Muppetdaze
Member
I see various revolvers and holsters for 'K' frames, small large N etc , What do these Letters actually mean? is it just size?
Revolver shape?Names J N K etc How? Size?
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Frame sizes. I&J = small, like a model 60. K=medium, like the 66. L medium-large, was introduced for the 58x and 68x. N is large like the 25,29, 625, 627,etc X is for the real biggies, 460 & 500.
Interestingly, J, K, L and N were originally for blue frames and the stainless steel had their own designations of E, F, G, H & X for stainless. The factory may use E-H but most everyone just uses J-N whether they talking about a blue or stainless steel frame.
And yes there was an M at one time.
Interestingly, J, K, L and N were originally for blue frames and the stainless steel had their own designations of E, F, G, H & X for stainless. The factory may use E-H but most everyone just uses J-N whether they talking about a blue or stainless steel frame.
And yes there was an M at one time.
edwardware
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They aren't merely scaled up or down, but in modern Smith-world, J, K, L, N, X are small to large. If you add butt shape (square vs round) you'll have enough info to know which grips fit.
In each case, grip size/shape, frame window size, barrel/cylinder offset*, and frame thickness is consistent. It's like saying you did "an LS swap" in your $&@#box Mustang. . . gearheads immediately understand many of the unspoken details.
* Caution here: I think Smith's modern M19 cheats barrel/cylinder offset to fix the barrel tenon/gas ring interference and consequent (rare but real) barrel splitting.
chicharrones
needs more ammo
Riomouse911
Member
Read the first link that Chicharrones posted, it covers a LOT of S&W revolver info. 
Stay safe.
Stay safe.
Monac
Member
When we talk about the frame of a revolver, we mean the part that goes around the cylinder. It contains the cylinder and the trigger mechanism. The grip frame is generally a part of it too. The barrel attaches to it. It is the heart of the gun, and defines its size. Generally speaking, there are three main frame sizes: small, medium, and large.
The Smith and Wesson factory refers to the frames it makes by letters: Their small frame is called the J frame. They have two slightly different medium frames, the K, which is the smaller of the two, and the L, which is a bit larger. And finally, the large frame is the N frame.
S&W also has a super large frame that I believe is called the X frame. It is made in much smaller numbers than the others because it is made for very powerful cartridges that few people use. Those people are willing to pay a high price for these guns, though.
It used to be common to call these small, medium and large frames the 32 frame, the 38 frame, and the 44 frame, because they were all introduced as 6 shot guns in those calibers. But they have all been made in a vast array of different calibers over the years. Now it is more common to think of the small frames as 5-shot 38 Special or 357 Magnum guns, the mediums as 6-shot 38 Special or 357 Magnums, and the large frames as 6-shot 44 Magnums. However, they are all available in other many calibers, which sometimes means they hold a different number of shots. The super large frames are for cartridges like 480 Ruger or 500 S&W.
Furthermore, all these different frames can all have different lengths and thickness of barrels, and different sights, and different grip frames with different types of grip plates. The small ones can have hammers concealed within a hump on the frame, as well as the normal exposed style. They can be made out of ordinary steel, or stainless steel, and given a wide array of finishes. All this means that two revolvers with the same frame can look VERY different from one another.
BTW, the reason S&W has two different medium frames is that the older one, the K frame, dates back before the 1930's, which is when the 357 Magnum cartridge was developed. For decades, you could only get 357 Magnums from S&W in the large N-frame size, But demand grew for medium sized 357 Magnum revolvers. This was orignally filled by Colt, whose medium frame revolver was a bit larger than S&W's K frame. S&W started making 357 Magnums on the K frame to compete (they still do), but eventually they decided the K frame was not entirely adequate for that ammunition, so they introduced the L frame to handle it in the 1980's. The L frame is pretty much the same size Colt's medium frame was. Somewhat surprisingly, S&W has continued to make both sizes ever since.
Nowadays, even small frame revolvers the the S&W J and the Ruger SP-101 can handle 357 Magnum, so things have really changed.
I hope this helps. Describing the Ruger frame series, the older and newer Colt and S&W frames (for example the S&W J frame replaced the old "I" frame) and how single action revolvers (think cowboys) fit into this would make this post very long and tedious.
Also, it is late, and I may have already made a hash of this. Corrections would be very welcome.
The Smith and Wesson factory refers to the frames it makes by letters: Their small frame is called the J frame. They have two slightly different medium frames, the K, which is the smaller of the two, and the L, which is a bit larger. And finally, the large frame is the N frame.
