J,K,L,N frames:Why not S,M,L,XL?

[duckjihad]

How did S&W come to these terms for frame size, and why is there no M frame? Did they think people would think it meant medium? ANybody know?

 

[ColtMember]

The M-frames were the smallest hand ejectors ever made by S&W. These were seven-shot .22 Long revolvers made between 1902 and 1921.

According to the Standard Catalog by Supica and Nahas, there were a total of 26,152 manufactured.

 

[perpster]

Frame Size Naming Convention

J "Jeez, you had a GUN in his pocket?-size"

K "Killer-Kop size"

L "Loud Bang-size"

N "Nearly blow your head clean off-size"

 

[Standing Wolf]

Why not S,M,L,XL?

Way too orderly for an American firearms manufacturer!

 

[Croyance]

Both the K-frame and L-frame are clearly medium framed guns, though one is larger than the other. So calling one of them a large is wrong.
Also, both the K and N frames existed long before the L frame. Important because those would be medium and large frames (the J-frame was around before also). Then another medium frame was offered. This doesn't make the N-frame extra large, but it becomes small, medium, medium, large.

Plus, the X-Frame is clearly the extra-large frame.

 

[John C]

You're forgetting the I-frame, which preceded the J-frame. The J-frame was just a lengthened I-frame, to jump up from .38 S&W to .38 spl.

-John

 

[RON in PA]

If you go to the S&W web page or look at a catalog from the last few years you'll see that Smith now refers to the frame sizes as small, medium, large and X.

 

[Srigs]

J "Jeez, you had a GUN in his pocket?-size"

K "Killer-Kop size"

L "Loud Bang-size"

N "Nearly blow your head clean off-size"

You nearly made me spit my coffie this morning!

I like my K-frame "Combat Masterpiece".

 

[Crosshair]

OK, could someone post what rounds where chambered in what frames. I'm just sitting here with a dumb look on my face.

 

[perpster]

Scroll down a bit and you'll see frame letter and caliber listed.

http://www.handloads.com/misc/Smith.Model.Changes.asp