From a practical standpoint the added internal locking mechanism is unobtrusive, but does add an additional potential point of failure. People interested in owning a well-loved Model 10 benefit from the pre-lock configuration that existed on all Smith revolvers prior to the 1990s. For the shooter this equates to a smooth-shooting, dependable revolver that requires very little maintenance and is inexpensive to own and operate. The Model 10 strikes a balance between truly utilitarian revolvers, like the GP100, and delicate hand-tuned works of art from Colt. No-nonsense, dependable design that outlasts the majority of its owners. A 100-year-old revolver, in this day and age? It has seen use in every major conflict in the 20th Century and has been in the hands of police and civilian shooters alike.

The Model 10 is known by various names, including Victory Model, Model 64 and M&P. 38 Long Colt chambering to be an ineffective man-stopper. 38 Special), after experience in the Philippines proved the previous. military ordered Smith to build revolvers chambered in the new, more powerful. This robust configuration was a blessing when the U.S. Therefore, the Model 10 was outfitted with a traditional frame for enhanced durability to withstand more punishing rounds. Modern technology can overcome this, but the metallurgy of the 1890s could not handle ammunition with smokeless powder due to the increased pressure and power. This caused top-break revolvers to have weaker frames than traditional revolvers because the frame is hinged instead of being forged from one solid piece of metal. However, an auto-ejecting revolver must be built in a top-break configuration, like a double-barrel shotgun, instead of the traditional swing-out cylinder. The elegant form of the Model 10’s cylinder ( Photo by Jim Grant) Model 10: Old fashioned even newĪuto-ejecting revolvers were popular around the late 1890s because they allowed for quicker reloads. Whereas, the Model 10 requires the user to extract them by pushing an extractor rod rearwards. Automatic ejecting revolvers, like the Webley, extract spent casings from the cylinder when the action is opened. The phrase, “hand-ejected” refers to the method of removing spent shells from the revolver’s cylinder. 38 caliber, double-action, hand-ejected revolver featuring fixed sights. The Model 10 was once known by the slightly-less cryptic moniker, “Smith & Wesson. One of my favorite being the venerable Smith & Wesson Model 10 - and the portrait of JMB is in my living room, not above my bed. I also love double-action, handcrafted firearms. These naysayers believe I only have room in my heart for single-action, handcrafted firearms. Some people suspect I have a portrait of John Moses Browning hung above my headboard. It’s no secret that I love 1911 handguns.

Smith and wesson model 10 single action