S&W also has a super large frame that I believe is called the X frame. It is made in much smaller numbers than the others because it is made for very powerful cartridges that few people use. Those people are willing to pay a high price for these guns, though.
It used to be common to call these small, medium and large frames the 32 frame, the 38 frame, and the 44 frame, because they were all introduced as 6 shot guns in those calibers. But they have all been made in a vast array of different calibers over the years. Now it is more common to think of the small frames as 5-shot 38 Special or 357 Magnum guns, the mediums as 6-shot 38 Special or 357 Magnums, and the large frames as 6-shot 44 Magnums. However, they are all available in other many calibers, which sometimes means they hold a different number of shots. The super large frames are for cartridges like 480 Ruger or 500 S&W.
Furthermore, all these different frames can all have different lengths and thickness of barrels, and different sights, and different grip frames with different types of grip plates. The small ones can have hammers concealed within a hump on the frame, as well as the normal exposed style. They can be made out of ordinary steel, or stainless steel, and given a wide array of finishes. All this means that two revolvers with the same frame can look VERY different from one another.
BTW, the reason S&W has two different medium frames is that the older one, the K frame, dates back before the 1930's, which is when the 357 Magnum cartridge was developed. For decades, you could only get 357 Magnums from S&W in the large N-frame size, But demand grew for medium sized 357 Magnum revolvers. This was orignally filled by Colt, whose medium frame revolver was a bit larger than S&W's K frame. S&W started making 357 Magnums on the K frame to compete (they still do), but eventually they decided the K frame was not entirely adequate for that ammunition, so they introduced the L frame to handle it in the 1980's. The L frame is pretty much the same size Colt's medium frame was. Somewhat surprisingly, S&W has continued to make both sizes ever since.
Nowadays, even small frame revolvers the the S&W J and the Ruger SP-101 can handle 357 Magnum, so things have really changed.
I hope this helps. Describing the Ruger frame series, the older and newer Colt and S&W frames (for example the S&W J frame replaced the old "I" frame) and how single action revolvers (think cowboys) fit into this would make this post very long and tedious.
Also, it is late, and I may have already made a hash of this. Corrections would be very welcome.
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Rock185
Member
Here is a photo of of three S&W frame sizes. On right, top to bottom they are N, L, and K. The Colt 3 5 7 Model to the left is approximately the size of the L frame S&W.
OP
OP
Muppetdaze
Member
Perfect guys. Very much appreciated
Driftwood Johnson
Member
Howdy
Smith and Wesson frame sizes.
Bottom left, the teeny, tiny M frame Ladysmith. A tiny seven shot 22 rimfire revolver. Directly above it an I frame. I took this photo quite a while ago, but the I frame in this photo appears to be a 38 Regulation Police. A five shot 38 caliber revolver, chambered for the 38 S&W, not 38 Special, cartridge. Normally the I frame was a six shot 32 caliber revolver. Moving to the bottom right, a five shot 38 Special J frame Chiefs Special. Notice how much longer the cylinder is on the J frame than the I frame. A 38 Special would be too long for the I frame, but it fits into the longer cylinder of the J frame. Notice too the elongated trigger guard on the J frame, and easy way to identify one. Directly above that is a six shot K frame 38 MIlitary and Police. This frame was first developed in 1899, for the then brand new 38 Special cartridge. All the way at the top right, an N frame 44 Special Triple Lock. The first revolver built on the N frame in 1908. Sorry I do not have one of those silly oversized X frame revolvers for a size comparison, never will, and I did not yet own an L frame revolver when I took this photo. Must redo with an L frame.
Smith and Wesson frame sizes.
Bottom left, the teeny, tiny M frame Ladysmith. A tiny seven shot 22 rimfire revolver. Directly above it an I frame. I took this photo quite a while ago, but the I frame in this photo appears to be a 38 Regulation Police. A five shot 38 caliber revolver, chambered for the 38 S&W, not 38 Special, cartridge. Normally the I frame was a six shot 32 caliber revolver. Moving to the bottom right, a five shot 38 Special J frame Chiefs Special. Notice how much longer the cylinder is on the J frame than the I frame. A 38 Special would be too long for the I frame, but it fits into the longer cylinder of the J frame. Notice too the elongated trigger guard on the J frame, and easy way to identify one. Directly above that is a six shot K frame 38 MIlitary and Police. This frame was first developed in 1899, for the then brand new 38 Special cartridge. All the way at the top right, an N frame 44 Special Triple Lock. The first revolver built on the N frame in 1908. Sorry I do not have one of those silly oversized X frame revolvers for a size comparison, never will, and I did not yet own an L frame revolver when I took this photo. Must redo with an L frame.
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