STS, what is it?

[jaybones]

This is probably a newb question, so forgive me. I tried a search here and at the S&W site but came up empty- could have something to do with the lack of characters in the search word or something.

Anyway, I've seen STS attached to a couple different models (686, 640, others) and am wondering what it means. Some of the guns I've seen are pre lock, other have it. Is this a distributor exclusive or along those lines, or something else?

Thanks!

 

[jaybones]

This is probably a newb question, so forgive me. I tried a search here and at the S&W site but came up empty- could have something to do with the lack of characters in the search word or something.

Anyway, I've seen STS attached to a couple different models (686, 640, others) and am wondering what it means. Some of the guns I've seen are pre lock, other have it. Is this a distributor exclusive or along those lines, or something else?

Thanks!

 

[panamajack310]

Hi, welcome to the forum...to answer your question..
STS-Stainless steel

 

[s&wchad]

I thought STS was a Cadillac! It's much better to have a STS than a STD!

 

[jaybones]

D'OH! (smacks self in forehead)

I should have been able to figure that one out.

What got me wondering was a 640 .357 that had no internal lock, no dash number on the box (my 640-3 shows dash number on box), and a special order number (another thing my 640-3 doesn't have). As far as I knew, 640 no dash was a .38 special while the .357 didn't arrive until -1.

Thanks for the replies!

 

[panamajack310]

Jaybones,
You are partially correct. The 640 was introduced in 1989 it was a .38 special until 1996 introducing the 640-1 .357 mag. the 640-1 may not have had a dash number on the box. OR it could have been a 640 no dash frame that they just used as a .357 frame..I would contact S&W and let them tell you something...

 

[The judge]

I shouldn't butt in but being in the Heat Treat Industry for a major portion of my life I want to add that Stainless Steel is recognized here and around the Globe as SS not STS...FWIW.

 

[jaybones]

Thanks for the replies!

Once I get the pistol in my hands (its being shipped) I'll check it out. Could be there's a -1 in the crane.

Judge- You're not butting in, if they had listed it as SS I wouldn't have been thrown off!!

 

[H Richard]

Don't feel bad, took me over a year to figure out that "MOP" meant Mother Of Pearl.

 

[Wyatt Earp]

STS = Remington skeet/trap/sporting clays shotgun cartridges.