+P ammo for pre 1957 S&W model 10?

[thejunk4bob]

I have an old S&W model 10 that was my grandfathers. It is not stamped Model 10 any where on the gun but I have been told by several people that it is in fact a model 10 and quite a fine specimen. I have been keeping it loaded with Magtech standard pressure JHP, but am wondering if +p would be safe to use in the gun. I would greatly appreciate any helpful opinions on the safety of using +p and/or recommendations for standard pressure JHP ammunition types. Thank you.

 

[XavierBreath]

Post the revolver's serial number with the last two digits represented by Xs and we can tell you.

Heat treatment of the Model of 1905 4th Change .38 Special cylinders began at about serial number 316648. Some would say that the older revolvers, even though heat treated are dicey with +P ammunition. Others would tell you that the ammunition in the old days was hotter than that sold today.

+P ammunition will cause accelerated wear. If the revolver is nickel, I would avoid +P due to possible nickel being dislodged in chunks from the cylinder. Since the revolver was your grandfather's I would advise you to preserve it and use it for occasional target shooting.

 

[thejunk4bob]

Thank you. The serial number is C 2149XX.
Yeh, I don't shoot it much for that reason, but my wife and I went and shot it some today and she said she would prefer to have it accessable in our house (instead a smaller frame revolver that we have) b/c she likes the way it handles.

 

[Brian Williams]

1948 -51 is the date I have and I would just use a very few +Ps just to verify POI=POA. I would really only shoot regular ammo in it and you will be good to go. Ditto XB and that it should be saved and shot to remember the good Ole' days.
Good Model 10s can be found for under $300, get on e and shoot all the +Ps you want.

 

[Dollar An Hour]

How about AHT43XX? It's a M649 chambered in .38 Spl, and I believe it's a first-year 649 from 1985.

Or are stainless J-Frames OK with +P anyway?

 

[Brian Williams]

Standard cat of S&W states that a 649 started at AF*****in 1985 and is ok with +P

 

[SaxonPig]

Any Military & Police S&W made after 1930 would cause me zero concern with +P which not loaded higher than industry standards for the caliber anyway. But very early guns are uncertain on steel quality. The C prefix on Bob's M&P indicates late 1940s to middle 1950s production and it will take any amount of +P he cares to feed it.