This is an advance look at a future article. I welcome comments, but realize that this is necessarily a general overview, and space will not permit covering all the permutations of the basic gun. I hope you will find it of interest!
John
It is arguably the most popular revolver ever made. Its reputation was such that even one of our prominent high-ranking enemies (German Reichsmarschall Herman Goering) carried one for protection during WWII. The Smith & Wesson Hand Ejector Military and Police revolver found universal acceptance with police and military units throughout the world as well as with the civilian population. The immortal .38 Special cartridge came into being with this handgun, and the hand-fitting “K-frame” has survived from 1899 to the present day. This is its story.
Smith & Wesson had for years made a variety of “top break” revolvers in which spent cartridge cases were ejected automatically by lifting a latch and swinging the barrel and top frame downward. While this made for speedy ejection, the relative weakness of the jointed two-piece assembly prohibited the use of more powerful cartridges. S&W’s first experiment with solid-frame revolvers with swing-out cylinders (called “hand ejectors” because ejection was a separate process by hand) took place in 1896, with the introduction of the .32 caliber Hand Ejector. With this system, the cylinder in the solid frame was released for opening by pulling the ejector rod located in the center of the cylinder forward. It could then be swung out on a yoke, and the ejector rod could be pressed or hit with the thumb or palm of the hand to extract and eject all the cases in the cylinder. When the spring-loaded extractor rod retracted back into the cylinder, the cylinder could be fed with fresh cartridges. With this accomplished, the cylinder could be rotated back into the frame and would latch automatically when fully closed.
Company president Daniel Baird Wesson conferred with his son Joe to develop a similar revolver which was originally planned to fire the .38 Long Colt cartridge, then the standard U.S. service revolver round. This anemic number had a poor reputation for stopping power, and so D.B. Wesson decided to upgrade that cartridge instead to give it more power. He chose to lengthen the cartridge case slightly and increased the black powder charge from 18 grains to 21.5 grains. The standard bullet weight was increased from 150 grains to 158 grains. This new round was introduced as the .38 S&W Special concurrently with the first “K-frame” revolver in 1899. In this revolver, the cylinder was released for opening by pushing a thumbpiece located on the left side of the frame. The new revolver was marketed as the .38 Military and Police Model. This first issue is now referred to as the Model of 1899, and it was provided in both .38 special and .32 Winchester Center Fire, also known as the .32/20. These handguns could be purchased either blued or nickeled in barrel lengths of 4”, 5”, and 6”. All had rounded rather than square frame butts. The .32/20 variation was not as popular as the instant-hit .38 special.
On June 25, 1900 the U.S. Navy made the first military purchase of the .38 M&P Hand Ejector, ordering a batch of 1,000 revolvers. These guns were serial numbered in the S&W system from 5,000 to 6,000. The U.S. Army quickly followed suit in February, 1901, ordering 1,000 handguns in the serial range of 13,001 - 14,000. These were the first purchases of many versions of the gun by our armed forces over the years. In later years, notably during WWII, the British Empire also purchased large numbers for their military. These were mostly chambered for the less powerful .38 S&W (called the “.380” by them).
In 1902, an important change was made in the latching system by providing a lug on the barrel that contained a short spring-loaded locking bolt that latched into the front of the ejector rod. This provided a 3-point lockup for the cylinder – the barrel latch, the cylinder stop, and finally the spring-loaded pin in the middle of the ejector star, which fit into the frame itself. This improved revolver was called the Second Model, or Model of 1902. My paternal grandfather purchased one of these in 1904 as a store gun when he owned a country store in northern Kentucky. It still works after well over a century and remains in the family as a valued heirloom. In 1904, an alternate square butt style was introduced. This became very popular, as it allowed better control. It quickly became the standard configuration. This was the last change of the gun under D.B. Wesson, as he passed away the following year. He was succeeded by his son Joe.
There were gradual changes over the years in the lockwork of the M&P. The early models were not entirely drop-safe, although the hammer-mounted firing pin automatically retracted when the trigger was in the forward position. A push or blow on the hammer would allow the firing pin to come in contact with the primer. Beginning in 1915, a change was designed to prevent this. The revolver illustrated is specifically known by collectors as a Model of 1905 4th change. Made in 1923, it has a leaf spring hammer block in the sideplate that is designed to make it drop-safe. It extends under the hammer when the trigger is at rest, and is cammed back by a projection on the hand to retract it when the hammer is cocked or the trigger is pulled. Unfortunately, if dirt, debris, rust or heavy grease prevents this key part from extending under the hammer by its own spring action in order to block it, these later guns could conceivably fire if dropped on the hammer. Although this rarely happened, it was possible. During WWII, one of our sailors dropped a loaded Victory Model revolver (essentially an M&P with a wartime finish and smooth wood stocks) on the deck. It fell on the hammer, discharged and killed him.
