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S&W to resurrect the 610
- Thread Starter coyote223
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I've used a 610 in .40 with a sub 4" barrel for years, in both ICORE and speed steel. Didn't really care for 10mm much until the first bowling pin match illustrated what a gem the design really is. The moon clips make reloads considerably faster on the line.
After many thousands of rounds downrange over the years, I have absolutely no complaints with the 610.
After many thousands of rounds downrange over the years, I have absolutely no complaints with the 610.
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Btw, does this 610 allow 40s&w like 357s chamber 38s? I'm betting this is a moon clip model, right?
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yes and yes
you actually can fire the cartridge if you install longer firing pin; the issue then is how to extract;
"RIMZ" is a great product that deserves consideration should you need some moon clips.
you actually can fire the cartridge if you install longer firing pin; the issue then is how to extract;
"RIMZ" is a great product that deserves consideration should you need some moon clips.
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Wait a minute, you mean yes and no.
So is this headspacing off the 10mm case mouth? Otherwise, why would it need a longer firing pin? I'm missing something ...
So is this headspacing off the 10mm case mouth? Otherwise, why would it need a longer firing pin? I'm missing something ...
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I don't think I'd buy a revolver chambered in a cartridge that fits in a standard sized semi-auto.
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the cylinder is built to use moon clips; it was discovered by some field users that ignition could be obtained if somehow you didn't have moonclips, by slightly longer firing pin.
I've never installed longer FP in mine, what's the point.
Some of the other S&W revolvers are built to accept either moon clip or not, it's a nifty little trick with a special cut of the extractor star & rear chamber surface. Very handy, but only on the 627/327 as far as I know, where the rim is the head spacer.
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. I've owned a couple of these over the years before, let them go for one reason or another. I might be up for another one, seeing as how I've got other guns in this chambering. Ruger came out not too long back with their GP100 in 10mm, it's a husky machine, robust as a bumper jack handle but just doesn't have the looks of the S&W. If that counts for anything. And apparently it does with me because the last thing I need is another gun but I'd like to have another 610.
The 610's I've had before were round butt N frames. I don't care for the round butt or the rubber grip; I bought wooden conversion target grips, round to square for the ones I had. Altamont makes them; sometimes they even have them in stock to sell.
Re. shooting .40 S&W in the 10mm chamber. I don't recall how the chamber was cut in my earlier generation 610's. The issue might be, both 10mm and .40 S&W normally head space on the mouth of the case. Like 9mm Para., there is a step in the chamber that the mouth of the case abuts. If this step is cut in the chamber, a shorter round (like .40 S&W in a 10mm) might experience some bullet shaving. Or not, I'm just thinking about the potential involved with this design. The way S&W now is making these revolvers that shoot auto cartridges using moon clips makes the stepped chamber a moot point. The 10mm (or .40) doesn't have to head space on a step in the chamber. My S&W Mod. 986 shoots 9mm Para, has no step in the chamber, it's a gradual ramp effect like a .38 Special (for example) or any other traditional rimmed revolver cartridge has. You wouldn't want to due to the extraction issue, but you cannot fire 9mm Para. rounds in my 986, they sink too far forward into the chamber without the step to headspace off of. So I'm thinking that the latest 610 may have a cylinder made like the 986 since they are approx. contemporary.
My Ruger SP101 in 9mm Para. has stepped chambers, that one you can shoot without moon clips. But with the extraction issue. I've put together some special cartridges for this gun. Made using .38 S&W (not Special) cases, cut down slightly and resized in 9mm Para die. It's a 9mm Rimmed, like Federal made for a few years in the 1990's, no moon clip needed. But these won't work in the S&W 986 because the moon clip adds to head space in it. The rim on the "9mm Rimmed" isn't thick enough to work in that design.
Smith & Wesson made a really nice 9mm M&P revolver in the early 1980's, the Model 547. These didn't take or need moon clips, they had a special extractor design that gripped into the rimless 9mm case. These head spaced on the mouth of the case. These are a pretty rare gun now. Most of these were sold to France and Israel but S&W had some contract left-overs that they dumped through distributors here in the US at very reasonable prices.
The new 610 will likely have the keyhole safety look. Some people swear and be damned over this issue but it doesn't bother me much.
The 610's I've had before were round butt N frames. I don't care for the round butt or the rubber grip; I bought wooden conversion target grips, round to square for the ones I had. Altamont makes them; sometimes they even have them in stock to sell.
Re. shooting .40 S&W in the 10mm chamber. I don't recall how the chamber was cut in my earlier generation 610's. The issue might be, both 10mm and .40 S&W normally head space on the mouth of the case. Like 9mm Para., there is a step in the chamber that the mouth of the case abuts. If this step is cut in the chamber, a shorter round (like .40 S&W in a 10mm) might experience some bullet shaving. Or not, I'm just thinking about the potential involved with this design. The way S&W now is making these revolvers that shoot auto cartridges using moon clips makes the stepped chamber a moot point. The 10mm (or .40) doesn't have to head space on a step in the chamber. My S&W Mod. 986 shoots 9mm Para, has no step in the chamber, it's a gradual ramp effect like a .38 Special (for example) or any other traditional rimmed revolver cartridge has. You wouldn't want to due to the extraction issue, but you cannot fire 9mm Para. rounds in my 986, they sink too far forward into the chamber without the step to headspace off of. So I'm thinking that the latest 610 may have a cylinder made like the 986 since they are approx. contemporary.
My Ruger SP101 in 9mm Para. has stepped chambers, that one you can shoot without moon clips. But with the extraction issue. I've put together some special cartridges for this gun. Made using .38 S&W (not Special) cases, cut down slightly and resized in 9mm Para die. It's a 9mm Rimmed, like Federal made for a few years in the 1990's, no moon clip needed. But these won't work in the S&W 986 because the moon clip adds to head space in it. The rim on the "9mm Rimmed" isn't thick enough to work in that design.
Smith & Wesson made a really nice 9mm M&P revolver in the early 1980's, the Model 547. These didn't take or need moon clips, they had a special extractor design that gripped into the rimless 9mm case. These head spaced on the mouth of the case. These are a pretty rare gun now. Most of these were sold to France and Israel but S&W had some contract left-overs that they dumped through distributors here in the US at very reasonable prices.
The new 610 will likely have the keyhole safety look. Some people swear and be damned over this issue but it doesn't bother me much.
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It has been shown that a 9mm in a revolver is virtually equal to a 357Mag in the same type of revolver. One would have to go 41mag to get a 10mm caliber bullet in a standard revolver-type chambering. And that is just NOT as popular as 10mm is right now.
What if you could have a semi-auto in 10mm AND a revolver in it, too?
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For me its a capacity vs size thing. If the cartridge fits in a semi-auto, you get more ammo in a smaller/lighter package. If I carry a revolver, its to shoot a more potent cartridge.
I just looked, S&W shows these as current on their website. You can get either bbl. length (4 inch or 6.5 inch) for about a grand on Gunbroker. They are no longer hard to find as they once were, the first and second gen. examples. I liked the ones I had.
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Someone on this forum ended up with my 5" from S&W's original run plus 100 full moon clips and a couple boxes Black Talons. I want it back. 
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S&W hasn't been able to keep any revolvers in stock for a long time now. I'm told the problem is a shortage of skilled machinists needed to make revolvers.
I wish them luck getting this out and onto shelves.
I wish them luck getting this out and onto shelves.
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