500 with the 8 3/8 barrel.  By far my favorite revolver.

Wife has a 686 6" SS and it is very sweet and accurate.

At the current time, a Ruger is the  best model S&W

In the past I would say a 66  or 27.  27's are great gun's

Where did you order this?

Sheels has one right now. Corral Ridge Mall. They may do FLL's. Not sure on that though. Assuming op is interested.

Only if you have big mitts    I have a 4 inch 28 in factory magna grips.   It is a strong tank but it's big for my short fingers.  The 566 and 686 are better guns for me.   I would give the n frame the nod for durabity.


My favorite size but it has durability issues is the 19/66 for carry.

I have a pre model 17 five screw target pistol.   The finish on the old gun was damn nice.

Stay away from the Stainless Crap!  Anything pre 1980mfg, 4"-6"bbls. N frames are classic, 357mag caliber is BEST all around!

Best?   Hard to determine but if you go by service life/weapons produced it's hard not to make the case for the S&W M&P/Model 10.

The military of both the US and Britain ordered thousands upon thousands of M&P Victory models and of course it was the mainstay of Police Departments both here and abroad.

1943 US Navy Victory Model:



M&P (1946):

Pre 27.

Models:
27, 28, 29, 629, 13, 19, 15, 681, 581, 686, 586, 66, 65, 14, 17

Here is another desirable one to keep on the lookout for.

Model 24-3

This is the .44 Special N-Frame made for Lew Horton between 1984 - 1985. Only 5,000 of these 3" barrel guns were made.  This is one of those right place at the right time lucky deals for me.  I was lurking on Gunbroker when this 24-3 was newly listed with a low Buy It Now price.  I won the quick click BIN draw on this one!    

Pre-lock non-mim guns...

This is my Triple Lock, the finest revolver ever made according to Elmer Keith. 455 British marked and 100 percent original. 1 of 5000 made 1914 - 1915.

Any prelock blued S&W is great. I have model 10, 12, 15, 17, 18, 19, 29, 629, 30, 36, 37, M&P

Might be missing a couple, calibers are
22lr
22mag
32 long 
38 spc
357mag
44mag 

I like the smaller models as anything larger than a  model 19 is huge. I have 3 44mags and no desire for a larger handgun.

I collect S&W revolvers. My favorites are based largely on their beautiful craftsmanship or how they handle.

Favorites-

S&W M27- Especially 5" OR the rare 627 Model of 1989.....Pre 27...goes without saying

S&W 35- A rare pistol- J Frame 6" .22, beautiful little guns.

Smith and Wesson Mountain Guns, Wonderful to carry in all the right calibers, wish they had made a .44 Special version

Smith and Wesson 38/44 HD- Fixed sight, N Frame .357...What more do you need to know?

Smith Wesson 24 and 696- .44 Specials, Classy blasters

Smith Wesson 17 & 18- Basically the same gun just different length barrels. Classic .22 revolvers.

Smith and Wesson 29. Gun of Dirty Harry. Nuff said.

The 686 simply does everything well.  It belongs in every man's gun safe.

Lock/no lock, I don't give a flip. I like the older N frame S&W revolvers (nothing to do with lock or no lock; but they don't make these anymore) like the model 657 stainless .41 magnum (which I have in 4"), the model 27 (4"), and the model 29 (4" or 6").

The Registered Magnums.

Anything 5 screw.

The 3rd Model 44 Special is a favorite of mine.

In 357 Magnum, S&W has a new beefed up K frame, the M66-8.   Just the right size for the cartridge, IMHO.   Had a bunch of K-frame 357s and never had a problem.   Use 140 gr and up ammo.   The lighter 357 Magnum loads would cause the barrels to split.

Smith & Wesson, 6", 6 shot, pre-lock:
22lr - Model 17, Model 617
32 - ?
38 Special - Model 10 (fixed sight), Model 14, 38/44 Heavy Duty (prewar), Model 23 (38/44 Outdoorsman)
357 Magnum - Model 19, Model 66, Model 586, Model 686, Model 27, Model 627, Model 28 (Highway Patrolman)
41 Magnum - Model 57, Model 657
44 Special - Model 24, Model 624
44 Magnum - Model 29, Model 629
45 Auto - Model 25, Model 625
45 Colt - Model 25

I have my dad's 14, 38 spc K Masterpiece My God that thing can shoot.  

Among others the 19 / 66 is great but I only shoot 38s out of them.  686 is good but heavier.  My 629 no dash is great too for big bore.

17 and 617 are also up there.  My 617 has a red dot.  10 .22 and a red dot are a lot of fun.  At the farm we throw out a bunch of empty shotgun hulls and take turns picking them off.  

Prob my all time fav is the 25 / 625 45 acp.  Amazing how much fun and how accurate they are.  

Back in the day my dad was way into bulls eye.  So I spent a lot of time on the K22, K38 and a Gold Cup. I miss those times with my dad.  At the time I hated the bulls eye crowd, they seemed like stuffy old guys.   So dad let me play in the bowling pin matches with the 25 (45 acp) and the Gold Cup.  Even with 200 gr SWC I could whoop some of the "old dudes" with 38's which made dad happy LOL

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I don't know anything but here is a pic of my 657 3" round butt that I bought in the mid 1980s.

I sold a Model 56 in June.

I dislike K Frame .38's but one of the coolest revolvers that I've ever seen is a 3" round butt Model 10-5 with target grips.

I had a 4" M57 I bought new in the 90s. Sold it to my BIL to buy something useless and forgettable. I loved that revolver, should have never sold it.

I finally bought a 4" 629 Mountain Gun last year to help me get over it

.41 Mag is a GREAT cartridge.

19.

I would be really hard pressed to ever get rid of my 4" Model 29. Fantastic gun.

