The Model 642 NO INTERNAL LOCK is our latest innovation of the historic Model 42 Centennial Airweight®
Didn’t notice that… the description has changedIt takes a big man to admit he's wrong but it takes a marketing guy to call it an "innovation".
That sku isn't new, but yeah, the blued-new-classics-without-eyesore are like a welcome back, we know "classic" and "ILS" was beyond dumb.It takes a big man to admit he's wrong but it takes a marketing guy to call it an "innovation".
On the 36 at least, the no lock is 10 dollars less than the lock version. At least you don't have to pay for the privilege of no unwanted thing.I wonder if they are going to lower their prices back to where they were before the spent the money to design in the locks?
Yeah, I don't think I've ever seen a Model 36 with a half-moon front sight and that strange hump between the frame and barrel. It looks to me as if they tried styling it after a pre-Model 10 Military & Police.I have looked through A LOT of Smith Mod 36 pictures and could not find one with the configuration of this "new" lockless version of the Mod 36.
I did find a picture that was similar, but it was of a Smith Mod 32. A .32 cal pistol.
I'll speculate it's about sales tipping points. S&W probably sells many more of the ILS equipped revolvers than without, despite the protestations of enthusiasts who post on gun boards. The gun-curious, new buyer probably likes the idea of locking the gun or at least being able to. At some point though they could have seen dropping sales, and the other brands don't have locks and compete directly with S&W who didn't have a no-lock offering in the external hammer lines. It's a good move to sell more revolvers, but I don't see them taking the ILS models out of the catalog.It would seem that all the internet muses who claimed S&W could not remove the lock because it would constitute removing a "safety" device and put the company in peril of lawsuits, misjudged their willingness to take that risk. Bob Scott, who introduced the lock, is now 78. He's still listed as the chairman. I wonder if his influence has waned or if he is only a titular chair at this point.
Orrr...a 3" 66!Now if the rest of the models will follow suit . I would be in for a 4” 66 and 617 and a 6.5” 29 .
I have a 3” SP-101 , but it would have been a 3” 66 if it weren’t for the lock . I wonder how much that lock cost them in sales ? Just me it has cost them 10 sales .Orrr...a 3" 66!![]()
I've been saying this for years.I'll speculate it's about sales tipping points. S&W probably sells many more of the ILS equipped revolvers than without, despite the protestations of enthusiasts who post on gun boards. The gun-curious, new buyer probably likes the idea of locking the gun or at least being able to. At some point though they could have seen dropping sales, and the other brands don't have locks and compete directly with S&W who didn't have a no-lock offering in the external hammer lines. It's a good move to sell more revolvers, but I don't see them taking the ILS models out of the catalog.
TerrierYeah, I don't think I've ever seen a Model 36 with a half-moon front sight and that strange hump between the frame and barrel. It looks to me as if they tried styling it after a pre-Model 10 Military & Police.