Smith & Wesson's Model 10 Revolver Ditches the Lock

S&W's new Model 10 Classic drops the internal lock—to the applause of wheelgun fans everywhere.

August 19, 2025 By J. Scott Rupp

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Whether you’re a revolver enthusiast or Smith & Wesson collector, the introduction of two S&W no-lock classics is cause for celebration. The oft-maligned internal revolver lock arrived on S&W guns in 2001 and has been with us ever since, except on some J frames and a few other models. With the newly introduced Model 10 Classic and Model 19 Classic, the lock-access hole in the left side of the frame above the cylinder release is gone.

If you want to know more about the lock, feel free to read the accompanying sidebar, but let’s dive right into the Model 10 Classic No Internal Lock, its official name. And it is classic in every way—one of the most iconic revolvers the company has ever made, with more than 6 million produced. Therefore it’s worth briefly reaching back into the history of this six-shot K-frame .38 Special.

The Model 10 traces its lineage to the .38 Military & Police 1st Model, one of the so-called Hand Ejector revolvers that dates to 1899. The .38 Military & Police introduced the world to the .38 S&W Special cartridge that would go on to become the preeminent law enforcement round for much of the 20th century—as well as a prime self-defense, target and plinking choice for everyone else.

According to the third edition of The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson by Jim Supica and Richard Nahas (2006), that basic design later became the .38 Military & Police Victory Model (1942) and then the post-World War II .38 Military & Police (1945), which the authors dubbed the “pre-Model 10.”

Model Variation History

revolver with cylinder open — The six-shot K-frame’s grips are of the Magna style, and like those on the “pre-Model 10” they’re uncheckered and lack any sort of medallion. (Photo courtesy of J. Scott Rupp)

The postwar .38 M&P was a square-butt gun built on the K frame that featured a new short hammer throw. Its successor, the Model 10, was introduced as such in 1957 and incorporated a new sliding hammer-block safety.

In addition to various barrel lengths ranging from two to six inches, the Model 10 has been produced in blue and nickel finishes, and in round- and square-butt configurations.

There was a short run of prototypes in .357 Magnum, as well as a contract run of guns in .38 S&W—also known as .38 S&W Short or .38/200 and not the same as .38 Special—that went to Canada.

The latest in this noble line, the Model 10 Classic, borrows a number of features from its predecessors. One of the most notable from an aesthetic point of view is the grips, which like those on the .38 M&P Victory are uncheckered and unadorned with any sort of medallion.

Pretty Meets Performance

The big feature with the Model 10 Classic is what’s missing: the internal lock. The gun has a superbly smooth double-action trigger pull. (Photo courtesy of J. Scott Rupp)

The Model 10 Classic’s grips are from Tyler Gun Works, whose motto is “Where pretty meets performance.” The grips on the Model 10 certainly live up to that, at least in my opinion. They’re dark with subtle but handsome figuring, and they’re of the Magna style that was introduced in the 1930s—the top of the grip extending higher on the frame than traditional S&W grips.

“We wanted to use high-grade walnut for the grips to improve the overall quality of the products we are providing to consumers,” said S&W product manager Andrew Gore. “We were already working with TGW to provide grips for the mountain gun project [Ed. note: special 629 and 686 models] and decided we would also use them on the Model 10, as we knew the quality of wood they could provide.”

The frontstrap and backstrap are smooth. Until 1981 the Smith & Wesson logo was engraved on the sideplate, but according to Supica and Nahas it was moved to the left side of the frame to facilitate sideplate engraving. The cylinder is fluted, and the gas ring—which at various times had been on either the cylinder or the yoke—is on the cylinder, where it has been located since the mid-1970s.

Early Model 10s had a checkered hammer and serrated trigger, but the Model 10 Classic’s trigger is the smooth combat style found on later models. The double-action trigger pull on my sample averaged eight pounds, six ounces with no discernible stacking. The single action was a crisp two pounds, 15 ounces. And in case you’re wondering, the presence or absence of the internal lock has no effect on trigger pull.

Barrel and Sights

revolver muzzle — The four-inch barrel is tapered, a throwback to earlier Model 10s, and the round-blade front sight is reminiscent of postwar .38 M&P revolvers. (Photo courtesy of J. Scott Rupp)

The Model 10 Classic sports a four-inch barrel. It’s a one-piece barrel as befits a classic revolver, and it’s tapered—a style that disappeared from the Model 10 in the mid-1990s.

