10mm S&W autos?

M

Marcus

New member
I`m in the market for another 10mm and I`m considering picking up a used (and naturally pre-agreement) Smith. I have a Witness and although Glocks are really good guns I just don`t care for them. I`ve never been into Smith autos but the few I`ve shot have been reliable and fairly accurate with decent triggers. How well do they hold up to the 10mm though? I`ve heard the 1000 series guns are HEAVY,but I haven`t found anything saying how heavy,anyone know? The gun will serve as an occasional carry piece,how are they for carry? I`m not clear on all the models but I`m guessing the 1006 may be a little big and heavy for CCW? I think I`d like to steer clear of the 1076 and it`s funky decocker,not so much because of the lever itself but because I can`t change grips if I want. How bout a 1066? I see KY Imports has quite a few listed online,any other sources for them? Any input on these beasties would be a big help. :) Marcus
 
I'm a boycotter, not that it matters regarding the advice I'm about to give, but I don't like Smith & Wesson autos. Pre-agreement or not. S&W autos have always been terrible examples of American guncraft.
 
My buddy has a 1006, and he has carried it on duty for several years now. He likes and shoots it well, but I don't care for it.

It has a long slide (4 1/2 or 5 inch BBL) compared to the 4006 I used to have, and I can feel every movement of the slide going forward and backward when I shoot it.

It would be VERY difficult to CCW unless you live in a cold climate and can wear a heavy jacket to cover it. It seems as long as a full size 1911 only thicker.

I wouldn't mind having because S&W doesn't make them anymore, But it would not be a carry gun for me.
 
I had a 1076. It shot well, came w/ night sights & was all stainless. The one thing I had to get use to was the goofy grip. It wasn't particularly wide, but it felt longer than it had to be & you couldn't really replace the hard plastic grips.
My recommendation...find a better platform to shoot the 10mm from ;)
 
Inspector Callahan, I, respectfuly, could not disagree more. I own a 1006 10mm the has functioned flawlessly and is very accurate. I had a 5904 9mm that was just as good. If a search is done regarding smith 10mm's (especially on the 10 ring at Glocktalk) I believe the concensus for these weapons is very positive. I may not agree with thier politics, but they have produced some very fine firearms. Besides, how long did we deride the soviet system, yet can anyone deny the robust functionality of the AK-47 or Makarov? Politics and goods are not synonymous.
 
I'll chime in. Up until about a month or so ago, I dispised S&W autos. Of course all I had owned was their 9mm flavor. Then my fave gun shop got in about 4 NIB 1076s. Someone found them laying in a vault somewhere. I love the 10mm so I said what the hell. It is now my carry gun. (Maybe I'm just a FIB [no typo, too much 16 Candles] wanna be)

Recoil with the stoutest loads is pleasant. It will function flawlessly with some pretty wimpy target loads I came up with. The trigger is actually sweet and I hate DA/SA triggers. I agree that it feels kinda weird in the hand but I swapped out the factory straight grip for the curved one ($20 from S&W) and put on a Hogue Handall and it now feels really good. Accuracy is good though it shot way low until I changed the sights out which I intended to do anyway. Leather was obtained from www.kramerleather.com.

Hell, I am thinking of picking up another 1076 and a 1006 now.

I feel no guilt in any of these purchases as the 10mm Smiths were discontinued before the "Agreement" was a glint in HUDs eye.
 
BTW last time I talked with KY they had no S&W 10mm in stock. Whatever they have listed you need to call them and actually see what they have available.
 
I recently picked up a 1066, and I'm very impressed with it.

It would be VERY difficult to CCW unless you live in a cold climate and can wear a heavy jacket to cover it. It seems as long as a full size 1911 only thicker.
Click to expand...

That's not the case at all. The 1006 is as long as a 1911 in the slide, and the 1066 has the Commander-sized slide, but both carry as well as a 1911. (They're actually slimmer in the grip, but the slide has the same width as a 1911 slide, and it's only a fraction wider than the slide on the "slimline" Glock 36.)

*&* autos carry very well inside the waistband, and the 1066 is no exception. It carries even better than my old 411, thanks to the much slimmer grip, and it's about the same weight as my Springfield 1911, around 38 ounces.

If you can tote a full-size or Commander-sized 1911, you can tote a 1006 or 1066 without a problem.
 
I like the 1006 very much. I've fed it a pretty wide range of ammo,
too, and it ate everything. Hasn't jammed once on me. It might
be a bit heavy, but that depends largely on who is carrying it.

