What Good Is A K Frame?

Rock185 · Jul 17, 2021

The good about a K frames is they obviously hit a sweet spot as to size and calibers available. I was issued a K frame, then bought my own K frames to carry for work in the mid '70s. I've had 2 1/2", 4" and 6" K frames, and carried a 4" 66 every working day for some years. The 66 was my favorite revolver for recreational shooting too. It didn't crack the forcing cone, but I pretty much wore it out otherwise. In '80 I sent it back to S&W for a complete overhaul, so only the frame, side plate and rear sights are original on mine. Soon after having the 66 overhauled, the L frames were introduced and I started carrying one of those till the Dept. started authorizing semi-autos. Still have the old 66, and have used it for LEOSA qualifications, etc.

Old cop · Jul 17, 2021

I carried a K Frame for the first 20 years of my career and one of them, a Model 10 snub, now sits in my nightstand. It's the only service gun I ever shot a perfect qualification score with many years ago.

wbraswell · Jul 17, 2021

My top K frames are these: The 6" K-22. Simply the best .22 revolver period. I have an early Outdoorsman and a M17-4, and both are great.
The 3" RB guns, Whether it's a M-10, 13, 64, 65 or any of the others. Great balance and natural pointing. I think, the best combat revolver ever made.
The 5" Model 10. To me, this is the most beautiful, and best proportioned gun the company has made. (barely squeezing by the 6.5" N frame.)
Just my not so humble 2 cents.

swage · Jul 18, 2021

BAM-BAM said:
Good luck.... IIRC only about 5500 out there..... about the same as the Registered Magnum!!!!!

They are great guns for concealed carry.... ask me how I know!!!

I own three. Guilty as charged!

shocker · Jul 18, 2021

JWintergreen said:
I am sure that there are folks that have fired a million dirty handloads through their example without issue. The Model 69 also has no gas ring.

Got both. Work fine and I don't clean them regularly. Elon Musk says the worst sin of engineering is optimizing something that doesn't need to exist, i.e., a gas ring.

KFW · Jul 18, 2021

Buford57 said:
Treat yourself to a K-22. You will never again ask that question. Pure shooting enjoyment.

100% Agree, K22 is pure shooting enjoyment. My model 64 and K38 in 38 special are next on the enjoyment shooting list. All are just a joy to shoot and you can shoot them all day long.

JWintergreen · Jul 18, 2021

shocker said:
Got both. Work fine and I don't clean them regularly. Elon Musk says the worst sin of engineering is optimizing something that doesn't need to exist, i.e., a gas ring.

I respectfully disagree, but I hope those revolvers provide you with many years of enjoyment.

BAM-BAM · Jul 18, 2021

swage said:
I own three. Guilty as charged!

They couldn't give 3" revolvers away in the late 80s..... 15 rounds up the butt was required..... think Die Hard and Lethal Weapon. So I bought two one for me and one for my Dad..... Dad opted to "borrow" my 4" no dash round butt 686 instead. They were about $275 out the door back then. So the second became my first "back up" to a EDC gun.

Ran across a used one around 2005 marked "S&W 66 .357" for $300 at a LGS..... asked to see it ...didn't sit it down till we started the paper work.

Sevens · Jul 18, 2021

I typically don't post until I've read all the replies because I don't feel the need to repeat what's been said but I'm pressed for time.

In my opinion and experience, a K-frame is absolutely phenomenal but with limits. I loooooove a 4-inch heavy barrel Model 10 and I love any 6-inch barreled K-frame in any chambering but with a strong caveat:

I hate .357 Magnum in a K-frame, which is a bold statement because I can't get enough .357 Magnum in my L and N-frames and as much as anything, in my Coonan.

I use a 6-inch 66-2 a lot, my 8-3/8" Model 14-3 and a slew of 10's and 64's, all for .38 Special and collectively, thousands of rounds each year. But real .357 ammo in a 13/19/65/66 is not enjoyable to me at all.

I like my 16-4 but I think the full barrel underlug, while very nice looking, is gangly and excessive on an otherwise sweetheart .32. Full lug barrel on this one seems like an idea that sounded great but wasn't great in reality. I'd absolutely swap my shooter 16-4 for a even a custom made .32 K-frame with a target barrel and not this mongo-sized full lug jobber. (So that the gun ended up like a 16-3 but obviously those are all to rare and valuable)

AveragEd · Jul 18, 2021

I have a small fleet of K- and L-frames and honestly prefer the K-frames. These days, any Smith & Wesson revolver without the lock and MIM parts that is in nice condition is going to command new gun money but I think they are worth it.

If you will be shooting any .357 Magnum ammunition, the Models 19 (blued) and 66 (stainless) are about as good as a revolver gets. If a lot of magnums are in your future, look at an L-frame Model 586 or 686. For strictly shooting .38 Special ammunition, you would save some money without sacrificing quality with a Model 15 or 67 - but I don't think those models were ever made with barrels longer than four inches.

Below are photos of my no-dash Model 67, six-inch Model 66-2 and five-inch Model 686-3 National Match, a one-of-500 item.

Whatever you choose will serve you well and should never depreciate if kept in high condition.

