Smith & Wesson's best years?

I am just starting to collect Smith & Wesson revolvers. I particularly like the vintage models from the 50s and early 60s. I am trying to get an idea of what you guys would consider the time frame that Smith & Wesson had the highest quality. I would also like your opinions on the best models as far as quality and craftsmanship of 2 inch and 4 inch revolvers (any caliber). Any opinions and/or help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

DrFlintlock, I bet you'll be getting lots of opinions soon, and I'd like to know also what people think were the "best" years. My particular favorites are K frames from the 50's but the real jewels seem to be the Registered Magnums, guns with the single line "Made in U.S.A" and really anything that comes from the time when hand fitting was done.

Good luck and good hunting. If you don't already have a copy of the "Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, 3rd edition" I suggest you get one asap.
T

You will get lots of different opinions on this. Some of the difference will depend on what we mean when we say "quality." My belief is that in any year of its history S&W has turned out individual revolvers that were as good as, or no worse than, the best revolvers they turned out in any other year. But there would appear to be years in which assembly or finish errors were more frequently encountered than in other years. In this case you have to ask yourself how bad the base error rate is that you are comparing to. If the base rate is next to nothing, by the rules of math 10 times next to nothing is till next to nothing!

That said, I like the guns of the 1920s and 1930s. Some of S&W's best designed and best manufactured models were produced in the Great Depression. I also have a soft spot for postwar revolvers from the late 1940s and 1950s.

Any .22 or .32 Hand Ejector with a four-inch barrel and any .38 with a two-inch barrel would get my attention fast. This generalization covers several different models on two different frame sizes.

My newest Smith is a 586 no dash from 1983. My oldest is a 1905 4th. change from June of 1919. I am certainly no expert, but the quality of all of my Smiths, regardless of age, is nothing to sneeze at! Bob

+1 to tcc. I personally like the I-frames best because their relatively tiny elegance of construction really appeals to me, but of course the true I-frames went away at the beginning of your proposed time frame. I liked their relative affordability until some of us (myself included) started raving about them on this forum and started a mini-rush on them.

The K-frames of the '50s are a safe bet, especially the higher grade versions... Folks have loved and collected these for years but there are still some "safe queens" out there at affordable prices.

IMHO, the N-frames are now in two categories, investment or shooter, with few in between. The "basic" models such as the 28 and the 57 & 58 which used to draw very little collector interest... but just look at them now! There are still some bargains out there, and of course they are some good investments, but I have personally avoided the rarified heights of N-frame collecting.

The foregoing is my personal opinion and probably worth exactly what you paid for it, but you did ask!

Froggie

I'm glad you have found your way to this forum and will be collecting these fine firearms.

BUT, I think your question, while valid, is like trying to swallow a delmonico steak whole. You are trying to take in more than you will be able to handle and more than most are willing to type in one sitting. The answer is a mile long and is almost purely subjective.

You may have more success and find it easier to be more specific.

For example, for my first revolver I bought a lnib 15-3 because it appealed to me, was within what I considered an entry level investment, and was common enough that I had a greater margin for error.

I then came here and asked questions about my gun and got lots of info about how great it is, the best loads, the year it was made, and several posts about other versions of the model 15 which included photos and remarks about other models.

I then started reading about the other guns people posted in my thread. Then I bought a 642 which got me asking about the look of stainless. That led me to a 686 and then a couple 586's. While talking here about how much I liked my full lug revolvers, someone posted in my thread with a photo of a 625. That got me into N frames and....

See where I'm going? With S&W you really can't make a bad choice but if you go straight for the pot of gold, you'll miss the rainbow on the way.

To play it safe, I would stay in the 70s, 80's and 90's to start. If you want what is generally considered to be quality that all collectors will acknowledge, look for unmodified guns with forged hammer and trigger. Boxes are nice but just go for a nice shooter. Trust me, you will soon be known as "the gun guy" around your pals because of hours you'll spend doing research about this and that.

There are some pieces in the 60s and earlier era that are to die for but I would not start there. It's a good place for a beginner to be taken for a ride if they meet the wrong seller.

However you approach this, you are a step ahead by coming here first. You have tapped into the deepest well of information on any subject, anywhere.

In summation, take your time and take sips, not gulps. My advice would be to start with a pretty, rugged, economical, useful gun. A four inch model 10 (M&P) from the 70s can be found for short money in great gondition. You will learn alot from it and can shoot it till it turns red without losing a dime.

Best wishes and good luck.

Definitely buy the SCSW and some of the other classic S & W books, like Smith & Wesson 1857-1945 and History of Smith & Wesson. As DCWilson mentioned above, there are no really bad eras for S & W, but you may find (another?) area of collecting that interests you. Then, whether you are collecting, investing or both, find the nicest examples in your area of interest. The quality issue should take care of itself from there.

Thanks very much for the info guys. I didn't know if there were any years to avoid such as when Patrick Sweeny states in his book 1911 The first 100 years, that Colt's quality suffered through the 80s. I will definitely get some reading material and educate myself. I appreciate the replies and the forum.

S&W hasn't made anything since about 1955-56 that
has the quality of guns made from the 1880s to then, and that includes today's Performance center guns, although some of them are pretty close. Ed.

I'm no expert either, and my collection is still just a handful, but in my experience, the quality & styling of S&W in general is much higher than most brands. For me, getting a good handle on the revolver checklist to know what to look for in a used gun was a big help... to recognize a good, bad, or just plain worn out gun, regardless of time period.

