Info. on S&W 10-5

[Ichiro]

Hi folks,

I picked up my new (old) S&W 10-5 from the FFL after work and spent the last couple hours cleaning and polishing. I wanted a dedicated .38 special, and also to experience first-hand what all the fuss was about in regard to old Smiths, so I decided to place a bid on Auction Arms for a non-collector grade specimen, and I got it.

Is there anything I should know about this old gun, in terms of safety and maintenance, that could save me trouble? Is it safe to drop (not that I would drop it intentionally)? Is it OK to dry-fire? Will it digest modern +P ammo?

Also, if anyone has a rough idea of the gun's mfg. date, I would appreciate a year, just out of curiosity. I've heard there are books that provide this information, but I don't have one. The SN is C727754.

First impressions: This model 10 is an elegant-looking gun. The pencil barrel is cool, and the wood grips look good with the blueing. The trigger is the "target" type, with the grooves, and the firing pin is in the hammer. I'm used to Rugers, with the smooth trigger and transfer bar. The trigger pull feels good, but the square butt doesn't feel great in my hand. It appears to be in very good mechanical condition, but it's first trip to the range will tell the real story.

Any info/comments are appreciated.

~Ichiro

 

[RJay]

All my Smith and Wesson book shows for date of manf. is 1948-1967. Your Smith has a transfer bar safty and if you were to drop it it would not discharge. It can only fire if the trigger is pulled. The Model 10 is one of the " great " revelvors. The action will only get smoother as you use it. There are more grip designs for the S&Ws than any other firearm. You can find one that fits your hand. It is also safe to use +p Ammo but not as a steady habit. Pratice with .38 Special and carry +P. It is also safe to dry fire. I own over a dozen S&Ws and I shoot all of them for fun. They are a delight to shoot.

 

[Ichiro]

Wow!

So this gun is definitely older than me (1969) and possibly almost as old as my dad (1947)! Thanks for all the information. It's good to know I can dry-fire safely, because I naturally can't resist the urge to do so. I also like to keep all of our guns loaded at home, just in case, so I'll load it up with some +Ps before putting it away in the gun-vault.

How do these guns stay so tight after so many years?

~Ichiro

 

[DPris]

It actually does not have a transfer bar safety, it has a sliding hammer block safety to prevent accidental discharge if it's dropped on the hammer. The two are distinctly different.
Typically older Smiths stay tight by not firing 30,000 rounds through them. Most weren't shot as much as many shooters do today.
Depending on when it was made, +Ps may not be a good idea. The older guns didn't have the same heat treating and were meant for standard velocity loads. My book shows the 10-5 beginning in January of '62.
You've got a classic gun, enjoy.
Denis

 

[omegapd]

Great choice in a firearm. I use one everyday as my off-duty gun. I qualified with one in the police academy some years ago and liked it so much, I've sort of collected them over the years.

Like everyone else said, +P won't hurt it if fired in moderation. Mine's a 10-7 and I'll wager I've fired close to a thousand rounds of +P over the years through it- mainly just seeing what kind of abuse I could put through this gun. It's proven itself to me, so now I just let it carry the +P and shoot the low powered LSWC reloads I get on the cheap.

Enjoy it!

Edit: Thought you'd like to see the differences between my oldest 10 and newest. The top one is stamped US Navy and it was the gun I qualified with. 1940 man. date or somewhere in there. The bottom is nickle plated and is my CCW.

 

[Richard Simmons]

Congratulations on your new S&W. I'm sure you'll like it even more after a trip to the range. According to the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson your serial number falls in to this categroy: 1963-65 C622700-C810532. As I understand it the fixed sight .38 specials were regulated (sighted in) from the factory, using 158gr loads. Your's may have been altered by the previous owner to suit his or her particular load of preference. Just make sure you take a box of 158gr lead round nose with you to the range and see where they hit on the target compared to where you were aiming. You could also try some 130gr as well as some 125gr +P to get an idea, overall where she likes to put those bullet weights and velocities on the target. Please let us know how she does?

 

[XavierBreath]

Is there anything I should know about this old gun, in terms of safety and maintenance, that could save me trouble?

Clean the chambers at the same time you clean the bore. Keep the finish oiled.

Is it safe to drop (not that I would drop it intentionally)?

It will (should) not fire, but afterwards, unload it, and do a complete function check on it. If there is anything amiss, have a gunsmith take a look. The old Smiths are pretty tough, but I have seen dropped revolvers want to bind up.

Is it OK to dry-fire?

Certainly.

Will it digest modern +P ammo?

