What’s Old Is New Again

Estimated studying time: 12 minutes

If the Glock is the default handgun of this century, the Smith & Wesson Mannequin 10 is well the default of the final. First launched because the Army & Police in 1899 on the request of the US authorities after the Spanish-American Struggle, this humble six-shot .38 Particular revolver would go on to journey within the holsters of troopers, airmen, and legislation enforcement worldwide for many years. Because it occurs, variations of the Mannequin 10 have been in steady manufacturing since then.

https://gunsamerica.com/listings/search

All that point didn’t stand nonetheless. Greater magnum revolvers debuted, and semi-automatic pistols went from a distinct segment product to the product. By means of all of it, the Mannequin 10 itself has gone via modifications to make it a greater shooter. Lowering prices whereas sustaining its confirmed reliability was additionally a precedence. Enhancements to the sights, grips, and the hammer block security had been adopted by the introduction of MIM motion components and the dreaded key lock security in 2003. However revolvers had largely disappeared from the consciousness of the taking pictures public by then. The Mannequin 10 was briefly discontinued in 2010, with the heavy-barreled 4-inch mannequin persevering with beneath Smith’s traditional collection.

Simply in time for the revolver renaissance in 2025, the Mannequin 10 is again in its traditional configuration sans key lock. I’m a prolific collector of Smith & Wesson M&P revolvers. It solely made sense for me to present this new tackle the Mannequin 10 a good shake.

The Lock and the Mannequin 10

Smith & Wesson has stored a few of their classic designs in restricted manufacturing by way of their Basic line. The Mannequin 10 was delivered to the lineup in 2013. These revolvers function stunning Altamont wooden grips and finer bluing than what you will see that on their inventory fashions. Though nicely constructed, I needed to shake my head each time I dealt with one, intending to purchase. The important thing lock, which sits simply above the cylinder launch, remains to be there. The insides of those solid metal handguns had been MIM or steel injection molding components.

MIM components have come a great distance since Smith began utilizing them within the mid-90s and are considerably simpler to shine. The continued inclusion of the keylock is probably the most confounding side of recent Smith & Wessons. Smith & Wesson has at all times produced variations of their small J-frame snub-nosed revolvers with out the lock. Now the choice is out there for the traditional Mannequin 10, Mannequin 19, and Mannequin 36.

The New Basic S&W Mannequin 10

The brand new Mannequin 10 No Lock is one thing of an amalgamation of various variations of the M&P revolver. It includes a four-inch tapered or pencil barrel, which was the preferred configuration of its run. The sights encompass a sq. notch rear sight milled into the highest strap of the cylinder body paired with a particular half-moon entrance sight, as seen on pre-Mannequin 10 M&Ps.

The revolver wears plain, uncheckered walnut shares just like the Victory Fashions made throughout World Struggle II. Lastly, the ejector rod includes a flared tip. That function and the milled recess beneath the barrel to accommodate it was executed away with for the Victory Mannequin and by no means returned post-war. As a substitute of the trendy triangular cylinder launch as seen on new Smith & Wesson revolvers, the Mannequin 10 includes a wider scalloped launch of an earlier classic.

A New Really feel

Slight variations within the milling of the recoil defend and markings give the No Lock Mannequin 10 away as a brand new manufacturing handgun. So does the truth that the internals are nonetheless hardened MIM components as much as and together with a frame-mounted firing pin. However in each different side, it appears like several classic Mannequin 10 you’ll have present in a cop’s holster. Or because the generic film handgun of the latter twentieth century. The M10 has a stunning blue-black end and has the traditional sq. butt configuration, that are properly complemented by the impartial slick service profile grips.

The Mannequin 10, as with all of its ancestors, has a swing-out cylinder and ejects the empties with a strike to the ejector rod. It’s chambered in .38 Particular and is rated for +P ammunition. As with all six-shot Okay-frame, the brand new Mannequin 10 will work with any pace loader or holster made for a Okay-frame revolver.

Mannequin 10 Specs

Caliber: .38 Particular +P Capability: 6 Barrel Size: 4 inches Total Size: 9 inches Width: 1.4 inches Weight: 34 ounces (loaded)

On The Vary with the New Mannequin 10

The brand new Mannequin 10 is a pretty handgun, if considerably plain. However that may be a function slightly than a bug. But when it will probably’t shoot, then every thing else doesn’t matter. Publish-war Mannequin 10s are among the many best handguns to grasp. .38 Particular, even with +P hundreds, doesn’t produce prohibitive recoil in a four-inch-barreled all-steel handgun. The Okay-frame can also be a pure shooter as a result of it’s sufficiently small to hold and attain the entire controls.

For on a regular basis carry, a five-shot J-frame is nice for constant carry, however you’re asking numerous your palms and fingers to control one, not to mention shoot one. Likewise for bigger framed handguns. Though the brand new Mannequin 10 nonetheless has a few of the fashionable lock work purists will not be eager on, from a taking pictures perspective it lives as much as its predecessors.

First Impressions

As a Mannequin 10 fan, it doesn’t take a lot to depart an impression. The truth that we’re lacking the important thing lock is a bonus. Within the hand, the Mannequin 10 affords a full firing grip from my bigger palms. Though it wears form-fitting wooden grips that sit flush with the grip body, there isn’t any noticeable area as soon as the palms are clasped collectively. On some handguns, there’s area, and the set off guard has the liberty to wrap the knuckles beneath recoil. I did fear that the grips, attributable to their spherical, texture-less nature, could be a slip hazard.

