tell me about the S&W 610

[lawboy]

Hi, all. I am going to buy a new handgun soon and I have been very much wanting a 10mm. I am seriously leaning towards a 610 revolver and I know where to get a used PC gun with 3-5/8 barrel. I am wondering what the pros and cons of these guns are, and also, who is making the best bullet moulds for 10mm as I am a caster.
I already have several 357, 44mag and 38 spl. and 45 Colt revolvers so I am not needing this gun to be all that versatile or a general purpose handgun. I am mostly interesting in working with the 10mm cartridge for handloading and casting and am a true revolver fan. All thoughts, suggestions, warnings, experiences, etc. will be much appreciated and read with enthusiasm. Thanks.
Lawboy

 

[Lloyd Smale]

there a great gun and my 3 inch is probably the most accurate n frame i have. That barrel length is the second rarest next to the 3 inch and if its at a good price and you dont want it id take it. As for bullet ive had good luck wiht the lee 180tn and the rcbs 180 3840 cowboy bullet in mine. What i love is either of those bullets with about 4 grains of bullseye there accuracte and recoil about like a 38 special in that gun but pack a little more punch. Stoaked up you can almost reach .41 mag balistics with it. there aint a much more fun thing to do then go to the range with about 100 clips loaded up for a moon clip gun and then just go to blasting.

 

[DragonFire]

Actually the gun is very versitile. Using moon clips it can use 10mm as well as 40S&W rounds. So you have a wide choice of loads from very mild to very hot. It will also fire 10mm without moon clips, if it ever came to it. The rounds don't extract without moon clips, and you have to pick them out one by one.

About the only disadvantage that I've found is that the gun weighs about 40 ounces. That's good when firing hot rounds, but the gun does get heavy if you're carrying it around all day.

Smith took the 610 out of their catalog, so you might want to grab this one while you can get it.

 

[MCgunner]

Reloading HOT 10mm stuff, I'd put a heavy roll crimp on the bullet. This would eliminate its ability to head space without the moon clips, but would keep bullets from backing out and locking up the gun or just reducing pressure and affecting accuracy. I'd wanna find a bullet with a crimp groove for this, if there's anything available. Might not be in a jacketed bullet, but molds might have a crimp groove.

 

[357wheelgunner]

I think revolvers with rimless cartridges are rediculous.

The biggest arguement people have is that they can use moonclips and reload faster. If I wanted a 10mm (or any pistol I was worried about reloading quickly) I'd get a stinkin autopistol and be done with it. The autopistol was made to fire rimless cartridges and can be reloaded much more quickly with less work.

I thought revolvers were for people who grew out of tacticool ninja reloading and are comfortable and confident with 5-6 shots.

I've shot a S&W M610 with both .40 and 10mm, and they did not feel right. The recoil was much sharper/snappier than the .357 loads I was used to, and I did not like the moonclips. Individually loading 6 chambers is fun anyway. Oh and speedloaders are easier to reload than moonclips are (talk about sore thumbs!).

The only reason I'd ever get a model 610 is if I had a pile of .40 and 10mm guns and got sick of picking up casings for reloading.

 

[MCgunner]

I think revolvers with rimless cartridges are rediculous.

The biggest arguement people have is that they can use moonclips and reload faster. If I wanted a 10mm (or any pistol I was worried about reloading quickly) I'd get a stinkin autopistol and be done with it. The autopistol was made to fire rimless cartridges and can be reloaded much more quickly with less work.

I thought revolvers were for people who grew out of tacticool ninja reloading and are comfortable and confident with 5-6 shots.

I've shot a S&W M610 with both .40 and 10mm, and they did not feel right. The recoil was much sharper/snappier than the .357 loads I was used to, and I did not like the moonclips. Individually loading 6 chambers is fun anyway. Oh and speedloaders are easier to reload than moonclips are (talk about sore thumbs!).

The only reason I'd ever get a model 610 is if I had a pile of .40 and 10mm guns and got sick of picking up casings for reloading.

Well, the moon clip guns available aren't really practical IMHO. The 9mms are all the size of J frame .357s. If I wanted one, I'd want one the size and weight of an alloy .38. My 9mm compact auto is the size and weight (actually a little smaller) of an alloy .38 and holds a 10 round magazine. It's DAO and I think of it as a small, flat, light easy to reload revolver.

This 610 at 40 ounces is as heavy as my much more powerful .45 colt Blackhawk, so no advantage for outdoor use. The .45s are all on large frame, too. Where I WOULD like a .45 like the 625 is if I were into shooting pins like I was for a while. It'd be THE revolver class action revolver for games and such. But, if I wanted to carry a .45, even my Ruger P90 is more concealable and ligher.

If I could get a 15 ounce 9mm snubbie with a 3" barrel, I would be tempted. It'd be a handy, powerful little revolver for which range ammo is available for $5,90 a box. Also, I'm set up with my Dillon to reload 9mm, but .38/357 dies are cheaper than a new gun even if it was available.

 

[JoeHatley]

I'd get a stinkin autopistol and be done with it.

Some of us reloaders, hate to pick up brass...

Joe

 

[Denny Lattis]

610

200 grain TC with 4.3 of 231

 

[scotty]

I have a 610 with a 3 7/8" barrel. I've been very happy with it.

