I am recently interested in learning about revolvers. I am interested in knowing more about smith and wesson frames. I believe that j frames are the small size, k and l are medium and n frames are the biggest. Is this correct? How come there are two designations for medium frames-k and l? Also, I believe taurus revolvers use these designations , but ruger does not? And what is up with square butt and round butt grips- do these pertain to the frame sizes? Thanks for any information.
newbie question
- Thread starter rmz1
- Start date
Guy B. Meredith
New member
A quick search will turn up a number of threads on this subject.
The K-frame came first. People found that a heavy dose of hot .357 mags would cause any number of problems. Note the "heavy dose" part as many current shooters would differ.
As an answer S&W came out with the L-frame which is pretty much the same as the K-frame up to the cylinder. The cylinder, top strap and barrel region are beefed up to handle a heavier diet of hot .357 magnum.
Others may have some insight on whether some modifications made in the 80s and general metalurgical improvements have made the K-frame more able to handle more .357 magnums.
The K-frame came first. People found that a heavy dose of hot .357 mags would cause any number of problems. Note the "heavy dose" part as many current shooters would differ.
As an answer S&W came out with the L-frame which is pretty much the same as the K-frame up to the cylinder. The cylinder, top strap and barrel region are beefed up to handle a heavier diet of hot .357 magnum.
Others may have some insight on whether some modifications made in the 80s and general metalurgical improvements have made the K-frame more able to handle more .357 magnums.
Last edited:
Standing Wolf
Member in memoriam
Frankly, I've never understood why Smith & Wesson kept part of the K frame. I'd have been happier with a frame in between the K and larger N. Obviously, the company was keeping costs down; from a marketing perspective, however, I think it could have used a 'tween frame to proliferate models and sell more guns.
Well, it never has been the nation's most level-headed company.
Well, it never has been the nation's most level-headed company.
As others have stated, the L frame came out as a beefed up K frame primarily to handle the newer and faster 357 loads. How much was real improvement and how much pure marketing is anyones guess. Partly it was driven by several LE contracts that specs fulltime use of 357mag.
The K frames have always been extremely popular with S&W shooters simply because they have outstanding balance. And there are many of us who whould pick an older M-19 over the newer L framed models every time. And many of us have many thousands of rounds through our M-19s and they are still cuncking along.
When the K framed guns came out, they certainly weren't considered small or fragile. At the time, one of the most popular Law Enforcement handguns was the Colt Police Positive. here's a picture of a Colt Police Positive next to a S&W M-19.
As you can see, the M-19 is much bigger and much more heavily built than the Police Positive.
And here is a S&W M-28 (the N Frame 357Mag) next to a M-19. Both are 4" bbl.
I hope this helps.
The K frames have always been extremely popular with S&W shooters simply because they have outstanding balance. And there are many of us who whould pick an older M-19 over the newer L framed models every time. And many of us have many thousands of rounds through our M-19s and they are still cuncking along.
When the K framed guns came out, they certainly weren't considered small or fragile. At the time, one of the most popular Law Enforcement handguns was the Colt Police Positive. here's a picture of a Colt Police Positive next to a S&W M-19.
As you can see, the M-19 is much bigger and much more heavily built than the Police Positive.
And here is a S&W M-28 (the N Frame 357Mag) next to a M-19. Both are 4" bbl.
I hope this helps.
That comparison with the Colt is misleading.
The grip is hiding the "skinnyness" of the S&W grip frame. More importantly, that particular K-Frame is the later "beefed up" type for .357s, earlier .38Spl K-frames contemporary with that Colt would have had a similar "pencil barrel" (thin and tapered).
The Colt was also sold in a "Police Positive Special" flavor with a longer cylinder...and the Colt metallurgy and heat-treating was better than contemporary S&Ws. As a result, the very early "38+P" ammo (known as the "38-44" just before the .357Magnum came out) were only safe to fire in an N-Frame S&W .38Spl, but in a Colt could be fired in the Police Positive Special despite that latter gun's much smaller size.
The grip is hiding the "skinnyness" of the S&W grip frame. More importantly, that particular K-Frame is the later "beefed up" type for .357s, earlier .38Spl K-frames contemporary with that Colt would have had a similar "pencil barrel" (thin and tapered).
The Colt was also sold in a "Police Positive Special" flavor with a longer cylinder...and the Colt metallurgy and heat-treating was better than contemporary S&Ws. As a result, the very early "38+P" ammo (known as the "38-44" just before the .357Magnum came out) were only safe to fire in an N-Frame S&W .38Spl, but in a Colt could be fired in the Police Positive Special despite that latter gun's much smaller size.