Free Republic Gun Club - Tues. - In praise of the N Frame

Jack Black ^ | Tuesday, May 24, 2005 | Jack Black

[Pistolshot]

A HUGE thanks to Jack Black for recommending his article for the FRGC thread today.

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[Pistolshot]

[Pistolshot]

Here's one of my favorite N-Frames.

S&W 625 .45 ACP 3-inch with Nite-Sites.

I have owned all the Lew Horton special runs of 3-inch N-frames. The 44 and 41 Mag were brutal, to say the least, even with reduced loads. BUT, they were wonderful for field carry, portable, accurate, powerful, and a great conversation piece at the range.

[Yo-Yo]

What do you mean it's no longer the most powerful handgun in the world?

[SIDENET]

Is the Model 22, Model of 1917 an N-Frame?

[Joe Brower]

While I'm not the biggest revolver enthusiast, I do think it's scathingly brilliant of S&W to bring back a few of their older but still popular models, including the original Model 29 in 44 magnum.

For the FreeRepublic "banglist", please click HERE .

[umgud]

I prefer the X-Frame...............

[Shooter 2.5]

It's pretty but it's also ridiculous with the eight inch barrel. I would have liked to have gotten the six inch but after the "Dirty Harry" movie came out, you couldn't find them. The revolver was sent out to Michigan to get Magna-ported.

[Pistolshot]

Yes, the 22 is an N-frame.

The first N-frame was called 38/44 Outdoorsman. It was a 38 Special mated to the 44 Hand Ejector frame. Creating a large, heavy, wonderfully accurate 38 Special for heavier loads. The 357 Magnum was a pretty direct decendant for use in the heavy frame. These were the 'Registered' 357 Magnums.

Both are highly collectible. The N-frame has been used for calibers from 38 Spl to the 44 Mag.

[Pistolshot]

You do know the ‘44’ used in the movies was really a .41?

[Yo-Yo]

No, I did not. I always thought it was a Model 29 Combat Magnum. I am a wimp, therefore I own the Model 19 Combat Magnum with 4” bbl.

[Pistolshot]

I've shot a bunch of Magna-ported guns. It tames even the nastiest recoil.

When each new 'Dirty Harry' movie would come out I was guaranteed to be able to purchase a lot of 44 Mags for cheap.

All the ads ran the same: "S&W Model 29 44 Mag for sale. Shot 6 times. Box of ammo less 6 shells. $250 OBO."

[Pistolshot]

The 19 is the K-frame. It was designed as a target gun for the 22/32/38 calibers, BUT the big complaint about the heavier N-Frame was the weight, so S&W included the 357 Mag into the k-Frame.

It is a good/bad thing. The guns are lighter, recoil needs more management and the guns will shoot themselves loose after a steady diet of magnum loads, Hence, the L-Frame was born, just for the 357.

[Tijeras_Slim]

I beleve the Triplelock or .44 Hand Ejector 1st Model is the first N, coming out in 1907. It was supplanted by the Second Model which did not have the crane lock or shrouded ejector rod in 1915. The shrouded rod reappeared in 1926 with the 3rd Model (Wolf & Klar) .44.

The Outsdoorsman (1931) and Heavy Duty (1930) were the first .38 N frames.

[Pistolshot]

Thanks for the corrections. I don’t have my library here so I can get the ‘right’ information. Just going from memory, which I am losing rapidly. :)

[Tijeras_Slim]

I will admit I pulled the SCSW 3rd off the shelf. ;)

[mad_as_he$$]

lol. I have seen many guys trying to sell them at the range after one wheel full. I stick to 357 and 45.

[Yo-Yo]

and the guns will shoot themselves loose after a steady diet of magnum loads

Yup. Straight out of the box, the first batch of 158 grain SHP .357 through it managed to back out the ejector rod from the cylinder. After about the fourth speedloader, I couldn't open the cylinder anymore.

I mainly feed it a diet of semi-wadcutters, and load it with .38 +P for defense.

[Pistolshot]

At the shop we test fire every weapon that comes in for trade. I have shot 338's, 458's, 454 Casulls, among a hundred of other bigger heavier calibers.

The most brutal, and the one that 'hurts' EVERY time is the 4 inch 44-Mags. The others people in the shop tell me they can hear me scream in pain after each shot.

[P8riot]

Here's a sweet "little" N-Frame. My 1958 model 27 no dash 8-3/8 barrel, with original coke bottle grips.