Following the receipt of this distressing news at S&W, its then-president Carl Hellstrom immediately directed that a mechanically-actuated sliding hammer block be designed and made standard. This improved and very positive system, first implemented in late 1944, proved far safer and is still in use today. Many Victory Model revolvers were retro-fitted with the new safety device. Those with serial numbers incorporating an “S” identify the improved revolvers.
Following the war, commercial production began anew in late 1945 at serial number S811,120. Sales immediately became brisk for both police and civilian use. In February, 1948 at serial number S990,184, the .38 M&P was further improved by using a shorter hammer throw that was originally designed for target revolvers. In March of that same year, the second millionth M&P revolver was shipped, at which point a new serial number series beginning with C1 was started. It continued until November, 1967, when three million M&Ps in various calibers had been completed. A new serial number series was then prefixed with a “D.” In 1955, the upper side plate screw was dispensed with, replaced by a tab at the top of the plate that fit under the frame. Starting in June of 1957, S&W began numerical designations for its firearms. The M&P became, and is now known as, the Model 10.
In the succeeding years, gradual changes took place with the Model 10, and “dash numbers” were instituted to reflect successive changes. For example, the 10-1 model introduced a heavy barrel, and with the 10-2 model the extractor rod changed from right-hand thread to left-hand. The trigger guard screw was eliminated in 1962. The central diamond pattern in checkered grips was deleted in 1968, as was the barrel pin in 1982. All the dash numbers are too numerous to catalog here, and many offshoots of the Model 10 were developed and put into production. Suffice it to say that the .38 M&P is still made today. It has evolved with a floating firing pin, some metal injection molded parts, minor lockwork changes, a frame flange rather than a stud as a cylinder stop, and a controversial internal lock located just above the cylinder release thumbpiece. The old-time careful hand-fitting has been replaced by computer-controlled tight manufacturing tolerances.
It may be blued, nickeled or stainless, and its model number may vary, but the basic K-frame revolver first introduced in 1899 and the .38 special cartridge that accompanied it are enduringly popular today. It has become an icon around the world, a true classic that may still be around well into the 22nd Century.
(c) 2014 JLM
John
It is arguably the most popular revolver ever made. Its reputation was such that even one of our prominent high-ranking enemies (German Reichsmarschall Herman Goering) carried one for protection during WWII. The Smith & Wesson Hand Ejector Military and Police revolver found universal acceptance with police and military units throughout the world as well as with the civilian population. The immortal .38 Special cartridge came into being with this handgun, and the hand-fitting “K-frame” has survived from 1899 to the present day. This is its story.
Smith & Wesson had for years made a variety of “top break” revolvers in which spent cartridge cases were ejected automatically by lifting a latch and swinging the barrel and top frame downward. While this made for speedy ejection, the relative weakness of the jointed two-piece assembly prohibited the use of more powerful cartridges. S&W’s first experiment with solid-frame revolvers with swing-out cylinders (called “hand ejectors” because ejection was a separate process by hand) took place in 1896, with the introduction of the .32 caliber Hand Ejector. With this system, the cylinder in the solid frame was released for opening by pulling the ejector rod located in the center of the cylinder forward. It could then be swung out on a yoke, and the ejector rod could be pressed or hit with the thumb or palm of the hand to extract and eject all the cases in the cylinder. When the spring-loaded extractor rod retracted back into the cylinder, the cylinder could be fed with fresh cartridges. With this accomplished, the cylinder could be rotated back into the frame and would latch automatically when fully closed.
Company president Daniel Baird Wesson conferred with his son Joe to develop a similar revolver which was originally planned to fire the .38 Long Colt cartridge, then the standard U.S. service revolver round. This anemic number had a poor reputation for stopping power, and so D.B. Wesson decided to upgrade that cartridge instead to give it more power. He chose to lengthen the cartridge case slightly and increased the black powder charge from 18 grains to 21.5 grains. The standard bullet weight was increased from 150 grains to 158 grains. This new round was introduced as the .38 S&W Special concurrently with the first “K-frame” revolver in 1899. In this revolver, the cylinder was released for opening by pushing a thumbpiece located on the left side of the frame. The new revolver was marketed as the .38 Military and Police Model. This first issue is now referred to as the Model of 1899, and it was provided in both .38 special and .32 Winchester Center Fire, also known as the .32/20. These handguns could be purchased either blued or nickeled in barrel lengths of 4”, 5”, and 6”. All had rounded rather than square frame butts. The .32/20 variation was not as popular as the instant-hit .38 special.
