S&W Experts

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olddrum1

New member
Shotgun person here. Know very little about Smith pistols. Is there a good place to get an education online for Smith and Wesson revolvers? I know what the Mod 29 is but very little after that. Maybe models with an average price range. Thinking that we want a 38 revolver. Any help is appreciated.
Charlie
 
Lemme see if I can do this correctly,,,

I'm certainly no S&W expert,,,
But let me see if I can get you started.

You say you want a .38 Special,,,
That pretty much puts you in two of the major frame sizes.

J-frame and K-frame

J-frame is the smaller of the two,,,
In .38 Special you get a 5-round cylinder.

You typically see this pistol as a "snub-nose 38",,,
The barrels are mostly 1 7/8" long,,,
But 3" barrels are not uncommon.

The most basic is a Model 36,,,
Their are many different model numbers based on the J-frame,,,
Shrouded hammer, bobbed hammer, aluminum frame, stainless steel frame, etc.

Too many variations to list here.

K-frame is just a tad bit bigger than a J-frame,,,
In .38 Special you get a 6 round cylinder.

The iconic K-frame is their Model 10,,,
6-shot with a 4" barrel and fixed sights.
Other model numbers include the 6" model 14 and 4" model 15.

The Model 10 and model 15 came in 2" snubby length as well.

Many shooters consider the S&W K-frames to be the ideal .38 Special handgun.

Understand that I have barely touched the surface here,,,
Small variations and more model numbers abound.

Here is a link to the Smith & Wesson page for J-frames,,,
You'll see what I mean about lots of variations.

Maybe this will help to get you started.

If you like books,,,
The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson is a great browsing book.

Beware though,,,
That $39.95 book has cost me thousands of dollars over the years.

Aarond

.
 
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After 40 years of studying S&W revolvers I am still learning. best thing I could tell a new guy is stay away from a butchered Victory Model. Any price over free is too high.

This is a butchered VM. Barrel cut back losing ejector rod lug, chrome finish, chambers reamed for 38 Special, often seen with plastic "stag" grips...

standard.jpg
 
Why don't you use the search feature here and start going through some of the literally tens of thousands of posts that have been made about Smith & Wesson revolvers at TFL over last 16+ years.
 
Hi, Olddrum1,

Your use of "we" indicates that you might be interested in home defense rather than concealed carry. If so, the simplest and easiest answer is the Military & Police revolver, now called the Model 10. It has fixed sights, but for HD, that doesn't matter. It is a "point and pull" gun, with no complexities and no "tricks". The new ones have an internal lock, but that can be ignored if not wanted. The "Victory" Model mentioned above is the same gun, made during WWII and the newest ones are 70 years old. They were made in both .38 Special and the less powerful .38 S&W cartridge. One of the latter, if in good shape might fit your needs, but many have been worked over and virtually ruined.

If a new gun is not within your means, there are many good used ones on the market. Very often police turn-ins show up at very reasonable prices (c. $250); most show wear from being carried but are near perfect functionally.

I suggest browsing your local gun shops and try to find not just a gun you like but a store owner/manager who will help you with your needs. (You can't buy "on the net" in any case; a gun purchased from an internet seller has to be sent to a local dealer.)

Jim
 
Another minor point, revolvers in .357 magnum will handle .38 special but not vice versa. I suspect you are aware of this.
 
I'm almost an expert on S&W revolvers. :rolleyes: And what aarondhgraham said is perfect.

If someone just "wants a gun for defense" my always answer is a Smith model 10 or 64. A 3-4" barrel .38 is almost everything you will ever need and almost nothing you don't need.
 
Shotgun person here. Know very little about Smith pistols. Is there a good place to get an education online for Smith and Wesson revolvers? I know what the Mod 29 is but very little after that. Maybe models with an average price range. Thinking that we want a 38 revolver. Any help is appreciated.
Charlie
Click to expand...

S&W has made numerous models of revolver in .38 Special with varying frame sizes, action types, frame materials, and finishes. Which one is best for you depends on several factors which we cannot determine from your post.

What will the revolver be used for? The attributes that make a good revolver for concealed carry, home defense, hunting, and/or target shooting/plinking are not necessarily the same. We need to know which of the purposes is of the highest importance to you before we can make a recommendation.

How sensitive are you and any other potential users of the revolver to recoil? S&W has made many of it's .38 Special revolvers in both steel and aluminum-alloy frame versions. While the aluminum-frame revolvers are lighter and easier to carry, they also produce more felt recoil. Because of this, aluminum-frame revolvers aren't typically recommended for new or recoil-sensitive shooters.

What sort of finish do you prefer? Most S&W revolvers can be had in blue, nickel, or stainless with a couple other finishes available for the odd model here or there. Generally, however, S&W assigns a different model number to a stainless revolver than they do to a blue/nickel one so we need to know which finish you prefer in order to be able to suggest a particular model.

Are you willing to buy a used revolver or do you prefer a new one? Some models are no longer in production and therefore only available on the used market. Obviously, if you want a brand new gun, these models would be ruled out for consideration.

What is your price range? Depending on the model, barrel length, finish, and vintage, a .38 Special S&W revolver can cost anywhere from $200-300 to several thousand dollars. We can recommend a model that fits your needs/wants to the letter, but it doesn't do you any good if its out of your price range.
 
S&W K frames are pretty robust. Even one that looks in bad shape will generally still function.