Mechanically, the Mannequin 10 is a double-action/single-action revolver. The hammer can both be cocked for a lighter single-action set off pull or pressed all the way in which. The inner hammer block security and heavier double-action set off negates the necessity for any handbook safeties. Out of the field, the Mannequin 10 wanted some lubricant. After just a few dry hearth repetitions, the motion was easy. In keeping with my Lyman set off scale, the double motion pull breaks at 9 1/2 lbs., whereas the one motion pull is available in at 4 1/4 lbs. The one motion pull has no overtravel and cocking the hammer presents a wall so that you can break. The double motion pull is lengthy and audible, nevertheless it feels extra easy than my set off scale would recommend.

Total, I used to be assured the Mannequin 10 had a good likelihood on the firing line. With a recent cargo of .38 Particular ammunition from Ammunition to Go and a handful of previous Safariland pace loaders, I headed to the vary to burn some powder.

Accuracy

I began working my means across the Mannequin 10 by placing it on paper with a number of completely different hundreds to see the place the mounted sights had been hitting. Preliminary accuracy testing was executed offhand from a distance of ten yards. My first photographs out of the field had been with Magtech 158 grain goal hundreds and I managed a 12-shot group of 1 1/2 inches. The double-action set off pull suggestions felt about the identical as an older mannequin, although a bit heavier. These gentle commonplace stress hundreds produced little felt recoil and it was tempting to virtually go too quick.

I adopted it up with Federal Hydroshock 129 grain and Hornady Vital Protection 110 grain rounds. Each are +P and are louder than the Magtech spherical. These are the kinds of ammunitions which are extra widespread with .38 Particular snubnosed weapons right now and older service revolvers with mounted sights tended to be sighted for then-popular 158 grain hundreds. However I discovered these lighter-grained rounds to be proper on the cash. Accuracy was remarkably in step with the teams falling at 4 inches.

Vary Information

For the sake of science and going for spherical rely, I took some muzzle velocity knowledge by taking pictures the Mannequin 10 over my Caldwell Chronograph from a distance of ten toes. The five-shot common toes per second and foot kilos of vitality are as follows:

After establishing the place my sights had been, I spent the subsequent few vary periods plinking away out to 25 after which fifty yards. Though not a goal spherical by any stretch, the Federal FBI load gave me one of the best teams at these distances. The spherical favored nonetheless greater at twenty-five yards than at ten yards, however I may put all six rounds into the identical four-inch group as earlier than. The entrance sight of the Mannequin 10 gave loads of room to choose particular areas of my silhouettes. At fifty yards, the double motion pull was getting tougher to handle and I may drop my rounds right into a seven-inch cluster into the stomach. These 158-grain slugs had been lastly beginning to drop all the way down to the road of sight.

Reliability and Ergonomic Impressions

A clear revolver with good, vetted ammo might be going to run and run for fairly some time. I fired 300 rounds via the Mannequin 10 with no failures of the handgun or the ammunition. The one hiccup of observe is that, in my swap from little snub-nosed revolvers straight to the Mannequin 10, I unintentionally short-stroked the set off and failed to fireplace my subsequent spherical. Easy repair: let the set off all the way in which out and pull the set off once more. Though extra forgiving of shooter errors, revolvers just like the Mannequin 10 aren’t utterly foolproof. It’s a must to let the set off all the way in which out after firing a shot after which run the set off to the rear.

Set off

Talking of the set off, I solely shot the Mannequin 10 in double motion as I by no means had any luck taking pictures double motion revolvers in single motion mode. The M10 arrived with a easy set off out of the field, and customarily taking pictures smooths it out much more and makes the set off really feel lighter than it’s. That was the case right here.

A lot of the remainder of the brand new no-lock Mannequin 10 met and even exceeded expectations. The cylinder launch, which you push to free the cylinder for loading, works easily. The ejector rod, when struck to kick the empty circumstances out, kicks them out all the way in which. The flared tip on the ejector rod doesn’t mark up your hand when going for a pointy slap. I’m glad to see the return of this underrated function. The one flaw within the slaw I may consider was the slick grips, which tended to make my palms slide whereas utilizing +P rounds, particularly when my palms bought slick with sweat. Alternatively, they perform like service grips and don’t hold up empty brass or any pace loaders I used.

Worth: Why Go For the New Mannequin 10?

The brand new no-lock Mannequin 10 is a part of Smith & Wesson’s Basic Sequence. These aren’t full in-line manufacturing handguns and are supposed to fulfill those that wished a brand new model of what’s now not made. They’re collectibles at coronary heart, however what’s there to say a couple of collectible model of one of many least fascinating handguns on the market?

The world is filled with Mannequin 10s which are able to serve and able to acquire at costs which are nonetheless laborious to beat. However as time wears on, there might be fewer of them, and present costs will solely enhance. That’s the place more and more newer variations are available in. For individuals who need a good centerfire revolver, any model of the Mannequin 10 in laborious to beat, and Smith’s elimination of the keylock and the revival of the traditional mannequin is sure to carry again some previous palms and intrigue newcomers as nicely. The brand new Mannequin 10 will not be collectible simply but, however it’s a reliable inheritor to a terrific legacy that may make a terrific alternative for individuals who need the safety of shopping for new.

*** Purchase and Promote on GunsAmerica! ***

Jim has written tons of of articles and revealed dozens of movies within the firearms sphere for the final twelve years. A navy and financial historian by coaching, he can’t resist spinning a yarn on historic designs and firm declines. Nonetheless, his pursuits range from muzzleloading to rimfire ballistics to mastering right now’s newest techniques.

When Jim shouldn’t be on the firing line or in entrance of his spreadsheets, he enjoys spending time with household, perfecting his fire-starting strategies, and rediscovering his love of hunt and fish.