K Frame

[Mr. Squinty]

I would like to see S&W bring back the K frame. And I would especially like to see a five shot .44 special built on a K frame.

Make it with a five inch barrel, classic Goncalvo Alves stocks, and blued. And make sure that there are no schmoed-out MiM parts or locks.

 

[bennettfam]

Supposedly K's were not beefy enough so the L frames were developed. But if a J can shoot .357, surely a K will do fine for your .44 special Mr. Squinty.

 

[DCWilson]

K-frame cylinders are 1.44" in diameter. There's only .5" between the center shaft machinery and the outer surface. That leaves you .035" steel to contain a .44's pressure on the two thin sides. Doesn't make any difference how much steel there is between the chambers when you go to five shots. The weakness is elsewhere.

Of course you could enlarge the cylinder diameter to 1.5 or 1.55", but then you would have to enlarge the frame window in order for the cylinder to fit. That entails further lockwork changes, and before you know it you have an L-frame.

 

[bennettfam]

Thanks for your good info David. That is why I joined this forum. I wonder how the old Charter Bulldog .44 fit five? The frame seemed no larger than a K but I never really measured or held them up side by side.