There have been so many references made to various models that one cannot remember them all. I think the most accepted naming convention comes from Roy's book. Problem is that his reference ends at the end of WWII, so all that "new" stuff out there has to use the box label for a name until the Model numbers came out in the late 1950s.
It has been pointed out by many of our experts that the Marketing Department was responsible for many of the labels and model names, while the factory had different designations. Even the gun boxes of the period had identity issues. While the end labels of many hammerless revolvers said "New Departure", the interior label said "Safety". The reason why I like Roy's interpretation is that it is a combination of those who had gone before him, old factory records, and was a chance to clarify S&Ws by using a model, issue, or change number to differentiate major mechanical and visual differences.
One relatively new name that I am both befuddled and amazed by is the K22 Outoors-Man's Revolver. Everyone uses the K22 Outdoorsman, but references of the era clearly show the difference. One of our members brought this to my attention in posting an original flyer on the Forum. I rather like the new reference, even though I don't exactly know how it was derived.
So those few out there who do not have Roy's 1857-1945 book, pick up a second hand copy or reprint cheap. Using a common reference will clear up lots of confusion. One last irritation for me is using the Model 1 1/2 and Model 2 top-break designations, since so many posts from new members do not know there were two model revolvers with that designation.
