Revolver newbie questions

[Brick]

1. What do all the letter designations mean? like K frame, N frame, J frame, etc.

2. Why are the majority of revolvers I see are double-action?

3. What happened to modern single-actions? I don't care for the big bulge under the hammer in modern DA revolvers...

Of course, I'd have to buy this single-action in .45 Colt...for history reasons...

 

[mete]

S&W letters their frames according to size; J small, K medium,L large N extra large, and the new 500 [don't know the designation] super sized. Double action is just a technilogical improvement which was introduced about 150 years ago.Some people like the old days , flint lock etc.

 

[seeker_two]

.500 S&W is on the X-Frame.

S&W also used to make an I-Frame (extra small) for it's .32 & .38S&W pocket guns, but it hasn't been in production in nearly 100 years.


If you're interested in modern single-actions, check out the new offering from Ruger. The three-screw-sized SA's are back...

 

[First Person Shooter]

2. Why are the majority of revolvers I see are double-action?

3. What happened to modern single-actions? I don't care for the big bulge under the hammer in modern DA revolvers...

2. Because a double action doesn't take 2 minutes to reload through a loading gate. You just swing open the cylinder and dump all off the cartridges out and put in new ones

3. Ruger, Berretta, Navy arms,Uberti, and more companies than I can think of right now make them still. Ruger just came out with a Vaquero that looks EXACTLY like a SAA ( Single Action Army...the old peacemaker Colt)