+P in a 4in bbl 38 Special "Pencil Barrel" S&W Model 10-5 ??

[mp5kruz]

I have an older nickel plated 4 in BBL "Pencil Barrel" S&W model 10-5 38 Special with a pinned barrel. It is in excelent condition and is pretty accurate. So far i have only been shooting standard preassure loads in it. Is it safe/advisable to shoot 38 Special +P loads in this particular handgun ? I know it was the standard issure handgun for many police departments and many of them issued the 158 grain LWSCHP +P round but i'm worried that a steady diet of +P rounds will prematurely wear it out. Any advice will be much appreceated. Thanks

 

[Iggy]

I wouldn't. Why ruin a grand old gun?

 

[FPrice]

I'd like to see just how many +P rounds it would take to wear out a modern S&W K-frame revolver. Your revolver was manufactured in or after 1962 which gives it the benefit of modern metallugy and technology. Plus P rounds will not harm it.

 

[bakert]

mp5, I have an identical gun that was sold to me as a conficated gun and sold to the dealer by a police dept. From what I can find it was made in 1969. It has a few minor dings and some bluing wear but is tighter than many new guns. For practice I shoot regular loads but it has had a lot of +P rds through it also and is still just as tight as it was when I got it. I carry it occasionally stoked with +Ps. It might loosen up eventually if shot exclusively with +P ammo but it would take a heck of a lot of shooting to do it in my opinion.
Baker

 

[Brian Williams]

I had this made from a S&W 65 3" in 357 and a S&W 64 barrel which is a 38spec, I have not tried it with full house 357s but it shoots very well with a load of 158grLSWCgc around 1000 to 1100fps. So it will not be the barrel that wears out.

 

[MCgunner]

I shot some +P in my 50s vintage M10 and it's tight as new. However, the majority of its diet over the years has either been the old round nose stuff, or after I got it, mostly wadcutters 'cause it's so friggin' accurate with 'em. I see very little need in shooting +P in it since it's not my defense revolver, but I wouldn't hesitate to carry it with 'em if I wanted to.

 

[HighVelocity]

I've put exactly 50 rounds of the Winchester 110gr +p+ FBI load through my 10-7 w/pencil barrel and honestly, they felt wimpy. Big bang and big flash but little recoil and no visible ill effects to the gun.

 

[thatguy]

I doubt that the barrel contour will have any effect on durability.

Someone called the 10-5 "grand and old?" Now, my M&P made in 1917 is grand and old, not something made in the 1960s.

50,000 rounds of +P ammo will certainly cause some small amount of wear so be careful.

Can we get a sticky on the use of +P?

 

[Iggy]

Someone called the 10-5 "grand and old?" Now, my M&P made in 1917 is grand and old, not something made in the 1960s.

Ok let me rephrase that.. The M&P pencil barrel design is so well mated with the .38 special ammo, in that it is accurate, and pleasant to shoot with standard rounds.

If you do your part that Model 10 whatever dash is a very viable and versatile weapon and a joy to shoot with the rounds designed for it..

I admit I no longer carry an Mdl 10 because I wanted "MORE POWER!!!!"

I bought a magnum, several magnums to be honest, but when I want a truly enjoyable afternoon of shooting, it is the ol M&P that gets the call.

Will the 10 survive a lot of hot rounds? Probably, but I can't see hotrodding it for what little is gained from +p rounds.

 

[RON in PA]

Any .38 special Smith K-frame revolver with a numerical model number stamped in the yoke is safe to shoot with +P ammo.

 

[thatguy]

Here's my 10-5:

 

[Iggy]

That is one spiffy lookin' pistol.

Mark me down as jealous as the dickens..

 

[mp5kruz]

Thanks

Thanks for the info. I'll shoot a limited ammount of +P's in it. Y'all might think this is funny, but my carry gun is a Makarov loaded with 95 gr "Brown Bear" hollow points. I like it's size and reliability and the 9mm Makarov is a prety decent round. Thanks again for the advice. And by the wy Merry Christmas and a Happy new year to everyone