Is a S&W model 10 revolver a good gun to use for home defense?

Question

Is a S&W model 10 revolver a good gun to use for home defense?

Answer 1

Your model 10 is fine for a home defense gun, even in a small apartment. Most of the 2" or shorter barreled guns are more for concealed carry than being "better" as a home defense gun. A 4" barrel is fine for your needs. There's really no reason to pick up a snub nose as long as you're comfortable with your model 10, unless you'd like to have a shorter barrel or use it for a concealed carry gun.

I've got some revolvers with 6", 6-1/2", and 8-3/8" barrels, but my home defense gun is a Taurus model 85 Ultra Lite in stainless with a 2" barrel.

Your model 10 will serve your purpose and last you a lifetime.





Seeing as how you already have a couple of other snubnose revolvers to use, I'd go with one of them for home protection. In most cases of a break in, you won't have time to use the sights so a longer barrel won't be any better in a situation where you need to "point and shoot" rather than "aim and fire".

The 637 Airweight is a great home protection or concealed carry gun too.

Over the past 8 years I've owned my 85ULSS it's been a great gun, never giving me a problem. It's been very accurate for "point and shoot" practice at 25' and I can put all 5 shots through a paper plate at that distance. I'd guess I've shot close to 1,500 rounds through it since I bought it new. Practice, practice, and more practice, until the gun points and shoots where you want it to. The double action trigger pull improves the more you use it.

It still has a nice tight action and lockup and I don't have any doubts it will fire when I'd need it to. I've never had a problem with my Taurus Tracker .22 either. I guess I got two of the "good ones" with all the people I hear having problems with Taurus handguns. I know quite a few people with Taurus revolvers and pistols that haven't had any problems too. Maybe they ship all their "good" guns to Ohio?

I'd also suggest loading with Glaser Safety Slugs for home protection, especially in an apartment. There's less of a chance of overpenatration on an "uninvited guest" or through a wall into an adjoining apartment with them. I've included a link below with info on them. They are not cheap though, usually $15-$20 for a box of 6. That's really not too expensive for piece of mind of not shooting into the apartment next door.

http://www.dakotaammo.net/products/glaser/glaser.htm

All I've shot in my 85 is 125 grain JHP +P ammo. That eliminates the lead fouling of the barrel from wadcutters or other full lead ammo and I buy from a guy that loads using new brass at local gun shows for $27 a box of 200. Another guy buys the once fired brass for $12 (6 cents each) , so it comes down to $7.50 per 100 rounds. I can't buy a box of 50 wadcutters that cheap, it's closer to double that. Anyways, buy whatever ammo you can afford to and spend as much time as you can practicing to point and shoot until it feels natural and you're hitting where you want to be.

Answer 2

Stick with the Model 10. Any firearm launching a projectile that is capable of penetrating a persons body with enough force to provide instant incapacitation is also going to pass straight through multiple sheets of drywall/sheetrock. It is a catch 22. On one hand you can take care of your neighbors and people in the room next to you while leaving yourself at risk by not having enough gun OR you can endanger the people in the next apartment and help yourself by having enough gun to deal with the situation.



I suggest keeping the .38 and just attempt to make the safest shot possible if that one bad situation were to ever arise.





Edit... Shotguns loaded with birdshot are for birds, not for home defense. If you don't believe me go here...



http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot41.htm



and here



http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot3.htm



Keep birdshot for birds...

Answer 3

S&W model 10 is my favorite revolver in .38 special

I have one as a home defense gun,carry gun,and car gun.

I have a S&W model 1905 M&P in Nickel finish with a 4 inch barrel that is very similar to a model 10 only difference is the barrel is pinned and its an older gun that was made in the 1940's or early 50's before the model 10 was officially introduced so technically its a pre-model 10 which I have and its just as good and reliable.

Keep the Model 10 its worth it in the long run and will be a reliable allie to you when you need it.

Answer 4

the S&W m10 has been used by law enforcment and militays around the world,if the 9mm had not become so popular it would still be the best selling pistol of all time.if it was me,for self defence inside the home where we are talking about ranges in feet instead of yards,i would use the full wad cutters,yes they do move slower then most ammo,but those flat point bullets at point blank range plays hell with soft tissues

Answer 5

1

Answer 6

Model 10 S&w

Answer 7

S&w Model 10

Answer 8

remember, shortening a barrel by half is going to greatly reduce the velocity of the bullets being launched, AND more still burning gunpowder is going to fly out of the end of the gun.



here is why this should be important to you. A hollowpoint bullet needs velocity to properly expand. The shorter the barrel the less likely that the hollowpoint will successfully work. That alone should make you use the longest barrel you can.