I bought it with various reasons in mind, but mostly because I wanted it. My primary use for it has been for when I feel the urge to embarrass myself by shooting it in USPSA matches. The 610 has had quite a few rounds down the pipe mostly .40, some 10mm and there have been no problems or issues.

 

[Majic]

The M610 just gives us another choice in handgunning. Yes the recoil can be snappier or sharper than most .357 mag loads, but remember it shoots a larger and heavier bullet at about the same speeds. The revolver weighs about the same as a BHK which can be more powerful, but it's a DA HE that can be more convienient. There will always be a plus and minus.
I think the old 180 grainers for the .38/40 are great bullets for the M610. The flat nose is good for solid targets and game. Also if you want to hatrod the cartridge the bullet, being that it was designed for a revolver, can be roll crimped which won't jump crimp when the pressures are up like a taper crimp.
The M610 may not be for everybody, but for those of us who do own them find good uses for them and having a lesser cartridge that chambers in it is just another plus.

 

[Lloyd Smale]

thought the same thing at one time. now i buy just about any moon clipped gun i can get my hands on. I beg to differ on reloading speed. a moon clip gun is faster then any speed loader and is as fast to reload as an automatic. With light loads or .40s the gun is like shooting a .38 special and with heavy loads it can approach the power of a .41 mag. Go to about any ppc shoot and see what the guys shooting and winning are using id bet about all of them have moon clipped guns. Another advantage is i can load up about 100 clips at home take them to the range blast steel and not have to pick up individual brass everything comes back in nice 6 round bundles that i can again take home and remove and reload. Ive got moon clip guns in .40 10mm 45acp and 454 and id say if im out for some fun at the range there about the first thing ill grab. Ive found that roll crimping isnt needed even with heavy loads but if you want a bullet to do it the lyman 180 cowboy bullet for the 3840 is an accurate bullet in mine that you could crimp.

I think revolvers with rimless cartridges are rediculous.

The biggest arguement people have is that they can use moonclips and reload faster. If I wanted a 10mm (or any pistol I was worried about reloading quickly) I'd get a stinkin autopistol and be done with it. The autopistol was made to fire rimless cartridges and can be reloaded much more quickly with less work.

I thought revolvers were for people who grew out of tacticool ninja reloading and are comfortable and confident with 5-6 shots.

I've shot a S&W M610 with both .40 and 10mm, and they did not feel right. The recoil was much sharper/snappier than the .357 loads I was used to, and I did not like the moonclips. Individually loading 6 chambers is fun anyway. Oh and speedloaders are easier to reload than moonclips are (talk about sore thumbs!).

The only reason I'd ever get a model 610 is if I had a pile of .40 and 10mm guns and got sick of picking up casings for reloading.

 

[357wheelgunner]

I beg to differ on reloading speed. a moon clip gun is faster then any speed loader and is as fast to reload as an automatic....Another advantage is i can load up about 100 clips at home take them to the range blast steel and not have to pick up individual brass everything comes back in nice 6 round bundles that i can again take home and remove and reload.

Yeah but with an automatic you can reload 15 rounds as fast as you are reloading 6......And I have no trouble droping my .38/.357s into a box from my wheelguns.

 

[Kurac]

If you put me with one of my S&W revolvers next to a guy with an automatic, each with a 50 round box of ammo or 100 round box of amm, no floaded speed loaders moon clip or magazines, I guarantee I can emtpy the box of ammo on target a lot faster than the guy with the automatic and his magazines. If you show up with loaded magazines then it is a different story.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

Interesting comments above....

As a 610 shooter I find them easy to shoot and just plain fun. Not much really to add other then some thoughts about comments already made.

The 610 is easy to shoot, easy to hot rod and the 10mm is a fun accurate cartridge.

Here is 50 shots of hot 10mm reloads at 15 yards. Very first target I shot with the gun. Thus have a fond feeling for it.

Here are some of your choices. The 5" and 6.5" fluteds were my favorites, but I found I shot the 6.5" better so I sold the 5" to another collector.

I don't know much about the 4" guns or the unfluteds. I could not see the logic in a 4" barrel and the 10mm round for me, so I ignored them and have never shot one.

Good luck.

 

[nyresq]

Yeah but with an automatic you can reload 15 rounds as fast as you are reloading 6......And I have no trouble droping my .38/.357s into a box from my wheelguns.

don't tell that to Jerry Miculik (sp?).....He can throw 8 rounds, reload and another eight before most people could clear leather and get off three or four....

 

[lawboy]

I bought the gun. I can' wait to shoot it. I still need to figure out a bullet mould to buy though. Any ideas on a 180gr. to 200gr. mould?

 

[Lloyd Smale]

my 610 really likes the turnacate nosed 180 that lee makes It will shoot that bullet into an inch at 25 yards with 4 grains of bullseye.

 

[Lloyd Smale]

If your talking self defense I doubt if your ever going to get 3 rounds off let alone 15 and It may be a split second faster to reload but youll spend an hour when your done shooting picking up your brass.

Yeah but with an automatic you can reload 15 rounds as fast as you are reloading 6......And I have no trouble droping my .38/.357s into a box from my wheelguns.