I'm having trouble finding a reference which lists all the S&W 'K' frame revolvers which had been built over the years with either 2" or 3" barrels.
Any advice??

Rusty Musket

Pre WW II, you could buy a .38 Military & Police revolver in 2", with the round butt. Post WW II, .38 M&Ps could be found with 2" barrels and both round and square butts. When the .38 M&P received the new short action (1948), you can find 2" barreled revolvers, round and square.

S&W assigned model numbers in 1957. The M&P became the Model 10 and a 3" version became available in the 1970s or 1980s (I THINK).

The .38 Combat Masterpiece (target sighted) became the Model 15 in '57. A 2" became available in 1964. The stainless version of the Model 10 is the Model 64 and it too came in 2".

The Models 13 and 65 had a 3" barrel option, as did the Models 19 and 66. These were chambered in .357.

I probably missed one or two. I'm sure another member will update my list soon.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

M&P's were the first K frames with two inch barrels. There were a few built in the mid to late 30's. Probably would've been more, but WWII halted civilian firearms production. They resumed civilian production following the war, and two inch M&P's were again offered on a regular basis. In the early 60's there was a two inch version of the Combat Masterpiece produced for the U.S. Air Force which was called the Model 56. Those definitely fit the description of 'rare'.

Three inch K frames were a much later idea than what we mostly discuss in this section of the forum and I believe it was the late 60's to early 70's when those were first offered.

Mark

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S&W Forum Member #721

IIRC the 2" wasn't offered until after the Combat Masterpiece became the Model 15. If this isn't right, I'd be happy to be corrected.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Perhaps this doesn't fit the criterion of 2" & 3", but the Combat Magnum (later, the Model 19) was available with a 2 1/2" barrel. The standard 1 7/8" barrel (nominally the 2") wasn't long enough to accommodate an extractor rod that would fully eject the longer .357 Magnum cases, so the barrel got the extra (nominal) 1/2".

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

I'm thinkin' I read somewhere that it was after the Model 56's were built for the USAF that the 2" Model 15 became available for civilian sales, but don't quote me on that.

Mark

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S&W Forum Member #721

Thanks, Mark. I just looked in the SCSW 4th. It says the introduction of the 2" barrel was in 1964. It mentions it as the "2 inch heavy barrel" but I don't think any of the 2" Model 15s had anything but the heavy barrel. And, by the way, 1964 would be in the era of the Model 15-2.

In the main text discussion of the Model 15, the SCSW refers to the different contours of the frame on the 2" variant. That would make sense because the heavy barrel would look odd with the tapered edges on the forward frame boss that was used on the 4" standard barrel guns. When I get a chance, I'll pull my 2" 15-3 out and look at the frame.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Don't forget the 2" .38 Airweight from the early '50s (later the model 12) and the 2" model 64 starting in the early '70s.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Least we forget the 9mm, 3", Mod-547 from the early 80s.

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

Thanks, I revised my post.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Mike Priwer has posted pics before of a 2" 32 Long M&P revolver, pre-model marked. Then there is Rex Applegate's one off 2" fixed sighted K22. I can't recall any others from the pre-model era...

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"Suum Cuique"

There's a couple of fella's that sell a right nice book at a reasonable price that covers this . . .

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .