Heavy Barrel or pencil? (Model 10)

I can't stand the look of the tapered barrel and would not own one. heavy barrel looks perfect to me. A local shop had a mint model 10 with the tapered barrel in the box with tools for $379. It sat there for many months. The guy eventually sold it online.
 
Just an aside for you heavy barrel lovers,,,

Right now Buds Gun Shop has S&W Model 10's,,,
With heavy barrel for only $269.00.

You even get your choice of round butt or square butt.

Click here please.

Aarond

P.S. This gun is not legal in Calif.
(I couldn't resist posting that)

.
 
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I like both. The pencil barrel has that classy look. The heavy barrel has that no nosense ready to do business look. I carried a heavy barrel for a couple of years doing security duty (required by contract) and was pleased with the recoil dampening effect it had.
 
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Well, since you asked...

For the tapered barrel - I like them on the Model 15/67 with the adjustable sights. Creates a very beautiful line, in my humble opinion. For the Model 10/64 (sans adjustable sight) I prefer the heavy barrel. A much better look for a "duty" gun.

So it really is just a preference thing like everyone else has said. But, my take is you need an example of each - for the collection. :D
 
I own a tapered barrel Model 10 4" which I bought new in 1982 or so. I like the looks of it, but in retrospect wish I had bought a model 13 with the heavier barrel, which is essentially the model 10 HB in .357. So heavy barrel for me.
 
Pencil BBL

Howdy,

I've an old 5-inch "pencil" BBL model 10. I believe it's former Louisiana Hwy patrol issue from the '60s in Nickel. With it's pedestrian fixed sights and uninimidating appearance, who'd think that this baby'd be a tack-driver?
I can knock down steel plates faster and more accurately with this than my 586 or GP100. The extra inch on the BBL is just a little more "gravy". Come to think of it..how much extra velocity does that extra inch (5 as opposed to the more common 4 inches) add?
 
Without a doubt my preference would be the thin barrel. I love that classic look, just like Highway Patrol with Broderick Crawford. You know, the days when men were men and the woman were glad of it.
 
I carried the heavy barrel 4" when I was in the NYPD and the Pros for the heavy barrel was it looked great and it added extra weight when you "bended" it around some loud mouths head. I later acquired a pencil barrel from a retiring guy...it just looked older, the weight difference was negligible.
 
Difference in shooting them

The heavier barrel tends to resist rising in recoil to a small degree.

The thin barrel is faster coming out of recoil and back on target - to about that same small degree. The thin barrel is also a bit faster moving from target to target - a little bit.

For actual general shooting purposes, I prefer the thin barrel.
 
In reality it boils down to which one shoots best in your hands. If you can afford to get the second pistol get it. Figure out which you like best and trade the other one in for something else.
 
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