Unusual K/N Frame Calibers?

[cmort666]

I'm sitting around bored, waiting for customers to call in after they've wrecked the PCs in their dealerships, so I'll ask an interesting question:

What are some interesting and or unusual calibers in which you've seen K or N frame Smiths chambered?

I know Spanish copies of the M&P were made for the French in 8mm Lebel, as well as maybe a few in 7.62mm Nagant.

.455 N frames aren't all that rare.

How about some strange ones?

9.4mm Dutch? 9mm Japanese? 7.5mm Swiss? 10.6mm German?

 

[opoefc]

Off the top of my head - N frames, .44 Quisper, .44-40, .30 Carbine, .45 S&W Special, 9mm Parabellum, various .22s like Hornets, etc. and probably more. K frames have been made in almost every caliber you can think of. I'll leave the list to those who specialize in K frame collecting. Ed.

 

[JayCeeNC]

N-frame 2nd Model (I think) .44 Hand Ejector in .44-40 caliber. One of the members had one a year or so ago.

 

[JSW]

I believe S&W made a few prototype N frames in 30 carbine. I bet that would be a blast to shoot!

 

[DWalt]

Original S&Ws or various foreign copies? I know the Israelis made what looked a lot like a Model 10 in 9mm. Who knows what the pre-WWII Spanish copies were chambered in? Could be lots of calibers. Of course there was the .22 Jet. And early on, the "U. S. Service Cartridge" (.38 LC) was stamped on the barrel of Model 1902s. And of course the .32 S&W Long, in M&P plus K-32s. A huge number of M&Ps were chambered in .38 S&W before and during WWII, even some after WWII.

 

[Hondo44]

I've re-chambered I and J frame 32 longs to 32 H&R Mag. I've seen an M&P 5 shot in .44 Russian.

Smith chambered a K frame prototype in .256 Winchester Mag. Ruger did bring out a single shot in that cartridge to market in 1962 called the Hawkeye. Didn't sell well but has a cult like following and is a valuable collector item selling for up to $3000 NIB these days.

 

[DWalt]

I am assuming you are talking only about original factory chamberings. If you include user chamberings, there could be many odd calibers found, such as the several wildcat variations of .22 Hornet, etc.

 

[Engine49guy]

The .38-44 High Velocity (HV)

 

[Club Gun Fan]

A Model 53-2 in .22 Hornet, .218 Bee, .22 WMR, .22 Short, .22 Zipper, .22 Long Rifle and .22 Jet. 8 3/8" Nickel. Owned by a retired S&W employee.

 

[A10]

I do believe there is a .22 caliber Registered Magnum out there somewhere......

 

[savit260]

Off the top of my head - N frames, .30 Carbine, .45 S&W Special, 9mm Parabellum, various .22s like Hornets, etc. and probably more. K frames have been made in almost every caliber you can think of. I'll leave the list to those you specialize in K frame collecting. Ed.

What exactly is .45 S&W Special? Do you mean 45 S&W (Schofield)? or is this something else? Googled it and came up with nothing.

 

[DWalt]

The .45 S&W Special was not produced commercially. It was essentially a developmental round made up for Army revolver tests in 1906. It had a case length of .923", a rim diameter of .53", and used a 230 grain jacketed bullet. 10,000 were made at Frankford Arsenal for the tests. There may have been small quantities of ammunition made by UMC for the Army board tests due to some quality problems with the ammunition manufactured at Frankford Arsenal. Those UMC rounds were not headstamped. The Army referred to it as the Model 1906 round.

 

[Toyman]

I have a 2nd model hand ejector in 44/40 and I have a second model hand ejector in 455 Colt, letters as such, not 455 Eley.

 

[bmg60]

Hi
1. Triple lock in 45 colt. 23 Made.
2. Triple lock in 44/40 less than 25 documented
3. Second model target in 44/40 only one Known
4. 38/44 heavy duty in 45 colt. 15 or so made.
5. pre model 22 in 45 colt less than 5 known
6. model 25 in 45 colt on made in 4 inch barrel.
7 model 25 in 45 colt 15 made.
8. 455 2nd model 12 made in 45 colt in one run.

That a few for you.
Jim Fisher

 

[Muley Gil]

The SCSW mentions the .38-40 being chambered in the Trple Lock, but I don't know of anyone that has seen one, so it may just be a myth.

 

[Drm50]

K Zipper?

I would like to see picture of a K-22 Zipper. Frame must have
looked like a Govenor to take a cylinder that long.

 

[DWalt]

I would like to see picture of a K-22 Zipper. Frame must have
looked like a Govenor to take a cylinder that long.

I saw that, and assumed the .22 Zipper must have been some wildcat modification of the .22 Hornet or maybe the .25-20. There were quite a few of those developed back in the day. I don't think it is the .219 Zipper, which is essentially a necked-down .30-30.

 

[Will in Montana]

.41 Special Model 586

Some years back I had Jim Stroh (Alpha Precision, in GA) recut and rebore a .357 Magnum Model 586 to the .41 Special wildcat caliber. This makes for a nice size bigger bore double action revolver (210-grain bullet running at 1,000 feet per second, at reasonable pressures) for packing and protection in the back country. My only regret is that I used one of the rarer "Midnight Black" 586s, with a matte finish, but I love the gun.
Here in Montana, we're looking forward to spring and varmint season, so my Smith & Wesson .22s (revolvers and semi-autos) will be seeing action very soon.
Best wishes always,
Will

 

[Hondo44]

I would like to see picture of a K-22 Zipper. Frame must have
looked like a Govenor to take a cylinder that long.

It would have to be a Governor or an X22 Zipper on the 460/500 Mag X frame.

 

[BUFF]

Fixed sight K frame in .22 LR, the Model 45.