The good news is that S&W made millions of K frames and good looking functional guns are out there for between $300 and $400.

One thing to consider is that there are other revolver makers and that a .38sp will shoot fine out of a .357mag.

In my experience Colt police positives cost a bit less than similar S&W Model 10s. The blued security 6 from Ruger is close in price to its S&W equivalent.
 
"In my experience Colt police positives cost a bit less than similar S&W Model 10s."

Just as a point of order, the Colt Police Positive was never chambered for .38 Special, only .32 Short/Long Colt, .32 New Police (.32 S&W Long) and .38 New Police (.38 S&W).

Police Positives are the equivalent of the S&W I/Improved I/J frames in .32 Long and .38 S&W.

The Colt Police Positive Special was chambered for .38 Special, and is the rough equivalent of the K frame.

Another Colt to look at is the Official Police, which was slightly larger than the Police Positive Special.

Colt revolvers don't seem to have jumped in price the same way that most S&W revolvers have the last few years.

Over the past 3 years I picked up an Official Police 6" in .38 Special for around $375, a Police Positive Special in .32-20 for about the same, and a Police Positive in .32 New Police for just over $300.

The New Service, Python, and Diamonback are all quite spendy, but they've been that way for awhile, while the Detective Special can be found for a decent price with a little looking.
 
If someone just "wants a gun for defense" my always answer is a Smith model 10 or 64. A 3-4" barrel .38 is almost everything you will ever need and almost nothing you don't need.
Click to expand...

The Taurus 80 is a copy of the Smith 10 and the 84 is a copy of the Smith 15. Since Taurus was established to make guns for Smith, they did a good job with revolvers. I have a 84 from the 70s and you couldn't ask for a more accurate or reliable revolver. They look the same the same as my S & W SD9VE looks like the Glock 19 it was copied from. Most of the bad reputation of the Taurus was a result of their problems with semi-automatics.
 
Taurus was NOT started to make firearms for Smith and Wesson. They started as a tool and die manufacturer for Brazilian industry in the mid 1930s.

They began making firearms in 1941 because Smith could not fulfill its contracts in Brasil because of World War II.
 
Taurus was NOT started to make firearms for Smith and Wesson. They started as a tool and die manufacturer for Brazilian industry in the mid 1930s.

They began making firearms in 1941 because Smith could not fulfill its contracts in Brasil because of World War II.
Click to expand...

You are correct but that is how they got in the gun business and why they made copies of the S & Ws.
 
Still looking, reading and studying. Not looking for suggestions on what to buy but to know what I am looking at when I have found it. If that makes sense. I am having to retire my 1911 due to an accident. Pardon my spelling and typing. Wife was LEO and well versed in firearms. She thinks 38 SPC is a good choice for next pistol. Just never took interest in Smiths. Found one and no idea what I was looking at. Thanks to the help and information here I think I have found a Model 10. (J Frame?). Lotta wear on blue but believe to be shot very little. Not well enough informed to determine worth.
I do want to thank everyone for the input I have recieved and any more to come.
Charlie
 
Well, I've owned a lot of Smith & Wessons in my time, from 22 to 44, 45 too now that I think about it. I came to the conclusion a few years back to sell most of them and just keep a few that I really liked. They're all 38/357's, so maybe you can get some ideas from these.

Model 10. K-frame, six shots, 38 Special, fixed sights, with a tapered barrel. Standard "cop gun" for many years. Like all S&W revolvers it can be found in many "dash" variations as well as "pre dash" configurations, which really only matter to collectors. One is not really "better than the other. Most people would never notice the differences. This one is a 10-7 with a badly damaged finish but otherwise in excellent condition.



If location sets the price in real estate, condition sets it in guns. You can find Model 10's anywhere from less than 300, to over 500.00. If I had to guess these days, average is about $400.00.

Model 15 "Combat Masterpiece." Again mid sized K-frame, six shots, 38 Special, with adjustable sights, slightly heavier barrel, with a rib. Maybe my favorite S&W. They were well named "Masterpiece." Generally have very good triggers, and great balance.

This one is a "dash 2" with probably average wear showing. Mechanically sound. It has the standard "Magna" stocks, with a Tylers "T-Grip adapter added. You can find these around here from I would guess, $350 to as high as 550-600.00.



This one is a Model 19 (no dash). The Model 19 is a mid sized K-frame, but is chambered for the 357 Magnum cartridge. Like any 357, is can use the 38 Special cartridge also. It a six shot revolver, with a 4" heavy barrel, with a top rib, and a "shrouded ejector rod. The shroud being added for extra weight, protection of the ejector rod, and IMHO, looks. It just looks good.



The stocks are Smith & Wesson "diamond targets" and the sights are adjustable. The Magna grips may also be seen. These are seldom seen around here for less than $500, and may go up to 800.

Now you will also encounter different barrel lengths in all different models, ranging from 2-2 1/2" to 6", sometimes even longer. Also any of them may have aftermarket grips installed. I usually like mine as stock as possible.
 
"You are correct but that is how they got in the gun business and why they made copies of the S & Ws."

The original Taurus revolvers were more copies of the Spanish copies of Smith & Wesson than copies of Smith & Wesson. Like the Spanish knockoffs, they used a basic S&W layout but with internals that were more like Colt.

It wasn't until the late 1950s or early 1960s that Taurus started making firearms that were a lot closer to S&Ws.
 
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