I am arguing with a coworker who (is wrong) and says that S&W has only offer about 6 different frames. Baloney
Let's be practical here. Listing umpteen different variations of one frame size is kind of silly. That would make an unending list. To me, a K frame is a K frame is a K frame, no matter what it is made of, without regard to minor variations in dimensions. Same with any of the other sizes.
Let's jump into the wayback machine for a moment.
On the left in this photo are the three sizes of the early S&W Tip Up revolvers. So named because the barrel rotated up to load and unload them. A very simple design, the first revolvers S&W produced, starting in 1857. From the bottom up, the three Tip Ups are a Model Number One, a Model Number One and a Half, and a Model Number Two. The Model Number One was a seven shot revolver, that fired what we would call today the 22 Short cartridge. This particular one is the oldest revolver in my collection, a No. One Tip Up 1st Issue, 5th Type. it shipped in 1859. We will jump up to the biggest one for a moment. This is a Model Number 2 Old Model, also known as the No. 2 Old Army. This was the biggest of the Tip Ups. Manufactured from 1861 until 1864 these were a five shot 32 Rimfire revolver. This one shipped in 1862. The reason I jumped from the No. 1 to the No. 2 is the No. 1 1/2 came after both of them. Ordinarily one would think that the progression would go 1, 1 1/2, 2. But what happened was after the Civil War a great many towns and cities started passing legislation against open carry. The No. 2 was not a particularly large revolver, you can see how it compared to the others in this photo, but something a little bit smaller was desired. So the numbers 1 and 2 already having been taken, S&W did the next logical thing and called this 'mid-sized' revolver the No. 1 1/2. The 1 1/2 was also chambered for a 32 Rimfire cartridge, but because the frame and cylinder were a little bit smaller, it was a five shot revolver, instead of a six shooter like the Model 2. Incidentally, the Tip Ups were made by S&W under license from Rollin White and his patent for revolvers with cylinders bored through to accept cartridges. This patent was in effect until 1869, and was the reason all the other revolver companies in the US were still supplying Cap & Ball revolvers to the Army during the Civil War. S&W had an exclusive arrangement with White and the patent was fiercely guarded against patent infringements. The 32 Rimfire No. 2 was not as powerful as the big 44 Cap & Ball revolvers being manufactured by Colt and Remington, but it was the most powerful cartridge revolver on the market at the time. Many Union officers bought Model 2s with their own funds. S&W experimented with a 44 caliber Tip Up, but the design was not strong enough for a cartridge that large.
OK, now let's talk about Top Breaks. Al the other revolvers in this photo are Top Breaks. So named because to empty them and reload, they broke at the top, and the barrel rotated down. A much more sophisticated design than the Tip Ups, they featured automatic ejection of spent brass when the barrel was rotated down. As an aside, S&W was hard at work on a new design because they thought all the other revolver manufacturers would jump onto the cartridge revolver bandwagon when the White patent expired. As it turned out, S&W was ahead of the game, they had their big 44 caliber American Model in production when the patent expired, Colt did not introduce the Single Action Army until 1873, and it was not as sophisticated a design as the S&W design. You had to manually eject spent brass from the Colt one chamber at a time, and you had to reload one chamber at a time too.
Except for the large Number Three revolvers, collectors seldom classify the smaller sizes by frame number or size, because there was a huge variety of them. The smaller revolvers pictured are just a smattering of the immense variations in what might be called the Number 1 1/2 and Number 2 sizes. Notice I have lined up the smaller revolvers with the Tip Ups of the same general frame sizes. There were no #1 sized Top Breaks made. At the top center of the photo is a Schofield, chambered for the 45 Schofield cartridge. One of five different variations on the Number 3 size. Directly below the Schofield is a 38 Single Action, also known as the Baby Russian, a five shooter chambered for the 38 S&W cartridge (not 38 Special that would not show up until 1899). Below the Baby Russian is a 32 Single Action, chambered for the 32 S&W cartridge. (Not 32 S&W Long, that would not show up until 1896) Notice these two revolvers are single action, and they have spur triggers, no trigger guard.
Moving to the right is a 44 Double Action. The only large frame double action Top Break revolver that S&W made. This one is chambered for the 44 Russian cartridge, and it is a six shooter. Notice the similarity in over all shape of the two smaller revolvers to the 44 Double Action. These often get mistaken for the 44 Double Action if no comparison of size is available. Directly below the 44 DA is a 38 Double Action, chambered for the 38 S&W cartridge. It is a five shooter. And below that is a 32 Double Action, chambered for the 32 S&W cartridge.
I want to emphasize again that there were myriad variations on the #2 and #1 1/2 sized Top Breaks, single action, double action, spur triggers, full trigger guards, hammerless with grip safties, and the Perfected Models to name what come readily to mind.
Just for giggles, here are the five separate models built on the #3 sized frame. All are built on the #3 sized frame, but all are different in shape, notice the differences. Starting at the upper left is the American Model (actually this is a Russian 1st Model, but it is identical in appearance to the American Model). Upper right is a 2nd Model Russian with its characteristic spur on the trigger guard and the big point hump at the rear of the grip. In the center is the 44 DA. Lower left is a Schofield, and lower right is a New Model Number Three, the best design of them all.
OK, let's move into the modern era. These are five of the sevan standard frame sizes of the modern, Hand Ejector era. Working down from the upper right, an N frame 44 Hand Ejector 1st Model also known as the Triple Lock, chambered for 44 Special. This large frame was typically chambered in 44 and 45 calibers, and when the 357 Magnum came along in 1935 this was the size of the first revolvers chambered for it. Next down is a typical K frame. This one happens to be a 32-20 Hand Ejector, but this is the size frame that was originally developed n 1899 for the 38 Special cartridge. The perfect size for a 38 Special six shooter. A little bit out of sequence below the K frame is a typical J frame, this one happens to be a Model 36 (Chiefs Special) 38 Special five shooter. The cylinder is not large enough for six 38 caliber cartridges. Jumping up to the upper left is a typical I frame, the predecessor of the J frame. This one is a six shot 38 Regulation Police, chambered for the 38 S&W cartridge. Like the J frame, the cylinder is not large enough in diameter for six 38 caliber cartridges, and it is not long enough for a 38 Special. I frames first appeared in 1896 along with the brand new 32 S&W Long cartridge. Various I frames were chambered for 22LR, 32 S&W Long, and 38 S&W cartridges. Finally at the lower right is a tiny M frame Ladysmith. Unlike the other revolvers recently made bearing the Lady Smith name, the real Ladysmith was a seven shot revolver chambered for the 22 Long cartridge. Not 22 LR.
Not pictured: a gigantic X frame revolver. Simply because I have no interest in owning one. Developed for cartridges such as the 500 S&W Magnum around 2003 and the absolutely ridiculous Z frame Governor series. This is my post and I am making a little bit of editorial comment.
Hope this clears up some questions about the various frame sizes S&W has manufactured over the last 163 years, and I hope the photos showing the comparison of sizes is helpful.
