S&W model 10 vs. Colt Police

[azmark]

I'm checking out these two classic revolvers, trying to find a good, affordable shooter. What are the pros and cons of each? The only negative I can see in the Colt is the ridiculously narrow rear sight notch.

[grizz223]

I have both and love them both but I'm a Colt guy so I vote Colt.

[Tom Servo]

In the long run, parts will be easier to get for the Smith should it need service.

[grizz223]

What Tom Servo said is very true I'm still trying to find someone to fix one of my Colt Offical Police revolvers. Not many Colt gunsmiths still out there.

[shouldazagged]

Both superb, but I think the Model 10 is quite possibly the greatest revolver ever built in terms of design, versatility and sheer popularity. It's sad that Colt is no longer manufacturing DA wheel guns. If I had the money I might well buy a Detective Special. But the parts and service situation really is a concern.

[carguychris]

The only negative I can see in the Colt is the ridiculously narrow rear sight notch.

FWIW the Model 10 was offered with several different front sight and rear notch widths, sometimes concurrently. However, the vast majority of later-production (i.e. late 1960s onward) M10s have the wider sights.

Another plus for the M10 is a wider variety of available barrel configurations; it has been offered with 2" tapered, 2" heavy, 3" heavy, 4" tapered, 4" heavy, 5" tapered, and 6" tapered barrels, albeit not always at the same time.

[Michigan Big Iron]

Buy the Smith. They are accurate, reliable, and proven. The double action pull is much better too. It's the same weight all the way through. It doesn't "StacK" or get heavier at the end of the stroke. Parts are every where and will be for a long time.

Enjoy!


Lock and Load!

[Venom1956]

Model 10 ez. I love colts but S&W is still kickin and making revolvers. I still cant find some parts to get my Colts back in action.

[Winchester_73]

When you say "Colt Police" I think many are assuming that you mean the "Official Police" model, but there was a Police Positive, and well as a Police Positive Special (in 38 spl or 32-20). The PP and PPS are smaller frame guns, a little bigger than a S&W J frame. The PPS was on the same frame as a Detective Special, the Colt D frame. The PP has a shorter cylinder window, and was in cals such as 22lr, 22wrf, 32 S&W long (32 New Police), 38 S&W (38 New Police). IIRC those frames were G and later C frame.

Given the choices, I like the M&P model BUT those older Colts were great too. For model 10s, I actually like pre war M&Ps. Nothing against later examples, but the pre war guns were very consistent with fit and finish, and overall quality. Companies often cannot afford to make guns that way today, but then again, we have a modern technology advantage today.

I never had a problem with any of the fixed sight Colt guns that you mention, but there is of course the potential for those problems. And despite what you might be told or read, Colts don't break down because they're "ferraris" or "Rolls Royces" and IMO, the issues are not maintenance or abuse related either. Its due to the lock work design which isn't has durable as the S&W. I like Colts, and I give Colt a lot of credit as a company, and their impact on revolvers was legendary, HOWEVER, I am realistic about them at the same time. Colt as a factory does not work on many of their revolvers anymore, and parts can be very hard to find, depending on which Colt you are referring to.

There was a M&P airweight, the model 12. For Colt, the predecessor to the OP was the Army Special. For what its worth, the M&P is on the S&W K frame, and the post war OP was the E frame. IIRC the Colt frame letter names, I, D, E, etc only apply to post war models. OPs arrived before WWII, IIRC the 1920s. The S&W M&P debuted in 1899.

[roaddog28]

If I had to choose between the two, the S&W M&P 38 specials would win everytime. Too me the best 38 special revolver ever made. Colts are good revolver but I like the M&Ps better.
Howard

[pete2]

I don't have the M10 or the Colt Official Police but I do have a Model 15 and an old Colt .38 special Trooper. I like both of them, I like the D/A better on the S&W but we all need as many Colt and S&W as we can lay our hands on. The older S&W guns are always nicer than the new ones. All the older Colts are nice too.

[SIGSHR]

The answer is quite simple-get them both! I have a Colt OP, will get an S&W M&P/Model 10 "someday".
I presume you're looking at a pre-1969 Colt OP, the Colt OP MKIII has a completely different action.

[CajunBass]

I've owned both, and like both. The really COOL thing about a Colt is pulling it out at the range and shooting it. Most of the time someone will ask "What's that?" So there's a show-off factor there.

But I've still got a Smith & Wesson M&P 38. The Colts have gone on down the road to people who wanted them more than I did.

[azmark]

I was looking at the Police Positive Special. The 38 S&W cartridge is kind of rare. The parts availability is definitely a big concern because the guns I see for sale tend to be older, like from the '20s and '30s. If I buy it I want to shoot it. I do like the light weight. My current revolver weighs 45 oz and that's heavy if I decide to carry on a hike.

[madcratebuilder]

If you plan to shoot much I would vote the M10 or any M&P variant. I'm very fond of the early models.

[azmark]

Beautiful revolvers! Did you refinish them yourself? How old are they?

[Jeff #111]

I own Colt and S&W. My Colts are fired now and again and not used for real world purposes. The Colts are part of my collection so I don't concern myself with the logistics of parts and repairs. The same goes for my older S&W revolvers. I colllect them. They're treated very gently.

My "real-world" handguns are a couple Glocks and a S&W Model 49 Bodyguard. Still plenty of parts for those models since they're still in production. Those I take care of, but I use them. It's just easier that way.