Moonclip Guns: Which one?

[Nightcrawler]

Okay, if you were going to get a moonclipped, large-framed double action revolver, which would you pick between these two? The two choices are the S&W 627 eight-shot .357 and the S&W 610 six-shot 10mm.

Obviously, I'd have to find a 10mm used, and it holds two less shots. I like the ballistics envelope of 10mm a bit better than .357 Magnum, because I prefer heavier bullet weights. But the .357 holds TWO more shots and also uses moonclips. (I'm willing to bet, though, that the 10mm moonclips are more solid than the .357 ones; But the .357 has the advantage of being able to fire and extract without them.)

So, given those two options, which would you go for, and why? Not on the table right now is the 625; I sold mine, and I'm thinking something different if I go back to a moonclipped gun.

 

[Revolver Ocelot]

627 v-comp own it, love it, obscenely acurate and non existant recoil.

 

[SnWnMe]

I'd get the 357. The 10 shines in an auto but in a big N frame it seems like a step back since the 41 Mag is right next door.

 

[Nightcrawler]

Well...being honest, if we're talking efficiency, the .357 wins hands down. If it's only going to be six shots, I can have six shots of .44 and not give anything up. For a .357, I get two more shots.

Hrmm....

 

[Peter M. Eick]

The 610 hands down.

But then again, I am biased......

 

[GreenFurniture]

610 all the way.

 

[MCgunner]

I'll take 8 .357s over 6 10s any day and on Sunday. The 10 might work a little better in a shorter barrel, but N frames ain't exactly CCW guns unless you're a 400 lb sadomasacist..

 

[41 Mag M&P]

but N frames ain't exactly CCW guns unless you're a 400 lb sadomasacist.

Does this mean that I have to stop carrying my M58? I'm about 180 lbs BTW.

 

[Nightcrawler]

The 10 might work a little better in a shorter barrel, but N frames ain't exactly CCW guns unless you're a 400 lb sadomasacist..

Wha...? I'm the quintessential cake-eating civilian, or at least, have been since I got out of the service, but I don't think I've made it up to 400lbs yet. As Correia will attest, I can and do pack an N-Frame often.

Why? Because I'm crazy, that's why.

I *love* the way that 627 looks. I also would like to get a 610 since they're no longer in production. Hrmm.~

 

[rbmcmjr]

The best reason to choose the 627 has already been mentioned, but only peripherally: You can shoot and eject without using the clips. The 610 may or may not fire without clips, but it won't eject without them.

 

[JBP]

I had my 6" 610 out to the range today. Can you say one big hole. It is the most accurate revolver I own and it's 3" baby brother isn't too shabby either. If you need more that 6 shots out of a 357 to do the job then I suggest changing over to a semi-auto with a 15 round magazine. My G20 also has great accuracy. I guess I just have a thing for the 10mm.

 

[pinotguy]

Being a die-hard 10mm fan, I had to go with the 610.

I'd only go with a 627 if it were one of the PC guns chambered in .38 Super - VERY COOL.

 

[Nightcrawler]

10mm

10mm is...neat, I guess.

It's mildly irritating in that the fans of this cartridge often (well, on the internet, anyway) border on militant. I can't tell you how many threads I read where people who don't want to carry a 10mm are called wussies, for example. I carry a .44 Magnum, so I can but chuckle at that.

What 10mm did was give autopistol shooters (the bulk of whom don't seem to have any real interest in revolvers; when you suggest a .357, for instance, the reply is "It only has six shots!" or some such, like I give a care) a cartridge with a performance envelope as versatile as the .357 Magnum. .357, having a smaller bore diameter, favors the lighter bullets (110-125 grain) where as 10mm can do better with bullet weights of 200-220 grain. But the two have very similar ranges.

I tend to prefer larger bore diameters and heavier bullet weights (hence the .44). I also like moonclip revolvers; my 625 was a sweet shooter, but very weight inefficient. I sold it becuase for the same bulk, I can get a .44 Magnum.

But...quite a few of the .44 loads I like to shoot are down into the 10mm's envelope (whereas they're above and beyond what .45ACP +P can do, into .45 Super territory), and a 4" N-Frame would compliment my 5" 629 Classic nicely.

