Talk:Smith & Wesson Model 10

Additional Images

Smith & Wesson Model 10 revolver with 2" barrel and nickel finish.

Smith & Wesson Model 10 revolver with black grips - .38 Special

Pre-Model 10 M&P five screw with 6" Barrel

Detroit City Police issued Model 10. The DPD carried nickel plated revolvers for several decades.

Nickel plated Smith & Wesson M&P with S&W "combat" grips

Smith & Wesson Model 10-5 (1962) with 6" barrel

Modern S&W reproduction of the classic (Pre-1957) M&P.

Smith & Wesson Model 10 Nickel Snub Nose

Smith & Wesson Model 10 w/2.5" barrel. F.B.I. issue revolver. Courtesy of the N.R.A.

Smith & Wesson Model 10 Nickel - .38 Special

Smith & Wesson Model 10 with three inch barrel and round grip - .38 Special

Smith & Wesson Military And Police - .38 Special

Smith & Wesson Model 10 Revolver (Marked Royal Hong Kong Police Issue) with Police Lanyard Ring - .38 Special

Smith & Wesson Model 10 HB (heavy barrel) revolver with black rubber grips - .38 Special

Smith and Wesson Military and Police - .38 Special

Smith & Wesson 10-5 with three inch barrel and smooth vintage grips similar to those on a Smith & Wesson Victory Model.

Smith & Wesson M&P (Nickel Snub) - .38 Special

A photoshopped image of sawed-off Military & Police revolver

Smith & Wesson Model 10-6 with 4" barrel and factory wood target grips - .38 Special

Trocaola Aranzabal Y Cia revolver - 8x27mm French M1892

Guisasola Hermanos revolver - .38 Long Colt

Tanaka Works S&W M10 Military & Police 4-inch HW (Version 3.1) - 7mm cap gunpowder

Screen-Used

Screen Used Smith & Wesson Model 10 Revolver - .38 Special. This particular firearm was the one held and used by Malone (Sean Connery) when he shoots an already dead gangster in the mouth in The Untouchables.

Smith & Wesson Model 10 - .38 Special. This is the screen-used firearm carried by Leonardo DiCaprio in the film Shutter Island. Thanks to James Georgopoulos.

Historical

S&W 38-200 "Victory" model converted to .38 Special by London gunmaker Cogswell & Harrison after WWII. The Baughman front sight was also added by C&H.

The actual Smith & Wesson Victory Model (converted to 38 Special post-WWII) reportedly owned and used by Oswald, as found at JFK Files.

Smith & Wesson Model M&P Revolver with 6" barrel - .38 Special. This rare Smith & Wesson Revolver (mfg. 1920) was presented to Thomas E. Hawley upon his "record serving" retirement as Police Chief of Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Comparison

How does this weapon compare with the Colt Official Police? I don't want to instigate a brawl between supporters of each, I was just wondering what the pros and cons of each weapon are since these two seemed to be the most common police weapons for decades. -Anonymous

Ultimately it's a matter of personal preference over the cylinder latch. S&W's push-latch is a bit easier to use, but Colt's pull latch is just as easy with practice. There's a more detailed analysis on he Official Police discussion page. --Maxman (talk) 16:42, 25 May 2016 (EDT)

I like both of them. The Smith & Wesson double-action trigger is smoother than the Colt double-action. There is a distinctive "hitch" in the Colt trigger. The Colt single action is easier than the Smith & Wesson. Both are good revolvers. --Jcordell (talk) 12:42, 28 October 2018 (EDT)

I've found the Colt Official Police to be uncomfortable to hold with a modern two handed grip compared to the Model 10. I have both and the S&W is definitely more ergonomic. --AdAstra2009 (talk) 08:11, 18 April 2021 (EDT)

The hump at the top of the S&W grip is definitely a superior design for double-action shooting. I own several Colt DA revolvers (and S&W) and I find that the Colt design rolls more, causing me to constantly re-adjust my grip. The S&W design stay put and enables me to concentrate on shooting. I have Pachmayr and Hogue grips on my Colts which are a huge improvement; especially the Hogue grips which ensure that I don't have to re-adjust my hands after every couple shots. I also have Hogue grips on my S&W revolvers, but that because I prefer rubber grips over wood grips for shooting in general. The wood grips are for photo-ops. --Jcordell (talk) 11:44, 19 April 2021 (EDT)

Nickle

Were there ever any nickle plated versions of the model 10 made? The second to last image on the page looks like it may be nickle plated, but it could just be the lighting.

The Stainless version is the Model 64. So no. The Wierd It 09:17, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

Uh, wrong. There were plenty of nickel plated Model 10s in circulation. I've seen many, original tapered AND heavy barreled variants. Also there is nothing to keep a Model 10 owner from sending in his revolver to be nickel plated after the fact. MoviePropMaster2008 19:38, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

While there are no stainless Model 10s, they were originally available in nickle. And of course it's entirely possible that in over 100 years of production somebody has had one nickle-plated. - Nyles

Yes Smith & wesson manufactured the Model 10 in both blued steel and nickel plated steel for over eighty years. They stopped making the nickel plated models in the early 1990 (I believe. Don't have my copy of Supica and Nahas with me as I type this) when the EPA got on them. However S&W is once again making nickel plated revolvers. I guess they fixed whatever Big Brother said they were doing wrong. --Jcordell 18:00, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

Adventures of Superman?

Would the S&W Mdl 10 be the revolver used in the opening credits of the 1950's Superman TV series to illustrate the phrase "Faster than a speeding bullet"?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAROcbv4gco

Thanks. 99.40.197.2 06:33, 18 February 2011 (UTC)

RCMP model

I know the RCMP had as standard issue a five inch barrel Model 10 after S&W switched to the heavy barrel and numbered names. Was this a special run like the 2.5 inch barrel versions for the Michigan State Police, or was a five inch barrel still an option after 1959? --Maxman (talk) 00:21, 1 May 2016 (EDT)

Smith kept making the standard barrel (i.e. tapered) model 10 into the 90's. I have both the 1985 Shooter's bible and 1986 Gun Digest at home. Those issues show the 5" Model 10 as still being in production and evidently available to consumers - not just a special order option. However the 1988 Shooter's Bible doesn't list the 5" barrel as one of the lengths. Hope this helps. --Jcordell (talk) 07:17, 3 May 2016 (EDT)

Yes, that does help, though I also just bought a 10-5 with a 5" barrel (and I am quite certain it was not RCMP issued). --Maxman (talk) 20:43, 3 June 2016 (EDT)