Combat Revolver ?

One with that name is the S&W Combat Masterpiece. Became known as the Model 15 when S&W started that naming convention in 1957.
Other than that, I don't what the actual definition would be per se, unless it was one used and issued during a war like the M&P during WWI or the Wembley during WWII. And many during the Civil War of course but I don't think those would be considered modern enough.

S&W or Colt Model 1917 fought WWI, so that would count I suppose.

S&W Model 10 Military & Police?

S&W Model 19 Combat Magnum?

The fact is though, that any revolver is a combat revolver if it could be used in combat.

rc

I believe it is a term taken from the Smith and Wesson .357 Combat Magnum revolver, which later became the Model 19. Maybe similar revolvers from other manufacturers were referenced as combat revolvers? Just a guess.

Here's my own definition (and I was issued a model 10 heavy barrel the last week of 1973.... I was allowed to purchase it the day I retired out in 1995)...

A combat revolver is one that's at least 38 caliber with at least a 4" barrel and absolutely no adjustible sights or any bells and whistles at all... I want a very basic sturdy revolver that can take every bad thing that can happen to a pistol being carried daily when you might have to bet your life on it....

All the manufacturer's designations were purely for marketing purposes in my opinion. If you have a choice always opt for the heaviest non-target barrel that the manufacturer offers for that model.

I'm only familiar with Smith & Wesson (for Ruger or Colt fans... you're on your own....) In blued steel it's a model 10 (the same weapon is also offered in 357mag - someone else will have to provide the model number). In stainless it's the model 64 (and I owned two of those at one time, a standard 4" and a 2" with round butt...).


Colt and Ruger made revolvers that fit the above description but I never owned one and can't name any particular model.

All of the above is just my personal opinion but imagine owning a fine revolver with an adjustible sight... that's been knocked out of alignment at some point... Just not something I'd want to bet my life on, period.

To some the word combat applies only to military combat, when in truth the term applies to any fight. Smith and Wesson used the name for what became known as the Combat Masterpiece to differentiate from the K-38 Masterpiece. The K-38 was its father if you will. Fashioned for the target range and bullseye competioin, it was so fine a revolver that it was made known to Smith that there would be a demand for such a revolver with characteristics that lent themselves to a fighting gun. Hence the Combat Masterpiece. If a cop gets into a gunfight he is in a form of combat and can be considered to be using a combat weapon.

Using combat as a modifier to imply military only application is something of a misnomer. Using tactical as a modifier in my mind means even less. It has come to common usage for a particular collection of features. I think in reality they have more marketing application than anything more substantive.

P.S. Combat Revolver= a revolver you can fight with.

In the military, the term "combat" is applied to some item intended for use in combat as opposed to something intended for use in garrison, like "combat" boots as opposed to shoes, or "combat" rations, as opposed to the mess hall chow. In the civilian world, a term to hype about anything from "combat" flashlights to "combat" jockstraps. Same as "tactical", another advertising hype term to sell junk to those who want to pretend to be a soldier or police officer.

Jim

rswartsell said:

To some the word combat applies only to military combat, when in truth the term applies to any fight. Smith and Wesson used the name for what became known as the Combat Masterpiece to differentiate from the K-38 Masterpiece. The K-38 was its father if you will. Fashioned for the target range and bullseye competioin, it was so fine a revolver that it was made known to Smith that there would be a demand for such a revolver with characteristics that lent themselves to a fighting gun. Hence the Combat Masterpiece. If a cop gets into a gunfight he is in a form of combat and can be considered to be using a combat weapon.

Using combat as a modifier to imply military only application is something of a misnomer. Using tactical as a modifier in my mind means even less. It has come to common usage for a particular collection of features. I think in reality they have more marketing application than anything more substantive.

P.S. Combat Revolver= a revolver you can fight with.

Click to expand...

Totally agree

Target models were intended for the range. Combat models were made for Military/Police use.

Model 19 was the Combat Magnum
Model 586/686 was the Distinguished Combat Magnum

How about a Cut Down S&W 1917?

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If I see the term in a gun article somewhere I usually assume the writer's using it to differentiate something he thinks of as a full-sized fighting revolver of ~4-5" barrel, probably with fixed sights and perhaps a utilitarian finish.

As opposed to a small concealed-carry snubby, a precision target-shooting revolver, or a large hunting wheelgun.

I'd say it would almost always be a .38 or .38/.357, but there was a day when the .45ACP moonclip guns were the epitome of a combat revolver.

