Pistol frame size K L J etc.

[Stove Pipe]

Hello, I have been looking at wheel Pistols and in the discerption it says frame size k,L,j etc. Is one better than another.Is there a web site I can view and teach myself the different styles.Thank

 

[shooter521]

That letter coding is pretty much an S&W revolver thing. The farther down the alphabet, the larger the frame size. J is the smallest (5-shot .38/.357), then K (medium frame 6-shot .38/.357), L (medium frame 6/7/8-shot .357), N (large frame .44 mag) and finally X (extra-large frame .460 & .500S&W).

Category - Revolvers

 

[Joe Williams]

Hello, I have been looking at wheel Pistols and in the discerption it says frame size k,L,j etc. Is one better than another.Is there a web site I can view and teach myself the different styles.Thank

They are simply different sized Smith & Wesson frames.

J frame = small, five shot revolvers, usually with 2"-3" barrels, though you can get one with a 5" barrel. Usually very lightweight, meant for concealed carry.

K Frame = S&W's mid-sized frame. 6 shot revolvers, barrel lengths from 2"-6" long. For many, many years, S&W's Model 19, 15, 10, & 66, all K frames, were what sat in police officers holsters. This is a great size and weight gun to carry all day on a duty belt, while still being of a good size and weight to carry concealed, though with more effort than a J frame requires. Many of us consider these the perfect carry guns.

L Frame = a slightly larger and heavier version of the K frame. The K frame was (Smith quit making them ) a great size for carrying, but some of them could not withstand a full time diet of .357 Magnum ammo. The L frame is a heavier duty frame, and can withstand the full time diet of Magnums, but it's heavier and not as pleasant to carry, and not a gun I'd try to carry concealed.

N Frame = S&W large frame revolvers, like the Model 29. Big, heavy guns, not particularly suited to defensive carry because of their size and weight (though they can surely be used for this purpose), they are popular for hunting and other sports uses. There are some very lightweight 4" versions that make great packing guns, but I cannot imagine that letting a .44 Magnum loose from a 25 ounce gun would be fun!

X Frame = S&Ws cannon sized revolvers, like the .500 and .460 Magnum. These guns are useful for scaring people like me, who are too chicken to fire them!

 

[Meyertrees]

S&W is once again making the Model 58. This is the M&P version of the 41 magnum.
4inch heavier barrel and fixed sights. They are a compact, very powerful handgun.
This is on the N frame. Model 57 and 657 is the hunting version.

41 magnum is a very good round that never got much interest. It is almost as powerful as the 44 magnum but has a little less recoil. Both are excellent handguns.

 

[1 old 0311]

Think Papa Bear, MaMa Bear, Baby Bear.

 

[calcot7]

Is the S&W model 28 .357 mag an N or L frame? The 28 was around before I personally ever heard the letter "L" used as a frame designation. And it was applied to the model 586 in the early 80's I believe. So is the model 28 an "M" frame then? Also I have heard the term "D" frame Colt applied to their small snubbies. What other letters are used by Colt?

 

[Joe Williams]

Is the S&W model 28 .357 mag an N or L frame? The 28 was around before I personally ever heard the letter "L" used as a frame designation. And it was applied to the model 586 in the early 80's I believe. So is the model 28 an "M" frame then? Also I have heard the term "D" frame Colt applied to their small snubbies. What other letters are used by Colt?

It is an N frame gun. The first .357 Magnum police service guns were built on N frames. The K frame .357s came about because cops like Bill Jordan loved the .357 Magnum, but the N frame guns were beasts to cart around on your belt all day long. They talked S&W into chambering the M&P in .357, and thus was born the perfect gun

 

[WhitleyStu]

The model 28 "Highway Patrolman" was built on the N frame, which made it a rather large 357.

 

[calcot7]

Thanks for the info on the Smith's guys................but did you forget the Colt's. Not trying to be a smart "a" but since you know so much about S&W I figure you probably know as much about Colt.

 

[Bisley Man]

Colt double action revolvers had 3 frame sizes. D frame were the smaller 6 shot .32 or.38's. Detective Special, Police Positive, Diamondback. Next larger frame(Iforget it's designation) were the Trooper, Python(.357) and Official Police(.38). The largest were the New Service, in many calibers.

 

[steif]

colt frames

here is a not complete colt frame size list.... some of the pre war versions did not have a frame size letter, and there are many other colt pistols with letters as well, I think the SAA was a P frame, etc..

The D frame, Small frame:
The Police Positive Special
The Police Positive target models
Diamondback
Cobra
Agent
Viper
Detective Special.
after 1966 they shortened the gripframe on these.

The E & I frame, Medium frame:
The Army Special
Official Police
Officer's Model target models
The 357
Trooper
Python
first model Border Patrol
Marshal.

The J frame Medium Frame.
The Trooper Mark III
Lawman Mark III
Metropolitan Police Mark III
Officer's Model Match Mark III
Official Police Mark III
Second model Border Patrol

The V Medium frame:
The Trooper Mark V
Lawman Mark V.

