Frame sizes

[Carlos2]

Is there some easy to know what size frame you have?
I was looking for some new grips and they asked what size frame I had and if I had a square or round butt? How does S&W determine this. There has to be some easy way about this for us people new to wheel guns.
Thanks

 

[Smee78]

What model gun do you have?

 

[Hunt200]

Well, if you get the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson all of you questions should be answered.

But the short list is this.

Smaller frames are usually J-Frames, could be a I-Frame for earlier models.

Medium frames are K or L, they both use the same stocks.

Next larger than the K and L is the N-Frame.

Then comes the largest frame, the X-Frame.

Here is the differences between round and square:

 

[Louie]

And the K and L are different frames, but the L is close enough that they gave it the same size grips as the slightly smaller K frame. Triggers are the same but hammers are not interchangable. K, L, and N triggers are all the same size but due to larger frame size the hammers have to get longer as the frame gets bigger. Many internal parts are the same among the K,L, and N. J (normally a 5 shot in the 38 cal) is smaller and parts do not interchange.

May have muddied the water a bit. If so, sorry

Louie

 

[stevieboy]

You'll find the frame sizes easy to tell apart once you've handled a few Smith revolvers. The J frames are truly small in comparison even to the next larger size, the Ks. Ks and Ls are close in size, but the Ls are generally significantly heavier and many Ls come with fully underlugged barrels, which adds weight, of course. The Ns are substantially bigger than the Ks and the Ls, and the Xs, such as the 500 magnum are truly huge. An X next to a J looks as big as a toaster oven in comparison.

 

[vytoland]

carlos,

this may help.... S&W Frames

 

[Carlos2]

Thanks to all. I think I've got it now.