I just came across a reference in Hatcher's Textbook of Pistols and Revolvers to a Smith and Wesson revolver known as "The Winchester" in 32-20. Is this a real thing?

Pg. 342

Thanks, Pete

Are you talking about a Smith chambered for .32-20 Winchester?
Denis

S&W Hand Ejectors in K frame size were made for the 32WCF (32-20). The bbls were variously marked 32WCF Cart. and 32-20 Winchester Cart. This is probably what the writer was referring to.

That's what I was thinking.
Denis

While everyone has already given you the idea, the Models 1902 and 1905 Hand Ejector revolvers when chambered for .32 WCF/.32-20 were referred to by S&W as "The Winchester Model". Reference McHenry and Roper.

I am glad to hear that there was really a S&W revolver that was called "The Winchester" and that Julian Hatcher wasn't merely confused by the barrel marking.

It does seem a little strange.

Never heard that one before.
Denis

I think the label "Winchester Model" started with McHenry & Roper's book, where they labeled the .32-20 1st & 2nd model Hand Ejectors, as the "Winchester 1st Model & the Winchester 2nd Model." It was not ever a factory designation for these guns. There's a lot of misinformation in their book. Consider it more as entertainment than knowledge. McHenry was an alcoholic attorney in New York and Roper was a legend in his own mind and Sales mgr. at S&W in the 1920s, until he was fired. Hatcher was not a fan of S&Ws, but I don't know his reasoning behind calling a .32-20 WCF caliber S&W the "Winchester Model" unless he took it from McHenry & Roper's book . Ed

By that reckoning, any Smith in .44-40 Winchester would also be a ......Winchester Model?

Any Smith chambered for the .44 Remington Mag would be the Remington Model S&W.

Any Smith chambered for the .45 Colt would be the Colt Model S&W.

And, of course, any Smith chambered for the .44 Special would have to be the Special Model S&W.

Never read any reference materials using the Winchester Model as a designator.
I don't get around enough.

Surprised Hatcher would have gone along with that label.
Denis

Howdy

For what it's worth, on page 107 of the Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson third edition, Supica and Nahas have a few paragraphs titled Confusing Terminology. They are talking about a few of the old Top Breaks that are pretty much standard models, but have specific names to indicate a specific caliber. They state this was most often done "to indicate a model in a caliber smaller or larger than what is usually associated with that frame size"

On page 109 of the the same book there is a "New Model Number Three .38 Winchester" listed. Simply a regular New Model Number Three, but chambered for the 38-40 (38WCF) cartridge.

On the next page, pg 110, a ".38 Winchester Double Action" is listed. This is a typical 44 Double Action Top break, chambered for 38-40.

I have gone through a couple of my reprints of turn of the Century catalogs, and I do not find any reference to these specific models, but they are listed by Supica and Nahas.

I know this is the S&W forum, but it's pretty well known in Colt circles that when the Single Action Army was chambered for 44-40 it was specifically known as the Frontier Sixshooter and had that marked on the barrel. This was the only version of the SAA to have its own specific caliber related name.