The trigger is EXCELLENT!!

I have read somewhere that the Colt Delta Elite turned out to
be good for only about 1000 rounds, but I don't know about the
validity of that number- I have also read of D.E.'s that went well
over that number. In either case, theS&W was built heavier,
and was supposed to be good for 5 times that.

ANM
 
"Pre-sellout" Smith 10mms.


Marcus:

These 3rd Gen. Smith autoloaders are probably the best ones Smith ever made. Only very rarely do you read a post where someone claims they got a lemon. Do a Search here and on GT and you'll see what I mean.

The biggest complaint seems to be that they are heavy SOBs. The 5" barrelled 1006 & 1026 have more weight than the "Commander"-sized 1076/1066. It's a shame the 1016 (the 4516-2 in 10mm) never got off the drawing board. OTOH, there's the G-29 if you want a reliable, light-weight compact 10mm (not to mention 10+1 capacity).

Still, all that weight and a 20lb Wolff recoil spring will tame whatever hot 10mm loads you're itchin' to shoot thru it.

Also, it's true that the grips on Smith's 3rd Gen. large-frame single-stack autos aren't for everyone. On the 10mms, you can get a grip with either the straight or arched backstrap. (The complaint's been made before that they're too narrow and long). As mentioned by AndABeer, either a Hogue "Handall" or the similar Uncle Mike's "slip-on" rubber thingy can correct the problem for most people.

You might want to check out my last post in the following thread regarding CHiP's durability testing of the Smith 10mm.

See: http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=95928

HTH.
 
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I don`t think concealability will be a problem for me. I carry a CZ-75B and a 10mm Witness a lot of the time now anyway. Now about the grip on the Smiths. I handled a 1076 before I bought my Witness and had the same thoughts about the grip. It was thin,square and not all that comfortable (remember I`m used to a CZ-75). Has anyone tried Hogue grips with the arched backstrap in either rubber or wood. They look a little more comfy. Does anyone know a place other than KY Imports that might be likely to have some 1000 series Smiths? Marcus
 
Local cop shop in Knoxville has three 1066s left, along with spare mags. Price range is $350-ish, and the guns are ex-LEO guns traded by some unnamed TN county mounties. They have holster wear and need a wipe-down, but mine cleaned up nicely. Internals are in good shape, so if you don't mind a little rubbed-off bead blasting in some spots and minor dings and nicks, they're not a bad deal.

Call Craig's Firearms at (865) 573-4567..they're not open on Sat. and Sun., as far as I know.
 
I've been quite pleased with my 1076. Good platform, accurate for my purposes, and likes my reloads. The only grip is the grip issue, it would be nice for Hogue to come out with grips for that model.
Since I got into pistols, the Smith 10 was always the choice.
 
All of the Smiths I have shot have been the **** 4 digit models and all have been good guns..my fave was a 6096 an ex LEO had. I almost bought one...from what I have heard..the 1000
series is one of the only 10 mm to not shoot itself apart...go for it.
shoot well
 
I went on a quest for 10mms tonight. 2 gunshops 8 10mms! Gee for being a "dead cartridge" there sure are a lot of em around. ;) 4 were Glocks,not really interested. 1 VG Colt DE for $750, 1 Excellent 1006 fixed sights $659, 1 excellent 1006 adj.sight $679,1 STI custom 10mm I didn`t even look at the price! The same shop with the DE had a S&W 645 that looked like it had been used as a combination aircraft wheel chock/hammer/ hockey puck for $459!!! Is it my imagination or are those prices more than a little high? :eek: The one G20 came with a hi cap for $559 though which I thought wasn`t bad. I really wanted the adj. sighted 1006 but not for that much. Oh well, guess I`ll have to stick with just the Witness for a little while longer. Marcus
 
Marcus,

I agree that$659 is too much for a 1006, they usually go for about $425-$500 in my location.There are a couple of shops that have them right now,but I didnt price them. Stick by your guns, (no pun intended ) the 1006 is a great choice!
 
One of my local shops has a 1006 with adjustable sights for $439. I have been eyeing it for several weeks, but not sure if I want to take the plunge. I could probably get them down $20 or so... I wonder if I can afford the ammo for it.
 
A 10mm Smith auto ....great choice! They're robust, accurate and easy to like. You won't be sorry. I particularly enjoy my 1086 (DAO only). It has a verrrrry smooth trigger pull and is bullseye deadly. Good luck with your search.
 
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