One of the finest pistols ever produced by Smith & Wesson was the incredible model
1076. A 10mm wonder, the 1076 in its basic form was a
traditional DA/SA configuration rendered almost entirely in stainless steel. Consequently, the pistol was (and continues to be) exceptionally durable and highly resistant to corrosion. Offering moderate heft at 40 ounces, the 1076 handles very controllably, yet it is surprisingly compact and concealable for such a powerhouse.
As with shooting stars, the 1076 glowed brightly for only for a fleetingly short time. As fate would have it, the 10mm fell from popularity, as did many of the pistols built for it. Those guns gone include the 1006, 1076, and various incarnations of a similar sort. Smith & Wesson's loss; however, may be your gain inasmuch as used versions of these pistols may be obtained at surprisingly reasonable prices ($300 more or less). Sporting a 4.25 inch barrel and 9 round single stack magazine, the 1076 is a pistol upon which you can rely.
As pistol cartridges go, the 10mm is viewed by some as the ideal all-around defensive round. It solidly beats most of the common defense cartridges, while still lying outside the boundaries of the super powerful rounds. The really big pistols, with really big cartridges, are a blast but they tend to be huge, heavy, and best suited to gigantic hands.
The criteria I apply to defining a great 10mm defense pistol include
essentially all metal construction (preferably stainless steel), traditional DA/SA action, gun size in the range of a Combat Commander, lack of manual safety, good trigger pull properties in SA and DA modes, accurate shooting properties, smoothly rounded trigger guard, and pleasing overall appearance. The 1076 fits this description.
So, if you like 10mm and you seek a pistol with ballistic authority,
the 1076 could be your shooting star in today's imperfect world. http://www.chuckhawks.com/s-w_1076.htmArmaLube
