Smith & Wesson Model 10 Re-barrel Question

[hermn8r]

Hey guys, I recently traded a very nice Smith and Wesson Model 10 to a guy on another site. Initially the guy was great and communicated perfectly with me. We came to a deal without issue. When it came time to start the transfer he started giving me the run around (took him 4 extra days to start his transfer and confirm mine) and it only got worse once the transfer was completed and it was time to ship (delayed shipping with numerous excuses). Anyways, he got the Model 10 yesterday and is now messaging me saying that it's been re-barrelled, the bluing isn't proper, and the barrel is in poor shape. I still haven't gotten his trade in the mail but it should be here within the next few days.

I'm no expert by any means but I like to think that I know what I'm selling/trading. I had taken a good look over the Smith numerous times prior to making a deal and saw no signs of uneven/odd bluing, and I know for a fact the bore was in excellent shape. I guess my question is, based on the pictures below is there any way to tell whether the gun was modified that I missed, or is the guy just screwing with me?

I'm completely open to making right on the deal if I made a mistake, but I'm not about to cater to this guy if he's just regretting getting rid of his pistol that he traded me, especially after the run around he's given me throughout the whole process to begin with.

Any help is greatly appreciated,
Thanks in advance.

 

[ryan]

I am certainly no expert, but the barrel pin looks shiny to me, when it should be blue. That alone makes me think the barrel might have been replaced. That, and the bluing on the barrel does look a bit different than the frame. Could just be the lighting though. That aside, the cylinder looks perfect, and if the bore is fine as you say, it should be good gun.
Now I don't think I would want to play games with your buyer/trader, he might be an opportunist type wanting a better deal. If it were me, I would cancel the deal.

 

[hatman1793]

Appears to be a 6" barrel making it a non-Prohib class gun. There is nothing wrong with the bluing. S&W made barrels & frames and blued them accoring to demand. Perhaps the 6" barrel was blued a different time than the frame & the bluing doesn't match perfectly. So what!
Besides, caveat emptor! And its a freakin model 10 with the RCMP length barrel. Its not a competition gun, and as a "Service" course revolver, just sbout every other gun outclasses it.

 

[Master-G]

I did a Google search for "model 10 6 inch barrel" and found this pic, which looks exactly like yours to me, complete with the shiny barrel. I wonder why he thinks it's been rebarreled? Oh, and hatman1793, RCMP Model 10s had 5" barrels, not 6".

 

[Hitzy]

Get your gun back, this smells funny to me

 

[tiriaq]

Look at the little locking plunger protruding from the barrel lug. It seems to be protruding too far. Is it properly engaging the end of the ejector rod? If it isn't, that would suggest problems, ranging from a bent ejector rod to an improperly indexed barrel.

 

[hermn8r]

Thanks for the input guys. He sent a few detailed pictures with a pretty lengthy explanation of the issues he sees. To me they do kind of make sense, although the discrepancies are pretty negligible. I'm trying to get him to just buy the model 10 off of me so I can just send him his trade back and we can get this deal finished with. Definitely will not be dealing with this guy again...

 

[josquin]

Appears to be a 6" barrel making it a non-Prohib class gun. There is nothing wrong with the bluing. S&W made barrels & frames and blued them accoring to demand. Perhaps the 6" barrel was blued a different time than the frame & the bluing doesn't match perfectly. So what!
Besides, caveat emptor! And its a freakin model 10 with the RCMP length barrel. Its not a competition gun, and as a "Service" course revolver, just sbout every other gun outclasses it.

I think the RCMP Model 10s were 5" (?) I remember an old article from Amer. Handgunner (?) from the 80's about RCMP guns and the instructor who was interviewed said "We like to be a bit different". Can't find the article now but a Wikipedia article on the RCMP came up with this:

Service Pistol

• Smith & Wesson Model 10 revolver—issued with 5 in (130 mm) barrel, in .38 Special. It served more than forty years from 1954 to 1996.

I think the 5" might have been a special order just for the RCMP. If so, there would have been no need to rebarrel it.

 

[marshall]

not all model 10's where police guns, if it is indeed a marked service gun, than it will have been rebarreled, But so what? I would have been a 4 inch 12-6
Looks O.K. to me, but a close up picture with the cylinder open would have been a help, and close up of the barrel frame, barrel pin.
Tiriaq has a point also, looks a bit off? If I may be so crude as to ask , what price you where asking, if it was collector price, or shooter price, makes a difference

 

[hermn8r]

I didn't really have an asking price, he got my contact info through the guy who sold me the revolver and offered me his S&W 17-6. We discussed that the values were obviously different however I had let him know that the only way I was going to let the 10 go was for a heads up trade with his 17 seeing as I kind of wanted to keep the 10. He was fine with it at the time. We're now trying to come to a reasonable price on the 10 that he can just buy it outright from me after I send him back the 17, but he doesn't want to pay much for it... which is why I'm thinking he's just regretting letting his 17 go and wants to get a better deal... Guess I'm kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place. May just end up taking a loss on it and move on.

 

[David K]

.... As a bit of a side note, the RCMP issued model 10 ( Uniform issue to ALL Sworn Members ) was a 5" square butt, with a Lanyard swivel in the butt. Model 10s in a round butt configuration were on unit issue for "Palin Clothes Duty. Both being stamped RCMP on the frame. Also, be aware, that only the later versions ( high "C' prefixed serial numbered and the "D'prefixed serial numbered guns were rated for +P ammunition except for emergency or special circumstances. ) ...... David K

 

[marshall]

The 17 could be worth what this is or more, if it was real good one, they sell fast for exc condition ones.
the only - on yours is the fixed sight, does it print to point of aim?

 

[hermn8r]

I never personally fired the 10 so I'm not sure. I ended up coming to a deal with the guy for a cash price on the 10 anyways. I'm not thrilled with it but at least this deal will be over and done with. I appreciate all the input guys, thanks again.

 

[BAAC]

I know you wrapped this one up, but just a side note... I've had guns rebarrelled in the past to move them from prohib to restricted... None have had the manufacturer's marks on them. They've been blanks.

So, it's either never been rebarrelled, or it was rebarrelled by S&W/using S&W parts. In which case, what's the issue...? Unless it didn't function, but I've done deals with you. I know it worked.

 

[josquin]

Alas, if "Fact-and-science-based" Turdo succeeds in banning handguns, all such discussions will be irrelevant, as the grinder makes no distinction between a rusty, cobbled-together bog-standard K frame and a factory-engraved Registered Magnum


"Turf the Turd in 2019"

 

[hermn8r]

I know you wrapped this one up, but just a side note... I've had guns rebarrelled in the past to move them from prohib to restricted... None have had the manufacturer's marks on them. They've been blanks.

So, it's either never been rebarrelled, or it was rebarrelled by S&W/using S&W parts. In which case, what's the issue...? Unless it didn't function, but I've done deals with you. I know it worked.

I was under the same assumption seeing as it's S&W marked, but he obviously had a problem with it regardless. Instead of arguing with him I figured it best to just take the hit and move on. He's now paid me for the 10 so as soon as I start the transfer for the 17 and have it confirmed it'll be on his way to him and out of my hair. Unfortunately there's a bad deal like that every now and then, but deals with guys like you are the ones that make it all worth while in the end for for both parties.