+1

I have a 25-5 in 45 colt. That I love.

Currently on the top of my grail guns list. Had one, sold it for something stupid years ago.

There are some real hidden gems out there once you get past the popular models like the 6" M29, 686 and Model 10's.

Look for 15's and 67's for a tight shooting .38 Spl.

561's, 586's and 681's are usually cheaper alternatives to a 686.

While I'd love a 2-1/2" 19 or 66, I get by with a 3" Model 13.

Model 27's are quite possibly the best looking N-frame guns out there. A model 28, while not as pretty, can scratch the itch for a beastly .357 for a more manageable price.

The Model 14 is fantastic as is the 17/617.

Many of the Smiths are icons and pieces of historical importance.

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Model 10, 13, 64  or 65. I like all S&W revolvers. For self defense you really don't need the adjustable sights. The lines of the heavy barreled K,L frame cannot be beat. IMHO
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GP100

There are three revolvers I'm interested in that I don't have. A Mateba in .357, a Webley MKIV and a 460XVR.

I don't know why I like the 460 but I do.

I don't think you can properly run a household without a Model 19, either 6 or 4 inch, on the premises.  

But I have 12 K frames, so I'm biased

How about a 2.5"?

Model 15s are truly excellent field and target guns:

I don't believe any revolver collection is complete without the following:

1. J Frame .38, for pocket carry it is hard to beat a Centennial or Bodyguard.

2. K Frame .38 or .357. Personal favorite being the Combat Masterpiece. I honestlty have no use for .357s due to their sharp report. If I need more power than a .38 can provide, I simply step up to the N Frame .44.

3. N Frame .44. I own/have owned various barrel lengths from 4" to 8&3/8ths", and find the 5" to be the perfect compromise between packabiity, and shootability.

4. A K Frame .22 of some version. My favorite for hunting is a 6" Model 17.

Some pics:


J Frame .38:






K Frame .38 or .357. 2.5" or 4":



And an N Frame .44, preferably an older Model 29.

I find the 4" N Frame .44 best for packing, and the 6.5" best for hunting and shooting:







More pics to follow.

The 5" N Frame .44 is the perfect "Compromise" between ease of shooting, and ease of packing. It carries easily in a belt rig, and has enough sight radius, and weight to make shooting accurately a cinch:




Everything from the smallest ground squirrels to Big game can be handled, by simply selecting a proper load:

Custom 5" 29-2.






The "best of breed" is likely the pre-lock, endurance packaged 29-4s and 29-5s, with the 5" Classic and Classic DX being the pinnacle:

I like my M13. Not the best by any stretch, but the thing just SCREAMS "I only exist to affordably and effectively put .357 rounds in bad people". 





Bought LNIB 




I have shown it no tenderness, I work the poor thing like a rented mule as they say. I mean, I clean it, and maintain it, but it gets HAMMERED on. 

What grip is that?

Last but not least are the K Frame .22s.

They are superbly accurate, and easy to pack.







This is a Pre-Model 18, AKA Combat Masterpiece:



So in a nutshell, the above mentioned list would make for a very respectable collection.

WARNING though, once you start acquiring high quality revolvers, often you end up with more than you originally anticipated...

A few N Frame .44s of various vintage:

It depends on what features you want. The various models are just variations on the same basic gun. The big differences are frame size, blue vs. stainless,  fixed sight vs. adjustable sights and caliber.

Your Model 10 is a .38 special K-frame revolver with fixed sights and a blued finish. The same gun in stainless is a model 64. If a blue K-frame .38 special gun had adjustable sights it would be either a model 15 or 14 (the 14 being a target model). A stainless K-frame .38 with adjustable sights would be a model 67.There are also .357 magnum variations of the same basic k-frame gun. These are the model 13 and 19 in blue and models 65 and 66 in stainless, depending on whether they have fixed sights or adjustable.  There are also a couple of .22 caliber variations of the K-frame.

When shooters started reporting problems from too much magnum shooting in K frames, S&W brought out the L-frame. These are similar to the K frame guns but beefier, with thicker cylinders and underlugged barrels. They take the same grip as the K-frame. Like the K-frame, these were made in both fixed and adjustable sight versions and in either blue or stainless.  The models are 581/681 and the 586/686.

There are also N frame guns. These are built to handle the .44 magnum cartridge. The .44 mag is a model 29 but Smith & Wesson also produced a couple of .357 magnums on this frame. The model 27 was the premium model with high-gloss bluing. The model 28 was an economy version with a matte finish. They also made a .41 magnum on the N-frame.

ETA: With the exception of the 7-shot  -PLUS versions of the L-frame guns. all of the guns I've mentioned are six-shot guns. Smith and Wesson also produces a line of smaller/pocket-friendly 5-shot revolvers. These are the J-frame guns. They really are a different animal. They have a different trigger mechanism than the the K, L and N frame guns. THe j-frame revolvers use a coil spring instead of the flat spring used in the bigger guns. The coil spring produces an entirely different trigger feel. It is my contention that somebody who has only owned/shot J-frames hasn't experienced the real legendary S&W revolvers. The J-frames have their place but they are a poor cousin to the bigger guns. If you want to do the S&W thing, you need a K, L or N frame. The OP's Model 10 fits the bill nicely.

This thread makes me very sad.  I sold most of my  pre-lock S&W's (about 5 629's, a 29, a 28 and a 617)  Best just to not think about it.

617 is an absolute must.

I bought a used police trade in model 65 4", had it chopped back to 3". Bead blasted . Round butt conversation. Big fat front night sight installed . Opened up the rear sight V. Bobbed hammer . Trigger job. And more stuff I can't remember. It's a thing of beauty. I need to get it out more and carry it as well.  I also have a model 15 and 17 and an old pre M and P that my great uncle bought new in I think 1930,