Hey everyone, this is Shooting Illustrated bringing you another episode of “I Carry.” In today’s feature, we’re taking a look at the Smith & Wesson Model 10 Classic No Lock 38 Special revolver and some related gear. Let’s take a closer look at this setup:
Firearm: Smith & Wesson Model 10 Classic No Internal Lock .38 Special Revolver (MSRP: $979)
This may be the oldest design we’ve ever featured on “I Carry” – Smith & Wesson’s Model 10 can trace its roots back to, literally, the 19th century and the Military and Police (M&P) Revolver, Model 1899. The version we have today is new, but with traces of the old ways – this is one of Smith & Wesson’s “No Internal Lock” re-issues that does away with the locking mechanism just above the cylinder-release latch that had been a part of the revolver design for several decades.
Size-wise, there’s no getting around the elephant in the room: this is a rather large gun for a six-round capacity. It’s a medium-frame revolver with a 4-inch barrel, so it has an 8.9-inch overall length, 5.9-inch height and 1.5-inch width thanks to the six-round cylinder. Weight is 34.6 ounces, which is considerably heavier than even full-size striker-fired 9 mm handguns, although it does make shooting .38 Special quite pleasant. And, for what it’s worth, the Model 10 Classic No-Lock revolver is rated for +P .38 Special, giving it a little more oomph that it certainly can handle.
Up top, the sights are updated to be larger and more visible, yet harken to the Model 10’s roots. The front sight is a simple, half-moon blade, while the rear sight is a notch carved into the top strap. These are rudimentary compared to tritium dots and photoluminescent rings, but they’re workable and maintain the historic look intended for the Model 10 Classic. Clearly, there are no provisions for powered optics; should an aiming device be desired, a grip-based option like the Crimson Trace Laser Grip would be required. However, that’s not why anyone would choose the Model 10.
Let’s be honest: This is an appeal to nostalgia, and it absolutely works. You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone born in a year starting with 1-9 that wasn’t at least somewhat familiar with the traditional six-shot revolver. These guns were an absolute staple of TV and movie cops from the 1950s easily through the late 1980s, until “Lethal Weapon” had Riggs skewer Murtaugh for carrying a wheelgun. As our Handgun editor quipped, “the medium-frame revolver was so common that its appearance on the screen, big or small, practically became shorthand for “the good guys.”
If you’re thinking about a Model 10 as a carry option, it’s either because you are quite familiar with the medium-frame revolver, or you want a “barbecue gun” option that you can shoot once in a while. And you know what? That’s a perfectly fine reason to buy a classy, attractive Smith & Wesson revolver.
Holster: Bianchi Shadow II (MSRP: $84)
Now, we certainly weren’t going to go down Nostalgia Lane with the Model 10 and then stuff it in a kydex rig, you know that much. Rather, we’ve opted for an attractive Bianchi Shadow II leather outside-the-waistband holster. This is a pancake-style holster with a thumb break for retention as well as the ability to position it with a straight drop or a slight forward cant thanks to the two belt slots in the front.
The Shadow II is an absolutely perfect match for the Model 10 in my opinion; it’s a classic, nostalgic holster that still works just fine for everything you want to do. It’s molded not just to the pistol for optimum retention, but also with a slight curve to help it hug the body should you want to don a cover garment and carry it concealed. It’s available for right- and left- handed shooters, and in black leather as well as the tan we have today.
Accessory: MicroTech Cypher II OTF knife (MSRP: $451)
The last item in today’s kit might seem a little incongruous given the classic nature of the other products chosen. We’ve opted for a MicroTech Cypher II out-the-front automatic knife as the last piece of gear, and while this thoroughly modern knife might seem at odds with a classic wheelgun and leather holster, it certainly matches the rugged, take-anything-life-throws-at-you nature of the kit indeed.
With a 3.55-inch, M390MK spear-point blade, the Cypher II comes in at 8.5 inches in overall length when open and weighs slightly less than 4 ounces. The steel pocket clip is reversible, and there’s even a glass breaker at the tail end of the knife for an added bit of safety. The M390MK steel, designed for MicroTech, is chosen specifically for superior edge retention, high hardness rating and excellent wear resistance. The fact that it’s slick as all get out and its predecessor was featured in one of the John Wick movies is purely coincidental, of course…
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