I think the 50s and 60s era you mention is a great "bang for the buck" period. Quality pieces for shooting or collecting.

There's a great bunch of knowledgable folks on the forum with wonderful collections and some amazing photography. As you look at the collections, and study the different models in the reference catalog, you'll quickly realize which models or styles attract you the most.

Josh P

As previously stated, everyone has an opinion. Personally I think prewar guns have high quality and a certain mystique, and I don't own any as of yet. The just-post-war guns are definitely fine firearms, and the quality IMHO stayed fairly consistent at least through the early 60's. I own a few from that period, and I don't think their trigger pulls have been matched. Smooth as butter! Probably the biggest bargains (if you can call any Smith these days a bargain!) are Jframes from this period. Truth be told you can't go wrong collecting anything pre-lock and pre-mim. Nothing much wrong with the newer guns there is just no interest in collecting them at this point. I'd recommend finding a caliber, model, or frame size you like and start hunting!

I like the craftmanship of the 1930's.The finish and fit on a service model was as good as there high end models.Here is a 38/44 heavy duty.

opoefc said:

S&W hasn't made anything since about 1955-56 that
has the quality of guns made from the 1880s to then, and that includes today's Performance center guns, although some of them are pretty close. Ed.

Click to expand...

Ed;

Does this coincide with the end of soft fitting, other production changes, or both? Just curious.

The "Golden Era" from about 1900 to 1941 was the pinnacle of United States firearms manufacture for all brands. Many of the designs still in production were introduced during that time, and the quality was amazing. That said, guns from the 1950s are nearly as good, and are far more plentiful in the desirable models, plus you have some special models that were introduced in the 1950s, such as the .44 Magnum. In brand "C," some of the rarest of models were made during the 1950s.

Another vote for the 1950s being the pinnacle of Smith & Wesson.

Shoot for that matter History may well judge the 1950s as the pinnacle of the United States of America.

S&W moved into their NEW factory on Roosevelt Ave. in late 1949 and began producing great firearms. I believe the pinnacle of S&W quality for fit and finish dates from late 1949 to about 1960.

Bill

DrFlintlock: Thanks for asking this question. There are a great many folks on this forum who's opinions I have come to respect highly and many of them have given their opinions above. I've enjoyed reading their answers.

For me, the answer would have to be the 1930s thru the 1950s.

FWIW, I wasn't a collector/accumulator until I found this community. I had a 640-1 for CC, a 29-6 Classic 6.5" for blastin', and a shooter grade pre-27 6.5" that was given to me when a dealer friend passed on ten years ago. After studying the SCSW, in 2008 I decided that prewar and transition period (1946-1949) N frames were my primary interest, the .44HE in particular. Why? Because they're big, classic revolvers and in some cases rare. Some of my S&W's are collectible with boxes and letters while others are worn and dinged but quite functional and enjoyable shooters.

Pre 1950
38/44 Outdoorsman prewar
38/44 HD prewar, transition
44HE 2nd Model
44HE 3rd Model prewar, transition

Along the way I broadened the scope to include pre models and certain models/features that just appeal to me. Apparently I really like tapered barrels and the Centennial:

Post 1950
Pre- 20 38/44 HD
Pre- 21 1950 Model 44 Military
Pre- 27 .357 Magnum 3.5" and 6.5"
Pre- 28 "Highway Patrolman 4"
24-3 "1950 .44 Target Reintroduction"
28-2 "Highway Patrolman" 4"
29-2 .44 Magnum Nickel 4"
29-5 .44 Magnum Blue 4"
29-6 "29 Classic" Blue 6.5"
624 "Model of 1985 .44 Target Stainless" 4"
629-2 "Mountain Revolver"
629-4 "Mountain Gun"
640-1 "Centennial" .357
642-1 "Centennial" .38

Admittedly there's not a lot of collecting discipline here but I do make an effort to look for N-frames 1935-1949 first, then pre-models, then interesting N-frames in top condition. I don't know which, if any, of the post-1960 production N frames are or will be deemed collectible, with the exception of rare "dash" engineering changes, reintroductions, and perhaps limited runs for Lew Horton, et. al. But it appears that at this moment the Model 27 and Model 28 are hot, pre-MIM is desirable. And, one should have a nickel 29-2 4" in a wooden display case, just 'cuz.

Attached pics are a few that have come my way.

While the most recent S&W I own, is a 1991, I do own at least one from every decade (except the 30's) between 1860 and 1990. My personal feeling is the early post war up through the early 60's are some of the best. However, having said that I had an opportunity this past week to handle and fire a Performance Center 44 Mag that really impressed me. It was the N Frame with heavy barrel with a hollow under-lug holding interchangeable barrel weights. You could include up to 5 weights or any combination with nylon spacers. This can alter the balance of the gun how you want it. We were shooting Black Hills 300 Gr. JHP's and the recoil was so mild I could shoot it one handed comfortably. Yes, it had the lock, but it also had an frame mounted ball detente as additional lock up. If I could convince myself I had any use for this I wouldn't hesitate to buy one.

In my view S&W made their finest revolvers up until 1961. . between 1930 and 1956 are my favorites, 5 screw models. The pre-war and very early post war revolvers, long action, are the smoothest. . Pull the hammer back or pull the trigger in D/A, push the release and swing out the cylinder; the long action is superb.

During the 1940's and 1950's, S&W built some of their finest revolvers. . The pre-model 5 screws represent a high point in American gun making when quality machining and fine finishing was expected and delivered. .

Rod