Ed

bmcgilvray · Jul 18, 2021

The Smith & Wesson K-Frame revolver is so good that everyone who shoots handguns has a desperate need to own and use one, whether he realizes it or not.

wproct · Jul 18, 2021

There is hardly anything I can say about the subject that hasn't already been well covered in previous comments, but what the heck, I will anyway. In my early days of owning Smith & Wesson revolvers I always opted for the L frame over the K frame. I mean the L frame was larger and heavier, so it had to be better, right? Well, in later years I came to value the smaller K frame revolver, and I never shot magnum loads in my revolvers anyway. L frame revolvers are great, but I now just prefer the K frame.

Benchrest1 · Jul 19, 2021

My wife is 5' 2" and shoots all of the S&W frame sizes, but likes the K frame the best.

Llance · Jul 19, 2021

I bought a 4" heavy barrel Model 10 with more rust than grandpa's manure wagon. I'm not a fan of the 4" heavy bbl on a .38 so after swapping out the heavy bbl for a 5" tapered bbl I had the gun bead blasted and then parkerized. I then added a Pachmeyer presentation grip and it is the most balanced looking Model 10 I've ever seen. As soon as I figure out how to post pictures here I'll post some pictures of my measzly collection.

Frank46 · Jul 19, 2021

Take your pick of any of the "K" frames mentioned and you cannot go wrong. 38 special cartridge and a good "K" frame is like a marriage made in heaven. I have a model 10 heavy barrel, model 14 target and a model 15 all in 38 special. easy in the recoil department and readily available ammo until the current ammo,gun, and reloading components scarcity. Frank

DeplorabusUnum · Jul 19, 2021

Lots of interesting history in this thread. Most of it is new information to me. The depth and breadth of information on this forum is what attracted me, and what will keep me coming back.

I've never been in law enforcement and depended on a revolver to function flawlessly when needed. I've sort of become a closet collector of S&W revolvers. I'm up to 10 now (don't tell my wife). I do enjoy the K and L frame guns. I've got a 19-4 and a 66-8. Love shooting both, but don't love shooting .357 mag from either. I leave that to the model 27. Also, just picked up a model 10, but don't like the fit in my hand, so the jury is still out on that one. The 19 is a 6" and is my favorite for shooting 38 sp, but I would not use it as a carry weapon unless I had no choice. The 66 with the 2 7/8" barrel I would without hesitation. 38 +P in that gun is very manageable.

Sumpta · Jul 19, 2021

I would love to have a 3" bbl K-frame full underlug 38 Special (not a 357). That would be one of my dream revolvers. The underlug not so much for looks, but to reduce muzzle flip. I tend to like front-heavy revolvers. (I know the OP stated 4"; but 3" is my preference. Otherwise, I think we're on the same wavelength.)

CCantu357 · Jul 19, 2021

I believe that the K-frame just hits the spot for the perfectly sized revolver. The J-frame is too small, and the N-frame is too large. The L-frame is the better .357 Magnum. However, I find that in most configurations, it still feels a little too heavy. I would have preferred that Smith offered L-frame with the same half-lug barrel or even exposed ejector rod, as seen on the K-frames. While Smith would come out with models like this (Mountain Gun, 519, 520, etc.), they never became standard. But, it was the forcing cone area, not the barrel, that needed reinforcement.

A similar comparison can be between the old Ruger Security-Six models and the newer GP100 and SP101. The SP101 is smaller and the GP100 is larger; both are of a more modern design. But the GP100 is just a little too big and to me does not feel as good as the Security-Six. As with S&W, Ruger did offer the GP100 with a half-lug, but they are not as common.

VaTom · Jul 19, 2021

"A picture is worth a thousand words". An old saying that applies here. All three "flavors". Great thread and I can't add a lot more.

Model 15-3 (1974) Blue
Model 10-7 (1979) Nickel
Model 64 (no dash 1976) Stainless

transit · Jul 20, 2021

Read/skimmed the above.

Seems I am in the minority.

I am not a fan.

Now, I mean that for off-duty carry.

Yes, a M10, or M64, or M13, etc is a spectacular duty revolver. In the holster of a cop. Bull barrel Model 10. Perfection.

But those days are over.

In plainclothes, as a civilian; the minor lengthened sight radius, and one additional round, and recoil-softening weight simply does not make up for the MASSIVE additional bulk to carry.

Yes, it dampens recoil; but frankly recoil on .38 Special +P isn't that big a deal, until you get out to high pressure loads in ultra-lightweight guns. Most don't. Nor should they.

Yes, a quarter of an inch or so additional sight radius is better, but...

Please.

The difference in carry between a 2" M64 and an M&P 340 is staggering.

STAGGERING.

The difference in shooting is not.

And there's ZERO reason to EVER cary the 64 over a Glock 19. Zero. It weighs more, has less than half the ammo capacity, has a shorter sight radius, no recoil impulse reduction (through the slide), and takes longer to reload.

The difference in using the M64 or the M&P340 to defend oneself... not bloody much. One round of the same ammunition.

One round.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents.

What Good Is A K Frame?

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