When did Smith and Wesson first start making automatic pistols? Just received an authentication letter from S&W on a 1930 .38 M&P Model 1905 Fourth Change so now I'm thinking about looking for a similar age pistol if they made them.

Their first venture into the semi automatic world was the model 39 for the 1954 US Army service pistol trails. In 1955 it went to the civilian market with this pistol.

It was the first U.S. designed double action automatic pistol ever.

Of course that's just the short version of it. But the 39 is what you are looking for.

The 1913 series automatics, in .35 S & W, made from 1913-'21. There were none made until the model 39 in the mid-'50s as potenpoefie noted.

Oops, forgot about the .32.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Actually, there was a (much!) earlier design marketed by Smith & Wesson: the .35 semi-auto pocket pistol. The .35 was discontinued by 1930, but the .32 version was still in production. Personally, though it be sacrilege to write it here, I'd prefer the contemporary Colt Pocket Hammerless, available in .32 and .380 versions, over the Smith offering.

Steve

P.S.
Potent,

How is it that you registered almost two years ago, yet this is your first post?!

I'm wanting to stay S&W since all our other guns are S&W. Is there an actual model number for the .32? I'd rather stay with a caliber still available so we can actually use the gun.

The .35 S&W caliber Model of 1913 semi-auto pistol was based on the design of Chas. Clements, a French gun designer. Joe Wesson bought the rights to the design and S&W built the .35 Auto pistol in late 1912. The S&W factory gun collection auction at Butterfield's in 1996 auctioned off the protypes and experimental specimens of the Clement & S&W auto pistols. The gun was dropped from production in 1922 and the order was given by Harold Wesson to redesgn the gun as a .32 Auto, using as many of the parts of the .35 Auto as possible. This was done, however less than 1,000 of the .32s were made. Collectors recognize 8 different variatons of the .35 Auto, due to various engineering changes over the life of it's production. The barrel bore dimensions of the .35 auto & the .32 auto are the same, as the same barrel was used in both guns,and in my experience, the .35 auto will easily fire .32 auto ammo. Bullet diameter of the .35 round is .350" as compared to the .32 diameter of 312". These are well made guns, but S&W priced then higher than the Colt Model 1903 and Model 1908 autos, which hurt sales to the point they were no longer a profitable gun to produce. Ed.

That is a very good question. Until now I've been scoping things out and the stuff I did know about somebody else already said. So until now I've been taking it all in and learning. however as soon as I opened my mouth here i got schooled ones again.

But i'm here now and you'll have to listen to my ranting and ravings. The one thing I do know for sure is that I love Smith's. Only have 4 at the moment but looking to grow the collection.

I've found some of the .35 Caliber Model 1913s for sale on the internet, does anyone know the model number of the .32 caliber version that came after it?

I have both the .35 and.32 versions. I have not fired the .35 as ammo is next to impossible to find. After shooting the .32, I agree with the post above that the contemporary Colt and even H&R 32s were much better guns. Dave

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Time Wounds All Heels

There is no model number.
It is simply "The 32 Automatic"

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett