that are, or nearly are, in perfect condition (preferably with box & papers) are of interest to serious collectors. There are more then enough of them to meet the demand of the relatively few collectors that are into modern K-frame hand ejectors.
 
My understanding is that a pre-war (or war-era) Model 10 can discharge if dropped on the hammer. The block preventing that situation wasn't installed until after the war.
 
Actually during early 1945. From 1902 on the M&P model had at least one, and sometimes two, safties designed to prevent a discharge if the hammer spur suffered a hard blow. However under some highly unusual circumstances both could fail. In 1944 a sailor on a battleship dropped a revolver from a considerable height to the ship's hardwood deck. It went off and another sailor was killed. As a result S&W engineers designed a new safety which is still used in most models today. So far there has not been any documented cases of an accidental discharge unless the safety had either been removed or tampered with.
 
There is/was also the Model 10, 3 inch Heavy Barrel...which are very nice for Carry or Home or Plinking, if fairly seldom seen.

The 4 Inch Heavy Barrel is a long time favorite with many people, and, that little bit of extra heft makes for a little less recoil rise, and or lets one be a little faster to get back on Target if shooting Double Action.


Many of these were Police or Security Guard use, and, were 'Carried much, shot little', so, while showing some Holster Wear, remain in tip top shape mechanically.
 
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