Pre Model 10 durability/longevity

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PublicxAccess

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New here been reading for awhile though.

I have recently started wondering about old Smith & Wesson durability wanted to know if it's okay to shoot these old model 10s a lot. I currently own a premodeled 10 5 screw and have put about 500 rounds through her. Not sure how old mine is either but still has the dates in the right side of the barrel. Do you guys shoot these guns often or just collect them. I really like shooting this one and she fits my hand like a glove and I even carry daily now.
 

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Howdy

As a rough guess, the mushroom cap shaped knob on the end of your ejector rod tells me your 38 M&P was probably made in the 1920s if not before.

If it is in good shape, and times correctly, continue to shoot standard pressure 38 Special ammo through it. I have Smiths that old, but I do not fire them every week. Everything mechanical will eventually wear out.

I would not fire any +P stuff through it, S&W generally states that revolvers made before 1957 should not be fired with +P ammo.
 
I would shoot it as much as I cared.
My 10-5 is as good as it was 50 years ago. The 10-6 needs a little work. Go figure.

They are easy enough to work on and collector interest is based on condition. Unless the gun is 99% or better I wouldn't worry about shooting it.
 
In good shape in the post-heat treat and pre-model number era = thumbs-up for shooting.

I would not dump rounds down range in a pre-heat treat example, but light duty shooting would be fine.
 
I recently picked up an old M&P like in the original post. The internals are different than a model 10 and might be hard to come by. Never the less I have shot mine and will continue to do so. I reload and am limiting it to lead and coated bullets only and low to midrange power loads. Probably mostly wadcutters
 
Howdy Again

Smith and Wesson began heat treating 38 M&P cylinders at about Serial Number 316648, around 1920. I would be leery of shooting the dickens out of a revolver older than that.

I recently picked up an old M&P like in the original post. The internals are different than a model 10 and might be hard to come by. Never the less I have shot mine and will continue to do so. I reload and am limiting it to lead and coated bullets only and low to midrange power loads. Probably mostly wadcutters

The Model 1899 and 1902 38 Military and Police revolvers mechanisms were a bit different than the later Model 1905 Military and Police revolvers.

This is a Model 1899.

Lockwork%2001_zpsybwf98pg.jpg




This 38 M&P is from 1939. The major change is the rebound slide, the piece below the hammer. This change was made in 1905, and other than changes in hammer block design this is the way all S&W revolvers are still built.

MampP%20Four%20Inch%2005_zpsnudxagrc.jpg
 
I have a pre M-10 snubby and do shoot it fairly often and have been known to carry it as well. But I do not use +P's in it. Don't think it a good idea personally for a non rated revolver to shoot them. There are plenty fo +P and +P+ rated revolvers out there, use them in those.
 
Mine has a serial # 132,XXX so I'm guessing she's not heat treated. She locks up tight and the timing is still good and rifling is still 100% as well. What are signs of wear I should keep an eye out for?
 
Mine is a pre-heat-treated version. I shoot it with mild handloads from time to time. I've had it for a few years now, and it still shoots the same as the day I got it.
 
The problem with those old guns is not the pressure. The original 38 Special loads were hotter than the junk passed off as 38 Special these days that is no more powerful than the 38 Long Colt it was supposed to replace.

What you have to watch is the bullet hardness. Those guns have equal lands and grooves and displace a lot of bullet. Shoot jacketed bullets or some of the hard as chicken lips lead bullets now offered and you can split a barrel. Stick to the softer lead bullets and if you are worried about pressures shoot lead 38s or 38 target loads. if you get a chance look down your barrel and a barrel of a newer 38 and you will see the difference in how wide the lands and grooves are between the old and new.

This should be read by everyone with questions about 38s and 38+P loads. Its the best I have ever read on this.

http://shootingwithhobie.blogspot.com/2009/01/p-phenomenon-by-saxonpig.html
 
It would seem that Saxon Pig makes a good case. Have not heard from him in quite a while ...?
 
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