S&W Autoloaders: When?

[Nightcrawler]

When did S&W start making centerfire autoloaders? What was the first pistol they made, and how did they evolve? What are the various "generations" you always hear about? When did they go from single stack to double stack magazines?

 

[Jim Watson]

1913

The rest of the answers pretty well fills a book.

 

[BluesBear]

Crawler, I am shocked that a Smith & Wesson aficionado such as yourself doesn't own The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, second edition.

It will tell you anything you need to know about every S&W.

Now that the price has dropped yoou really should be getting on. It will be especially good reading on your new adventure.


In order to partially answer your questions the first S&W auto was their Model of 1913 in .35 S&W Auto caliber. The grip safety was located on the front of the grip.

Simpsons usualy has one or two for sale. The one shown in .35 is only $495.
The ones in .35 usually sell quite reasonably since there's no correct ammo for them. The ones in .32 acp usually bring double or more.
You could fire .32acp in a pinch but accuracy stinks. By the way Winchester actually loaded the first soft point ammo for an automatic in this caliber. (It didn't help sales.)


S&W introduced the Model 39 9mm in 1954 and the Model 52 .38 Special Target in 1961 and the Model 59 9mm in 1971.
Their first .22 was the Model 41 in 1957.