Question on -1's

[444 Magnum]

I could use some help with the "dash one" history. Please correct anything I misrepresent.

Model numbers were assigned in 1957. Extractor rod thread direction was changed in 1959-1960? This resulted in some models which just had engineering changes (-1's) being designated as -2's.

The result being some models saw few -1's produced. An example being the popular and sought after 29-1.

My question is this...what other models fit this category with few -1's being made?

 

[Rusty parrot]

The Model 27-1 could be added to your list. There are a limited number of them known, possibly fewer than the 29-1.

 

[JP@AK]

The Model 28-1 is a unicorn. We only know of one extant example.

 

[JP@AK]

Incidentally, the -1 revolvers seem to be much more scarce on the N frames than on the K frames. For example, when I was building my complete set of K-38s, I had no trouble locating an ANIB example of the Model 14-1. It took me a a few years longer to obtain an ANIB Model 14.

Then, of course, you have to keep in mind that the significance of the -1 on the Model 10 and Model 36 is entirely different. Also, the Model 13-1.

 

[444 Magnum]

I am familiar with the 27-1, I've missed on a few of those. I've never seen a 28-1. Now I know why.

On another post, 22hipower mentioned the scarcity of the 48-1. He said he'd never seen one.

I was wondering about the 13-1's, it does seem like I've seen several of them.

The 14-1 K38. What years does it include?

 

[Fullmetaljacket]

I have a shooter grade model 13-1. SCSW says 13-1 introduced 1974 with model number stamping. I guess that means there are no model 13 no-dash examples? Production for the 13-1 was 1974 - '77 so probably plenty of them around.

 

[scout II]

Funny that the model 57-1 is not hard to find at all and was made for about a half dozen years, but the 57-2 was only made for two years and not found as frequent.

 

[Hair Trigger]

I have a shooter grade model 13-1. SCSW says 13-1 introduced 1974 with model number stamping. I guess that means there are no model 13 no-dash examples? Production for the 13-1 was 1974 - '77 so probably plenty of them around.

Same goes for its stainless cousin the M65-1. It was actually released a year before the "as marked" M13-1, but the M13-1 was born from the M10-6 prototype, so it existed beforehand.

If you only count original production, there is no M58-1, it was a "no-dash" for its entire life.

 

[JP@AK]

I was wondering about the 13-1's, it does seem like I've seen several of them.

SCSW says 13-1 introduced 1974 with model number stamping. I guess that means there are no model 13 no-dash examples?

Yes. The Model 13-1 was a 1974 introduction. It was the full production run of the special order Model 10-6 chambered for the .357 Magnum cartridge. It was introduced as a -1 for several reasons, one of which seems to be the fact that there had been a previous Model 13. It was a round butt alloy K frame revolver made for the United States Air Force. Most of them were destroyed.

The 14-1 K38. What years does it include?

The Model 14-1 was introduced in 1959 with the change in the extractor rod threads. The -1 was replaced with the -2 in 1961.

 

[Fullmetaljacket]

Forgot about the M13 Aircrewman, makes perfect sense. Thanks for that bit of info!

 

[S&W-Keeper]

I have the 15-1.

 

[donadler]

27-1 for example

Here is my 27-1

 

[Doc44]

There are only two known examples of the Model 29-1 with a 4-screw frame and an extractor rod with a left-hand thread. The other known Model 29-1s (approximately 55) have a 3-screw frame and an extractor rod with a right-hand thread.

Bill

 

[GerSan69]

To go back to your original questions: the "dash numbers" are specific to each model, not universal as in all -1, -2, etc., changes were the same for all models. It's best to have a copy of SCSW handy to see what changes are present on a gun you might be looking at.

 

[jcelect]

The dash numbers for the different frames & models of guns made is directly related to the manufacturing process! I toured the factory in the early 1980s and at that time the factory had only one hammer forge to stamp out the frames from a short piece of steel rod! I would imagine changing the dies in this press was difficult and time consuming! They would run the same frame for a long period of time, many months! At that time the round butt and the square butt were two different dies for the different frames. When the frame left that part of production it went into the machining process, which was many smaller machines/steps. Today we have CNC machines that do multi functions with one push of the button. The time period from forging to packing was much longer in 1962 and the time period between frame size changes was even longer, possibly even years! In my database I have 57 STAMPED 29-1s, 50 27-1s, and 1 28-1 with all of them being shipped in 1962/63.
jcelect