Yes, but not a steady diet, OK? There is no need to do that for recreational shooting, and you run the risk of accelerated wear. Load it with +P for defense, it won't explode, but feed it regular ammo on the range. I use Winchester White Box.

How do these guns stay so tight after so many years?

Little shooting and hand fitting. The degree of handfitting on your old Model 10 would make it a Performance Center gun today. Something to think about!

The SN is C727754.

I own C794XXX, estimated manufacture date of 1964. Your gun should wear walnut magna grips with a diamond insert like the upper one in the photo below. If you have these grips, take care of them. If you don't, and want them, buy them now. The prices are going up dramatically. You can swap out the grips to a set that fits your hand better. I really like the Hogue monogrips on my shooters. A rubber Hogue monogrip for a K frame can be found on ebay for under $10.

Lastly, post a picture! You can't come here asking this stuff without a pic! Here are mine. Enjoy! You made an excellent choice!

 

[Ichiro]

Great Information

I can see you guys really know and like your Smiths. Thanks for all of the information.

Mine is NOT a collector-grade model 10. According to the seller, it has been (gasp!) reblued. It also had its grips replaced with the non-diamond ones (like the bottom gun in Xavier's picture). They are too pristine to be original. So, I guess that makes this gun a shooter, which I got for $169. On the other hand, I can imagine wanting to own about a dozen of these guns in original condition. In fact, it seems perfectly reasonable for some strange reason.

I intend to shoot this gun a fair amount and keep it well maintained. I've got about 12 boxes of 158-grain practice ammo, and about two boxes total of various +Ps: 110-grain, 125-grain, 158-grain and some 129-grain Hydrashoks that she's loaded with now. My two Rugers have informed me that they are now officially bored with .38 special ammo of any kind and, henceforth, will eat only magnums. So the 10-5 can have the .38s all to herself. I may need to get those Hogue grips, though. The wood grips just do not feel right.

Xavier, as for a photo, my model 10 looks just like the bottom gun in your photo. If I end up shooting real well with this gun, I may end up getting a collector-grade sibling for it. One to look at and one to shoot. Then, I'll post a pic. I enjoy your blog, by the way.

~Ichiro

 

[XavierBreath]

If you enjoy the vintage retro aspect of the original grips (which, after all is part of the guns allure, right?), then you can likely pick up a beater pair of diamond magnas on ebay for $25. Add a Tyler T adapter like what is on my lower Model 10-5, and you have a shootable grip. (I still prefer the Hogue though, buy it on ebay and resell it for a similar price, at no loss, if you don't like it.)

 

[Person of Interest]

For a differing opinion on +P, there's mine. Factory +P is hardly any more powerful that what standard .38 Special ammo was back when your gun was new. Factory +P would not cause me one whit of concern in a post-war M&P.

 

[RJay]

Alas Dpris, When you're right, you're right. The Model 10 does not have a transfer bar, instead it has a sliding hammer block. Sorry about that.

 

[DPris]

That's twice this year I've been right.
Excuse me, I have to go make a diary entry.
Nice guns, I need to pick up a couple more.
Denis

 

[Sir William]

I'm just beginning to enjoy my Butler Creek boot grips on my M10s/M&Ps. They are openbacked but, the front of the buttgrip is filled in and a lower grip is possible. They are handfillng. The +P issue is simply one of faster wear. The serrated trigger is a combat trigger. A popular conversion is using a Dremel to remove all but three lines of checkering from the hammer, a semi-bob. You are still able to cock single action and there is less hammer to catch on clothing. There is more than enough mass left in the hammer. Some say the lockwork operates better with the semi-bobbed hammer. I have 2", 3", 4" and 5" M10s/M&Ps. All are 38 Specials.

 

[BillCA]

Yes we love our old S&W's! And the Model 10 is simply the classic .38 revolver that's been a mainstay of the American gun scene for over 100 years now. When you look at a Model 10 you can see where all of S&W's other revolvers came from.

Your wheelgun is probably a vintage from 1964-65, when they were still made by people who carefully hand fit parts. As with all post-war S&W's, it incorporates the "hammer block safety" mechanism that prevents the gun from firing if dropped.

As said before, these guns were set up for 158 grain ammo and will likely shoot their best with that weight. I'd opt for a 158gr semi-wadcutter bullet myself in that weight instead of round nose. Bullets around 130 grains should do pretty well and the 129gr Hydrashoks typically give good results.

When cleaning, it is not necessary to remove any screws from the M10 with the exception of the grip screw. Remember to never let the cylinder "slam" shut or "fall" open hard as a general rule. Because your gun is blued, you should wipe the gun down with a patch containing 2-4 drops of oil and then a final wipe with a dry cloth afterwards (old diapers are great for this).

