It’s no secret that I love 1911 handguns. Some people suspect I have a portrait of John Moses Browning hung above my headboard. These naysayers believe I only have room in my heart for single-action, handcrafted firearms. They’re wrong. I also love double-action, handcrafted firearms. One of my favorite being the venerable Smith & Wesson Model 10 — and the portrait of JMB is in my living room, not above my bed.
What do you think the best revolver is? As with any “best gun,” the answer is subjective. My personal preference, however, may surprise you. I have shot quite a few revolvers, on and off camera, and the one wheelgun in my collection I keep coming back to, over any other, is the Smith and Wesson Model 10, aka Military and Police. The video embedded above is not my official review, but is one of several I’ve produced that feature this fine weapon. I suppose some of my fondness for the Model 10 is, at least in part, attributable to nostalgia; like many other classic firearms enthusiasts, the S&W Model 10 .38 Special was my first cartridge gun. I also attribute shooting the this lovely firearm with inspiring me to begin my GunTubing saga in earnest, which is what got me into pistols and reloading.
Some styles never fade; the tuxedo, the little black dress or the martini. They’re go-to icons of classic style and functionality. Along the same lines is the full-sized .38 revolver. Six rounds of widely-available ammo in a package that rarely fails that delivers only a little more recoil than a .22 auto. It’s the ideal bedside gun for those unfamiliar with firearms who might lack the coordination, strength or inclination to wield a shotgun indoors . . .