On June 25, 1900 the U.S. Navy made the first military purchase of the .38 M&P Hand Ejector, ordering a batch of 1,000 revolvers. These guns were serial numbered in the S&W system from 5,000 to 6,000. The U.S. Army quickly followed suit in February, 1901, ordering 1,000 handguns in the serial range of 13,001 - 14,000. These were the first purchases of many versions of the gun by our armed forces over the years. In later years, notably during WWII, the British Empire also purchased large numbers for their military. These were mostly chambered for the less powerful .38 S&W (called the “.380” by them).
In 1902, an important change was made in the latching system by providing a lug on the barrel that contained a short spring-loaded locking bolt that latched into the front of the ejector rod. This provided a 3-point lockup for the cylinder – the barrel latch, the cylinder stop, and finally the spring-loaded pin in the middle of the ejector star, which fit into the frame itself. This improved revolver was called the Second Model, or Model of 1902. My paternal grandfather purchased one of these in 1904 as a store gun when he owned a country store in northern Kentucky. It still works after well over a century and remains in the family as a valued heirloom. In 1904, an alternate square butt style was introduced. This became very popular, as it allowed better control. It quickly became the standard configuration. This was the last change of the gun under D.B. Wesson, as he passed away the following year. He was succeeded by his son Joe.
There were gradual changes over the years in the lockwork of the M&P. The early models were not entirely drop-safe, although the hammer-mounted firing pin automatically retracted when the trigger was in the forward position. A push or blow on the hammer would allow the firing pin to come in contact with the primer. Beginning in 1915, a change was designed to prevent this. The revolver illustrated is specifically known by collectors as a Model of 1905 4th change. Made in 1923, it has a leaf spring hammer block in the sideplate that is designed to make it drop-safe. It extends under the hammer when the trigger is at rest, and is cammed back by a projection on the hand to retract it when the hammer is cocked or the trigger is pulled. Unfortunately, if dirt, debris, rust or heavy grease prevents this key part from extending under the hammer by its own spring action in order to block it, these later guns could conceivably fire if dropped on the hammer. Although this rarely happened, it was possible. During WWII, one of our sailors dropped a loaded Victory Model revolver (essentially an M&P with a wartime finish and smooth wood stocks) on the deck. It fell on the hammer, discharged and killed him.
Following the receipt of this distressing news at S&W, its then-president Carl Hellstrom immediately directed that a mechanically-actuated sliding hammer block be designed and made standard. This improved and very positive system, first implemented in late 1944, proved far safer and is still in use today. Many Victory Model revolvers were retro-fitted with the new safety device. Those with serial numbers incorporating an “S” identify the improved revolvers.
Following the war, commercial production began anew in late 1945 at serial number S811,120. Sales immediately became brisk for both police and civilian use. In February, 1948 at serial number S990,184, the .38 M&P was further improved by using a shorter hammer throw that was originally designed for target revolvers. In March of that same year, the second millionth M&P revolver was shipped, at which point a new serial number series beginning with C1 was started. It continued until November, 1967, when three million M&Ps in various calibers had been completed. A new serial number series was then prefixed with a “D.” In 1955, the upper side plate screw was dispensed with, replaced by a tab at the top of the plate that fit under the frame. Starting in June of 1957, S&W began numerical designations for its firearms. The M&P became, and is now known as, the Model 10.
In the succeeding years, gradual changes took place with the Model 10, and “dash numbers” were instituted to reflect successive changes. For example, the 10-1 model introduced a heavy barrel, and with the 10-2 model the extractor rod changed from right-hand thread to left-hand. The trigger guard screw was eliminated in 1962. The central diamond pattern in checkered grips was deleted in 1968, as was the barrel pin in 1982. All the dash numbers are too numerous to catalog here, and many offshoots of the Model 10 were developed and put into production. Suffice it to say that the .38 M&P is still made today. It has evolved with a floating firing pin, some metal injection molded parts, minor lockwork changes, a frame flange rather than a stud as a cylinder stop, and a controversial internal lock located just above the cylinder release thumbpiece. The old-time careful hand-fitting has been replaced by computer-controlled tight manufacturing tolerances.
It may be blued, nickeled or stainless, and its model number may vary, but the basic K-frame revolver first introduced in 1899 and the .38 special cartridge that accompanied it are enduringly popular today. It has become an icon around the world, a true classic that may still be around well into the 22nd Century.
(c) 2014 JLM
Last edited:
