S&W model 14 vs. 14-1 vs. 14-2 vs. ...

D

dogfood

New member
I'm looking for a used S&W model 14 with an 8-3/8" barrel. I am confused on the "dash" designations (or lack thereof). It seems that most of the 8-3/8" barrel revolvers I've been able to locate are either 14-3 or 14-4 models. Can anyone give me a rundown as to what the differences are between the dash versions - or point me towards some reference material that can help me?

Thanks,
dogfood
 
Every serious fan of S&W should own a copy of The Standard Catalogue of Smith and Wesson 2nd edition. It covers virtually every S&W from the beginning to it's published date (2001).
-1 changed the extractor rod threads from right to left hand threads and introduced the 8 3/8" barrel in 1959
-2 changed the cylinder stop and dropped the 4th screw
-3 relocated the rear sight leaf screw and in 1968 dropped the diamond insert on the stocks.
 
Thanks, Majic. I did some scouting, and it appears this reference is readily available from several sources (Amazon, Midway, etc.), so I'll put one on order.

Concerning the dash info you provided, I assume that S&W eventually eliminated the counterbored cylinder on the model 14 (since they eliminated it on every other model). Perhaps this happened on the -4 or -5.

dogfood
 
The model 14 never had a recessed cylinder. It's a .38 special. Only the magnum calibers and rimfires were ever recessed.

Model 14-4

14_4r.jpg


Nice guns...


The 19-4 was the last engineering change with the recessed cylinder, so your assumption was in the right ballpark.

19_4r.jpg


Joe
 
Thanks for setting me straight, Joe. I guessed that since one of my police trade-in model 66's has a recessed cylinder, but the other does not, that all of the centerfire revolvers were recessed at one point.

dogfood
 
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