There are a plethora of S & W Revolvers that have been made over the years. Sometimes I see a number and I have no idea what caliber it is, or what size frame it is made on, or if it only comes in SS, blued, or other finish. Also which dash number did S&W begin to put the internal locks on each model? (I have never seen a Smith & Wesson revolver with an internal lock and I would just as soon never see one. I can’t even imagine what genius came up with such an asinine idea.) Is there any kind of semi-comprehensive list that has a quick reference to the basic details of these revolvers?

I know some of the more popular numbers, and I know the few that I own, and some are easy enough to look up, but some that are not manufactured any longer can be a pain to track down.

Get you a copy of Standard Catalog of Smith Wesson 3rd edition. Very informative.

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Roger

Here's some pretty neat sheets put out by Handloads.com. It's not really complete or up to date, but good data none-the-less and it won't help you with serial numbers.

http://www.handloads.com/misc/Smith.Model.Changes.asp

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Dick

Hmm...
-anything with three digits (586, 649, 686, 629, etc.) is "modern" (from 1980-on)
-anything starting with a 6 (e.g. 60, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 642, 686, 629, 625) is "stainless" (in the case of the 642, it's an alloy frame, but for the most part, 6x or 6xx means stainless steel).
-If it's a 3-digit model number, then it's a stainless version of a 2-digit model number (i.e. the 617 is a stainless version of the 17). Of course, there are exceptions (the 64 is a stainless 10, the 686 is a stainless 586; the 586 has no 2-digit-model equivalent).
-anything with 1x (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19) are K-frames, carbon steel (either blued or nickel-plated)
-anything with 2x (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29) are N-frames, carbon steel (blued or nickel-plated)
-3x = J-frames, carbon steel
-4x = ? I know there was a K-frame Model 45 which was basically a Model 10...but in .22. There was also the J-frame Model 40, 42, 43, and 49.
-5x = N-frames, carbon steel (specifically the 57 and 58, in .41 Magnum--I haven't heard of any others)

-there isn't any one dash-number for MIM parts/internal lock for all guns. For example, the Model 686-4 had no MIM parts, while the 686-5 changed to MIM parts, and the 686-6 added the internal lock. Model 22-3 was (I think, I could be wrong) old-school, while the 22-4 has the IL and MIM parts.

All of this I've kinda figured out as I've gotten more and more into S&W revolvers; one day I'm going to pick up the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson book, which has all of this stuff laid out.

This is the wonder and mystery that is Smith and Wesson collecting.

I have studied the 'Standard catalog of Smith and Wesson' like a student to a textbook, and still I find
models that I know little about.

My general rule has been; carry as much cash as I can at all times. Search pawn shops, gun stores ,and gun shows.
If I find any Smith in very good + or better condition, in a caliber of 22 on up to .500 that I can afford,,
Buy it.
.Worry about the model designation later .

Regards ,,and good luck , AlleN-Frame

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NRA cert.instructor&R.S.O.

-3x = J-frames, carbon steel

And then some butthead stuck in a model 39.

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OFT/NRA LIFE MEMBER

And there's the Model 41. Nice gun, sure (and I do have one), but it really breaks the scheme. Exceptions to every rule, I guess. That's the problem with using a single numbering system for different guns.

And there's the Model 52. And 59. And...

and the 332 which is a scandium/titanium version of a mod 32

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ASA/NSA 67-71
NRA Benefactor