Second, the still burning gunpowder will make a big muzzle flash, which can damage your night vision quite badly if you do have to use the gun at night.



Further, a longer barreled gun has a longer sight radius. Long barrels do no make a gun more accurate, they make it easier for human beings to shoot them accurately. Now, in truth in a home defense situation, you will probably revert to just 'point shooting' but still the ability to aim more prescisely should count as a plus



Finally, I believe the snubbies you describe are both 5 shot models, I'd take the extra shot.



The only reason for a snubnose barrel is to make the gun easier to conceal on your person. Unless the 4 inch model will not physically fit where you are attemping to conceal it next to your bed (unlikely) stick with the longer barreled model.



As far as the 4 inch barrel being possibly easier to wrestle from your grasp, by the time anyone is going to be attempting to wrestle a gun from my grasp, that gun is going to be empty. Both models are equally vulnerable to someone clasping the cylinder or hammer area to keep the gun from firing, barrel length has no play there. Gun retention in combat is more a matter of technique than gun size. If you are in real close quaters, wrestling distance, hold the gun back with your main hand, hold it about at your hip or ribs, and have your left hand and arm ready to push the person back

Answer 9

the old reliable model 10 is an excellent choice. The 4" barrel is perfect. It gives you more accuracy with it's longer sight radius than the "snup nose". Don't you dare trade that Smith for a Taurus!!!! The model 10 is just exactly that TEN TIMES BETTER than a Taurus. Taurus quality runs hot and cold. You might get a nice one, you might get one that is nothing but trouble. AND, if you send it to taurus for repairs, kiss it good bye for at least 3 months. That's how many firearms they have in for repair on average!! As for ammo, Hornady TAP is the top self defense load right now. But any of the quality hollow points work. Glaser safety slugs are a good choice for apartment dwellers. My next choices after tap, would be hydro shok, gold dot, cor bon, etc.

Shoot safe

Answer 10

I feel comfortable with my S&W by my bedside. It's a Model 19-4" .357, .....but It's loaded with .38+p semi-jacketed hollowpoints. In size, weight, and design it's virtually identical to a Model 10 for all practical purposes. and It's fast, accurate, reliable, I'm USED TO IT, and I'm GOOD WITH IT.

It's faster with the .38's due to shorter recovery time, less muzzle blast/flash, and less muzzle flip. I'm confident that my ability to hit my target will compensate for not using magnums. A .38 to the head and you're pretty well over.



The 4" barrel has faster recovery time and is better balanced than a 2". The purpose of snubby barrels is concealment, not agility. Shorter barrels have more flash and blast as well. Flash can blind you in a dark room. Blast takes you off target.



I'd keep that Model 10 by the bed myself.

For the faster recovery time if nothing else.

Answer 11

The 4" barreled S&W model 10 is an excellent home defense gun. I would choose it over the 2" snubbie. You will stand a better chance of hitting your target under stress with the 4" a lot better than you would with a 2" gun.



Randy C is right about the substandard Tauruses. My brother bought a Taurus PT-22 semi auto, and it didn't fire off a full mag. before it just QUIT. He sent it to the factory, and they sent it back 4 months later.There revolvers are probably the same quality and workmanshipp as their semi autos.

Answer 12

HeadHunterII has passed on some golden information, pay heed to it. It strongly re-enforces my own low opinion of birdshot for defense and the .410 in general.



Either the Model 10 or the Taurus snubby will be fine for home defense. The snubby might have a trifle of advantage over the 4" barrel in a struggle for control of your weapon, but accuracy and reliability give the edge to the Model 10.



BTW, for half a century, 75-80% of the lawmen in the US packed a Model 10 as their duty weapon. And I'd still prefer a Model 10 over a cheap 9 mmP jammomatic.



Thanks for the TruthBox links Headhunter!



Doc

Answer 13

GLOck 17 and luger p-08 are ecelent for this . Even its a nazi pistol the luger it it highly reliable accurate. this is why soilders used the luger. They wont break easly.



oh i wouldnt use hollow points just use a regular one because hollow points kill instantly. if you shoot the wall it micht kill a person. with the regular you may not kill the person if it goes in the wall. If you shoot someone you just shoot him 2 or more times .

Answer 14

it is ok, but, if you miss. The round will travel through the wall to teh next aprtment. The best gun for home and small apartments would be the Taurus Judge. This revolver will shoot .410 rounds. Using a shotgun load will not go through walls. And with a shootgun load, you dont have to be right on target. As long as you are close, You will hit the target.

Answer 15

YES and use a 4" barrel.*......... Nicer if you had a 20 gauge pump shotgun loaded with # 4 bb shot.* >> OR BOTH.*!!

Answer 16

u might not want it to be used against u

Answer 17

how about claymores?