I would have to agree that what describes a combat revolver would be fixed sight 4 inch in either 38 special or 357 magnum. When I think of a combat revolver I also think about a police service revolver. Examples that come to mine are the S&W model 10/64 in 38 special and the S&W model 13/65 in 357 magnum. In Ruger it would be the Police Service Six in either 38 special or 357 magnum. In Colt the Police Positive come to mind for me. All of these above examples represent a combat or service revolver.
Of course this is my opinion.
Howard

It's called a "Victory model or Victory Pistol" & there's several around for sale here and there. The real great looking ones are quite expensive too.

Not entirely sure where, or when the term "combat revolver" started. All I do know, per Smith & Wesson customer service, is that the 2 1/2" K frame round butt .357 Magnum revolver I have, is called a Combat model K. And through my research, here and there, the first thing that pops up, is normally a 2 1/2" Smith K frame, round butt, .357 Mag revolver.

I think another call to S&W is in my future Monday morning.

per Smith & Wesson customer service it is called a Combat model K.

Click to expand...

They would be wrong then.

If you have a .357, you have a .357 Combat Magnum. (Later called the Model 19)

If it were a .38 Spl, it would be a K-38 Combat Masterpiece. (Later called the Model 15)

The Combat name originated in 1949 when S&W introduced the K-38 Combat Masterpiece.

The name Combat Magnum originated in 1955 when at the urging of border patrolman Bill Jordan, they introduced the .357 Combat Magnum.

rc

Great Brittain used the 455 Webley break open revolvers in WWI. WWII they adopted the Browning Hi-Power but they also had the revolvers in the odd 38 S&W 200 gr. load

WWI - Both the Smith & Wesson and Colt New Service chambered in .45
ACP utilizing half moon clips - just over 150,000 produced.

General Mark Clark carried a 4" M1917 in WWII and the Korean War, Generals get their way.... eh?

Post WWII - S&W produced the 1950 Target as well as the 1950 "Army"
the latter having a 4" Bbl. & fixed sights, compared to the former's 6.5" Bbl. & adj. sights, target hmmer and target trigger.

S&W then built the 1955 Target which became the Model 25 in '57 with a
non tapered barrel.

Today, the Model 22 4" Bbl. fixed sights, and the Model 22 Model of 1917
with 5.5" Bbl and fixed sights are offered.

The S&W "Victory" model .38 Special was issued to USN pilots in WWII.
and of course the USAF used the S&W 38s for security duty at bases.

One could convert any adj. rear sight to the fixed rear like the one offered on the Nightguard series ( avail. at Cylinder & Slide. )

Hmm, guess the S&W Model 58 4" Bbl. fixed sights, seems like a
M&P on Steroids, only N frame I can think of with fixed rear sight.

R-

oh, 19th century


Colt 1860 Army .44 ball & cap

Colt Single Action Army
S&W Model 3 (?)
& the Russians bought 150K or so of the
Model 3 in .44 Russian

& the ineffectual 38 Long Colt.

R-

I would be very hesitant to allow S&W the sole privilege of defining what a combat revolver is. After all, they have a tendency to change what the definition is (fixed sights/adjustable sights, short barrel/long barrel). Also, many, many single action revolvers have been used very effectively in combat.

The definition of a combat revolver is simply Smith & Wesson model 686.

IMHO, a combat revolver would be one better suited to gunfighting. With little to no concessions made for concealment. That usually means a 4" barrel and at least a .38Spl chambering.

Same as "tactical", another advertising hype term to sell junk to those who want to pretend to be a soldier or police officer.

Click to expand...

Or to differentiate combat ready lights like those from Surefire from housewife-ready flashlights like those from Eveready. There IS a difference and we NEED a word to illustrate that difference. Has nothing to do with anybody pretending to be anything. Joe Schmoe who wakes up to a window being broken has just as much a need for a good tough, dependable flashlight as Sgt. Dildong responding to the call after the deed has been done.

Let's not get started on S&W Model nmbers, ugh.

ah, Model 15 Combat Masterpiece
MOdel 19 Combat Magnum

686 is DIstinguished COmbat Magnum

oh any ofthese with the adj. rear sight can becomme more
"Combat" ized ,-- first time I['ve used the word that way....

Cylinder and SLide Extreme Duty fixed rear sight fits the exisitng
notch the stock adj. rear sight is in.

http://www.cylinder-slide.com/index.php?app=ccp0&ns=catshow&ref=ExtremeDuty

the above C&S ED fixed rear is used by S&W on the Nightguard series.

R-

I carried this one for 13 years as duty sidearm. We were in some serious social squabbles and got home OK.

I reckon it qualifies as a combat revolver.



Military and Police .41 Magnum (model 58)

Iqgy - verra nice 58 always liked that Model
what grips are those?

used in the Russian Military since 1895 the Nagant

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagant_M1895

R-