Problem is, 610 guns are out of production now and their prices are inflating rapidly. I wouldn't be surprised to see S&W do another run of them someday, though. It'd probably help if the 10mm club lobbied S&W in a polite way.

For the record, 10mm is NOT "as powerful as .41 Magnum", which is something I've heard said in gunshops and on the internet. The "basic" .41 Magnum load is a 210 grain bullet at 1,325 feet per second. This is slightly above Double Tap's hottest heavy bullet 10mm load, which features a 200 grain bullet at right around 1,300. Not enough difference to matter, but .41 Magnum only goes up from there. People forget though that cartridge performance overlaps. There are .44 Mag loads that have bullet weight/velocity combinations that can be accomplished by 10mm (like Winnie Silvertips, or Cor-Bon's pathetically watered down 165 grain SD load). Would it then be fair to say that 10mm is as powerful as .44 Magnum? Not really.

BUT...as I said, the .44 Mag loads I enjoy shooting most are "somewhat warmish" loads that a 10mm could replicate, plus give me a moonclip gun again.

Hm. I'll have to keep my eye out for a 610. Even at an inflated price, a used 610 won't run as much as a new PC 627.

 

[MCgunner]

Does this mean that I have to stop carrying my M58? I'm about 180 lbs BTW.

Pocket or IWB? Just wondering? New Hampshire, you can probably get away with a coat or at least a vest year round? I ain't carryin' one of them lumps IWB, I can tell ya that! Can't get away with OWB without some sort of cover garment. Would look a bit funny wearing a coat when it's 105 in the shade. Too, when they got me in the ambulance after passing out from the heat stroke, they'd probably find the gun.

3" K frame is about my limit and I'd like a titanium wonder gun if I could afford it. But, I normally carry a J frame or subcompact auto in a pocket. I don't really think you're going to tell me you carry that thing in a pocket. Must look like Bozo pants, if so.

I felt pretty well armed today with my .357 Magnum 3" medium frame (K) Taurus M66 revolver stoked with 158 grain lead SWCs. I was down on my place bringing home a stand and a feeder and setting up my other stand over my other feeder for some hog hunting. I loaded up with the 158s for any hog I might stumble on. You just never know. That load has killed two deer, one out to 50 yards. I often carry a .45 Colt down there pushing a 300 grain Hornady JHP to 1200 fps, but didn't want to wear a gun belt while I worked, carried IWB.

I got my bases covered, don't need no 10mm. Good caliber, though, just feel it's better in an autoloader. A Glock 29 ain't the PITA to carry IWB that an N frame is. Now, I'd rather carry a revolver than a Glock, but just sayin..... Heck, if I wanted to carry an N frame, I'd carry a M29 or a Mountain Gun.

 

[alucard0822]

just out of curiosity will the 610 fire 40S&W ? at least it would have the same type of advantage as the 627 being able to fire 38sp

 

[MCgunner]

just out of curiosity will the 610 fire 40S&W ? at least it would have the same type of advantage as the 627 being able to fire 38sp

Yes, with moon clips. No, without moon clips. It head spaces on the front of the case, so you'd have to use the moon clips for .40 (shorter case). I had an old 1917 Smith for a while and could shoot it without messing with the moon clips, just punch the cases out with a pencil. It was more convenient when just plinkin' at the range.

 

[ARTiger]

327 M&P R8

C'mon 'Crawler, You know you want this one. . . .

 

[Nightcrawler]

Maybe...I hope it'd fit in my holsters. Wonder if Blade Tech would do a custom rig for that gun + a light?

 

[ARTiger]

Maybe so on the holster. I bought a 627 PC and love it! Just drooling over this rig. Especially when I see it decked out like this . . .

 

[Nightcrawler]

The aimpoint might be a bit much, but for a pin shoot with some Doubletap 200 grain ammo it'd be great.

The light, in addition to being useful on a house gun, could be good for after-dark pig hunters.

 

[ARTiger]

Actually I was thinking Coyotes, but nightime pig hunting would be a good use as well. We have beagles in a pen that are constantly being harassed by Coyotes. Right now I'm using an old .30/.30 Marlin lever gun with a maglight attached by "duct tape engineering".

 

[Correia]

Nightcrawler is smaller than me, and he is always CCWing some massive hogleg N frame. So this whole "impossible to CCW a .44" is getting asinine.