Took the Grips off My Model 10-8 and Found This...

H

HisStigness

New member
A couple years ago I bought one of the police trade in S&W Model 10's that sportsman's outdoor superstore had for sale. Mine is a 10-8, no lock, nickel(?) finish, shoots great, low recoil, all around fun gun to own. It came with Pachmayr grips, and although comfortable to hold, I think the diamond wood ones look better.

Anyway, I went to take the rubber grips off and a piece of the frame came with them! I never knew S&W to make a gun with a removable frame front strap, so can somebody tell me what the heck is going on?? The piece appears to be notched and intended to fit, but it's a little bit loose, such that it's only held in place when the hammer is cocked and tensioning the mainspring.

I tried to do some searching on the internet but couldn't turn up any answers about it. Thoughts anyone?

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A 10-8 is past my interest date, but I have & do own considerable S&Ws and
never saw anything like that. I would say it's some kind of custom job to have
a effect/ adjustment on main spring. That's the only thing it could be. I
suspect it is suppose to be for benifit of DA trigger pull. I really can't understand
the Floating nature of it. Maybe it was never finished. I don't know just a guess.
The only other thing it could be is a attempt to come up with a safety deal so
gun would only fire with finger holding assembly in position. There isn't much
going on mechanically in this portion of the gun. You have main spring and
Main Spring screw, simple mechanics.
 
I am not even close to being a gunsmith but that looks to me like it's broken off, not a removable piece. See the grain where's it's fractured?
 
I've never seen anything like that - I agree with the above that it looks like it may be broken? Maybe it was never noticed because of the rubber grips? A police trade in - you have no idea of what the history of the individual revolver is and there could be lots of scenarios - dropped from a building top, run over, ? I hope someone will be able to solve the mystery as it would be interesting to know.

I suppose it could be a gunsmith alteration, but it seems like the tension screw on the mainspring, under the right circumstances could "files" or "spring' the rest of the frame due to the big opening in front?

A nice looking 10 - if you have the piece any chance it could be welded in place by a good gunsmith and the seams worked down. You would know it was fixed but with the strap on the inside of the frame and a set of wood grips, I wouldn't think it would e that noticeable?

Interesting . . . .
 
Since you have been shooting it, it appears to be safe, but I think I'd have a gunsmith repair it just to be on the safe side. Its definitely broken or has been altered. Not anything from the factory
 
Amateur modification.
It appears the insert is aluminum-therefore it can't be welded in.
A new piece would have to be made of steel.
 
Magna-Trigger installation.
If it were working, the action would be locked up unless you wore a ring with a strong magnet on the palm side to deactivate the lock. Ancestor of the "smart gun."

Obviously worn, broken or beat on to destroy the lock function.

Massad Ayoob plugged these in gunzines. Perhaps he could tell you where to get it fixed. Or just solidly installed without locking.
 
Magna-Trigger installation.
Click to expand...

Jim beat me to it. Although I admit that I didn't remember what it was called. I've never actually seen one, but remember reading about it in "Shooters Bible" or some such book many years ago.
 
Why not just keep it as it is for it's unique modification? Especially with it being a commercial product, not some amateur Bubba job.
In it's own way it is kind of a part of firearms history.
 
Shows how effective the thing was if OP has been using the revolver all this time and never knew it was in there. Unless he wears magnetic jewelry as everyday attire.
 
Aikibiker said:
Shows how effective the thing was if OP has been using the revolver all this time and never knew it was in there. Unless he wears magnetic jewelry as everyday attire.
Click to expand...
I've been told I have a "magnetic" personality, if that counts for anything.

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