new to me model 10

[dnsharpshooter]

just picked up my police trade in smith and wesson model 10-10 from my FFL. appears to be in excellent mechanical shape, lockup is tight and it has virtually no endshake. the action is smooth as butter. I would grade the finish 80-85%. the grips are pretty beat up but i plan to replace them anyway. couple questions, 1. what year approximately was this gun made? serial number is BHP5XXX. 2. is this gun safe to use with +p ammo? thanks

[Shotgun693]

That's not to old a Model 10. It ought to be fine with +P but not having looked it over that's just a general statement. You don't gain a whole lot with +P anyway. With a good standard load Hollow Point it'll do near anything you'd ever need out of a handgun.

[dnsharpshooter]

anyone have an idea on when it was made or a chart with the serial numbers?

[dnsharpshooter]

Just finished cleaning it. the charge holes (thats what they're called right? the holes in the cylinder where the rounds go) are perfect with no pitting or rust of any kind. the rifling in the barrel also looks excellent and there is no pitting or rust anywhere in the barrel. im going to get some nice ahrends wood grips for it and touch up the bluing on the barrel and cylinder. (not worried about hurting the value by rebluing, i dont plan on getting rid of it)

[Scharfschuetzer]

You've got yourself a great shooter it sounds like. Police pistols get carried a lot more than they are shot. During my training officer days I had officers who only shot their service pistols the required 100 rounds per quarter (400 rounds per year).

The cylinder holds the "chambers" and of course they hold the cartridges.

[dnsharpshooter]

chambers! thats the word i was trying to find, couldnt think of it lol. ill try to post some pics of the gun

[dnsharpshooter]

second picture is the grips, there is a chunk missing from one side.

[Crazy88Fingers]

1992.

+P is just fine.

[Webleymkv]

chambers! thats the word i was trying to find, couldnt think of it lol. ill try to post some pics of the gun

Chamber and charge hole are interchageable terms. Chamber is the more generic term while S&W calls them charge holes. Either term is correct and we all know what you're talking about.

The condition you describe is commonly encountered on police trade-in handguns. These guns often have significant wear to the finish from being carried day-in and day-out, but will be mechanically very good because most were only shot for qualification.

[PzGren]

Those are from Buds, right? I got two of them, mechanically strong and very tight guns. I changed the grips and will eventually reblue them, when I find the time for it.

I would rather rate mine at 65 to 70% with the finish worn to bare metal at the muzzle and trigger guard, the grips they came with had been worn and chipped.

[dnsharpshooter]

i threw some wood stain on my grips just to see how they would turn out, but i will be getting a set of Ahrends retro combat grips for it. the more closely i looked at the gun and with the light hitting it at different angles, i realized that more bluing is gone from the barrel than i originally thought. also the bluing on the top strap is pretty worn off. now that i noticed those points and a couple others, i would probably rate it 70-75%. but nonetheless it is still in excellent mechanical shape. ill put in some more money for grips and some bluing supplies and ill have a good looking, good shooting gun i can pass down to my kids.

[PzGren]

ill put in some more money for grips and some bluing supplies and ill have a good looking, good shooting gun i can pass down to my kids.

I got one of them for my oldest son, too. About bluing the gun, any of the common cold bluing formulas will wear fast and not yield desirable long term results.