While dry firing is okay, I always recommend using snap-caps for older guns just to prevent a tearful moment.

Lastly -- I'll bet more homes in the U.S. are protected by a Model 10 of somekind than any other revolver. If we lump in all of the S&W .38 special variants - Models 10,12,14,15,64 and 67 then it's almost a no-brainer.

 

[Ichiro]

Why is the serrated trigger considered a combat trigger? I would think a smooth trigger would lend itself better to combat (i.e., easier DA shooting), and a serrated trigger would be more useful for more precise, single-action, fingertip trigger presses. Either way, I like this trigger just fine.

I'll check out the Butler Creek grips, as well as the others mentioned here. The problem is that my hand naturally wants to slide too high on the grip due to the shape of the butt. Feels terrible, but looks nice on the gun.

Can I use empty .38 cases instead of snap-caps?

~Ichiro

 

[XavierBreath]

I'll check out the Butler Creek grips, as well as the others mentioned here. The problem is that my hand naturally wants to slide too high on the grip due to the shape of the butt. Feels terrible, but looks nice on the gun.

The key usually is filling the space directly behind the triggerguard. After that, a more narrow and "coke bottled" grips usually feel best on a square butt gun.

Can I use empty .38 cases instead of snap-caps?

Yes, of course. But DO get used to opening the cylinder to check to see if the gun is loaded. Just looking at the exposed rim of the brass will not suffice. A lot of people just look at the brass rims, and if you are doing that and using brass to dry fire, it may bite you in the butt. Personally, I have never had any problem dry firing an empty S&W hand ejector.

Why is the serrated trigger considered a combat trigger?

Marketing.

 

[Ichiro]

Range report

I took my circa 1964 S&W model 10-5 to the range this morning, and here's what I've got to report.

This is a very fine revolver! A GREAT gun!

I am not a good shot by any means (because I'm a newbie), but I was shooting this model 10 as accurately as my Ruger 22/45, and in double-action .

As for the grips, they proved intolerable in single-action shooting. Every time I cocked the hammer, I had to adjust and re-grip, often more than once. After 20 rounds or so, I gave up on single action (for now). I need a lot more practice.

Shooting double-action, the grips actually felt quite good, to my surprise. I started at 21 feet and kept all shots in the black of the little competition targets I use. Then I moved the target back to 35 feet and repeated my performance. Finally, at 50 feet, I was able to keep all but a few in the black. Like I said, I am not a good shot, but this was an impressive performance for me ; about as good as I shoot my 22/45 (4").

I fired about 180 rounds double-action with 158-grain practice ammo, and about 40 rounds of various +Ps including 158-grain LSWC, 125-grain JHP, and 129-grain Hydrashoks. All rounds were very accurate (for me ) and were *****-cats out of this M10. The Hydrashoks are fiery, though!

I rounded out the session with 100 or so rounds from the 22/45, and one box of 158-grain .357 from my SP-101 snub. At 21 feet, I AM NOT able to keep all the shots in the black with my SP-101, but I sure make a lot of noise. It's also quite cheap to shoot magnums with my SP-101, because after one box of the full-power cartridges, I've had enough . Conversely, I believe I could shoot the model 10 all day.

All in all, I am very impressed with the model 10. It's probably the nicest and sweetest gun I've ever shot. Now, I feel the need to get another, just to have two.

Also, for you Smith-ophiles out there, which model or models should I consider for old S&W .357 magnum? I'm thinking of a 6", just because I don't have a 6". I've already got a Ruger 2" and 4" magnum. Thanks for all your replies and input.

~Ichiro

 

[XavierBreath]

Congratulations! You have been assimilated!

Now you understand......... Next thing you know you will be crawling through pawn shops, looking through RGs and such for S&W gold. The best thing is....buying old S&W guns used at reasonable prices, you will never loose money.

Also, for you Smith-ophiles out there, which model or models should I consider for old S&W .357 magnum?

For a .357, I recommend a Model 27 if you want fancy, or a Model 28 is you are a more asture type. On either, look for a pinned and recessed gun. That way you get the whole retro package.

Here is a Model 28-2 I picked up this week for $239.

Model 27-2 that I bought a couple of years back.

 

[Russ5924]

I always stayed away from the M10 because of no adjustable sight,but last year found one I just couldn't turn down.What a sweet heart it is I still can't believe how accurate that gun is will shoot dead on at 25 yards.Mine is a 10-8 4 inch HB.Now looking for one with the pencil barrel.

 

[Ichiro]

Which model 10 marked the end of the pencil barrel?

Also, did they make .357 mags with the pencil barrel?

I think the pencil barrel is very, very cool.

~Ichiro