The AA medium frame. The King Cobra

The New Service Large frame:
The New Service
The U.S. Model 1917
Shooting Master

The MM large frame. Colt Anaconda

But what is this doing in a thread about smith frame sizes...lol..
Interesting S+W had 3 frame sizes up till the L frame was introduced to do the same thing colt had all these (and others) to fill out their revolvers.

 

[cce1302]

It is an N frame gun. The first .357 Magnum police service guns were built on N frames. The K frame .357s came about because cops like Bill Jordan loved the .357 Magnum, but the N frame guns were beasts to cart around on your belt all day long. They talked S&W into chambering the M&P in .357, and thus was born the perfect gun

I happen to love the N-frame .357s. the 627-0 is hands down my favorite firearm. I like the 327 for carry though. Weighs very little, holds 8 rds of .357 mag, recoil doesn't kill you.

 

[AverageMidwest]

I happen to love the N-frame .357s. the 627-0 is hands down my favorite firearm. I like the 327 for carry though. Weighs very little, holds 8 rds of .357 mag, recoil doesn't kill you.

All correct for Smith & Wesson.....J frame is small frame, 2 and 3 inch barrel. L frame is 357/38 frame, N frame was S&W's heaviest frame for a long time. Now the heaviest is the X frame, which is for S&W 460 and 500 cartridges - lot of power if you want to carry a piece the size of a hockey stick. First N frame 357 was the Model 27, and the first one of those was presented to none other than J. Edgar Hoover...was the standard FBI weapon for a lot of years. Model 28 was service model of Model 27, same gun but without the deep blue finish. Model 28 is a great buy if you like 357s and can find one in good shape, Model 27s tend to be overpriced. Model 27/28 is a heavy piece and so S&W came up with the L frame Model 19, which didn't stand up well to a full time diet of full power 357 loads. So they went back to the drawing board and came up with the K frame, which is the Model 586/686 commonly available today - lighter than Model 27, a lot stronger than Model 19. Lots of police departments carried them over the years. 586 is blued, 686 is stainless. S&W is selling new Model 27s as part of their Classic series, meaning that they're nice guns but cost an arm and a leg.

 

[Joe Williams]

All correct for Smith & Wesson.....J frame is small frame, 2 and 3 inch barrel. L frame is 357/38 frame, N frame was S&W's heaviest frame for a long time. Now the heaviest is the X frame, which is for S&W 460 and 500 cartridges - lot of power if you want to carry a piece the size of a hockey stick. First N frame 357 was the Model 27, and the first one of those was presented to none other than J. Edgar Hoover...was the standard FBI weapon for a lot of years. Model 28 was service model of Model 27, same gun but without the deep blue finish. Model 28 is a great buy if you like 357s and can find one in good shape, Model 27s tend to be overpriced. Model 27/28 is a heavy piece and so S&W came up with the L frame Model 19, which didn't stand up well to a full time diet of full power 357 loads. So they went back to the drawing board and came up with the K frame, which is the Model 586/686 commonly available today - lighter than Model 27, a lot stronger than Model 19. Lots of police departments carried them over the years. 586 is blued, 686 is stainless. S&W is selling new Model 27s as part of their Classic series, meaning that they're nice guns but cost an arm and a leg.

Got your K frames and L frames backwards: The Model 10, 65, 19, 66 etc, are the mid-sized K frames, the 586, 686, 619, 620 are the larger sturdier L frames.

 

[jimbo-indy]

The Ruger GP-100 would be similar to the L frame Smith. The SP-101 would be similar to the J frame although I think the SP is just slightly larger. N frame Smiths would be about the same size as Ruger Redhawk/Super Redhawk. There, now you have S&W, Colt and Ruger frame sizes. What's next, a reprot on Ruger single action grip frame sizes and designations? There have been books written on that subject.

 

[Joe Williams]

The Ruger GP-100 would be similar to the L frame Smith. The SP-101 would be similar to the J frame although I think the SP is just slightly larger. N frame Smiths would be about the same size as Ruger Redhawk/Super Redhawk. There, now you have S&W, Colt and Ruger frame sizes. What's next, a reprot on Ruger single action grip frame sizes and designations? There have been books written on that subject.

And the Ruger Security Six/Service Six are similar to the K frame Smiths, though a little heavier built, and more rugged.

 

[AverageMidwest]

Got your K frames and L frames backwards: The Model 10, 65, 19, 66 etc, are the mid-sized K frames, the 586, 686, 619, 620 are the larger sturdier L frames.

D'oh (Homer Simpson moment)! You're right and thanks for the correction.

 

[cce1302]

There, now you have S&W, Colt and Ruger frame sizes. What's next, a reprot on Ruger single action grip frame sizes and designations? There have been books written on that subject.

That'd be great! I love talking about revolvers. Isn't that what we're all here for, to talk about guns?

 

[cce1302]

connection problems.

 

[steif]

ruger

well I'm not into rugers very much, just never have found many around here...
I did find a good article on ruger grip sizes a while back and bookmarked it if any came up here..lol..

Ruger SA Grip Frames - 1953 to Present

Turns out there are 14 different sizes of frames from 1953-now.
this is a great article by the way, lots of ruger single action info.