The Classic’s front sight harkens back to the .38 M&P Victory guns, with a round blade instead of the modern Model 10’s serrated, ramped design. The blade is CNC-machined during the barrel-making process. The rear sight is a gutter notch milled into the topstrap.

The left side of the barrel is stamped “.38 S&W SPL +P,” so you know you’re good to go if you’re a fan of the stouter .38 loading. The right side is simply stamped “SMITH & WESSON.”

There’s a partial underlug to protect the knurled head of the ejector rod. The yoke cut is stamped with the serial number, which is also on the butt, as well as the model and variant number—an aspect of S&W revolvers that gets collectors all excited.

Internal Lock Deletion

thumb controls — Inserting the provided key into the hole and turning in the indicated direction blocks the hammer from moving. (Photo courtesy of J. Scott Rupp)

For the most part, every time there are significant engineering changes to a particular model it gets a dash followed by the number of the variant. The Model 10 Classic is the “10-15” for Model 10, 15th variant. The big change between the 10-14—the other current-production Model 10—and the 10-15 is, of course, the deletion of the internal lock.

Another quick point about the lock. Some have argued that the reason S&W has stuck with the internal lock is because eliminating it could open the company to litigation by making a revolver “less safe.” The facts don’t support that.

Smith & Wesson revolvers include three safety features that are completely independent from the internal lock. A rebound slide and a hammer block prevent the hammer from striking the internal, floating firing pin unless the trigger is pulled; the gun will not fire if it is dropped or the hammer struck with force.

Additionally, a hammer stop keeps the cylinder from being opened while the hammer is back and vice versa; you can’t cock the hammer when the cylinder is open.

Accuracy and Reliability

Thankfully I didn’t drop the revolver during testing or when we used it on the set of “Handguns” TV, so these safety features were never tested. What I did test were bench and defensive accuracy, and the Model 10 Classic passed with flying colors.

Accuracy results are shown in the accompanying chart. That’s as good as I can shoot rudimentary irons, especially at 25 yards. The averages are solid, and the best single group of the day was right at an inch.

All the bench testing was done in single action. The real fun came in shooting double-action rapid fire at seven yards.

I own a few S&W revolvers, and the double-action pull on the Model 10 Classic is far and away better than any of them—including a 640 Pro, which has a factory-tuned trigger. The Model 10 Classic’s is smooth as silk, as if it had been in action for decades instead of weeks, and six-shot groups at combat distance ran between two and 2.5 inches. No wonder this gun was a primary law enforcement choice for such a long time.

Recoil

revolver hammer — Like more modern Model 10s, the sideplate does not feature the S&W logo—a change made in 1981 to allow for custom sideplate engraving. (Photo courtesy of J. Scott Rupp)

Four-inch .38 Specials have a level of recoil that nearly anyone can handle. Of the ammunition I tried, the Blazer and the Black Hills were particularly soft-shooting and would make great plinking and training loads—especially for new shooters.

While some people might turn up their noses at the .38 as a defensive cartridge in an age when there are plenty of more powerful choices, it’s not like the round has somehow suddenly become less effective. In fact, with today’s ammunition it’s even better than it ever was, and should you have a mind to buy this gun for more than its collector value, the Model 10 Classic will serve you just as well as it has legions of police, military and everyday folks for more than a century.

But I think the Model 10 Classic is definitely going to be sought after by collectors. Fit and finish on my sample were good, with a few minor exceptions. The top of the muzzle directly ahead of the front sight showed some machining marks. Also, the left grip panel was slightly proud at the butt and the frontstrap, while the right panel was flush in those spots.

That’s really neither here nor there. The lack of the lock and the historic features are what’s going to drive sales, and you can snap one up for $979. It is a little more expensive than the current standard Model 10, and you can chalk that up primarily to the grips. Tyler Gun Works custom wood grips for other Smith & Wessons go for around $200. Gore notes that the tapered barrel and large ejector knob are also cost factors.

Lasting Impressions

Regardless, this is a gun any S&W fan or revolver lover can appreciate. Whether you have an eye toward collecting or simply want to own a piece of wheelgun history you’ll really appreciate on the range—and a gun that can still get the job done for defensive use—the Model 10 Classic is a winner.