Wheelgun Wednesday: The Legendary Smith & Wesson N-Frame
Welcome back to another edition of Wheelgun Wednesday. A few weeks ago we took a look at some of the differences between K and L-frame revolvers from Smith & Wesson. If you happened to miss that article, be sure to click the link here to check it out. This week, I wanted to continue the coverage of various frame sizes with the N-frame revolvers that are quite possibly the most well-known revolver culturally out of all models but what makes it special compared to the other models? Let’s take a closer look at the legendary Smith & Wesson N-frame revolver.
Where It Began
When it comes to the N-frame revolver, we first have to take a look at where the story starts. Most people agree it started in the early 1900s with the New Century line of revolvers sometimes called the Triple Lock. This new style of revolver was vastly different from previous models with a cylinder that swung out rather than the top break models that most were familiar with at the time. Smith & Wesson created the N-frame as a heavy-duty revolver to accommodate the larger calibers of the era like .44 and .45. These early N-frames were fighting pistols and with the extra material on the frame, they were widely known to be long-term use revolvers that someone could depend on.
Later on in the 1930s, the more powerful magnums started to hit the scene with the first magnum chambered hitting the marketing in 357 Magnum which became widely known as the Registered Magnum. Later on in the Mid 1950s Elmer Keith went on to develop the 44 Magnum after successfully creating the 357 Magnum in the 1930s. In reality, Elmer Keith truly does deserve his own weekly shout-out, but the N-frame revolver is legendary mostly because of Elmer Keith developing the magnum cartridges throughout the 20th century.
Pop Culture Kicks In
With the 44 Magnum variants hitting the market in the 1950s and the 41 Magnum coming out in the 1960s, these were really the years that the large-frame magnum double action revolver thrived. In 1971 Clint Eastwood made the N-frame’s popularity skyrocket with the classic movie Dirty Harry saying the 44 Magnum is “the most powerful handgun in the world and could blow your head clean off.” This made the Model 29 and N-frame revolvers a hot ticket item where people would go out and buy any variant they could find. The true Dirty Harry Model 29 is a blued six-and-a-half-inch model, but even the eight and three-eighths versions were popular in the 1970s and 80s.
One of the common jokes was finding one of these 44 Magnums for sale with a box of ammo for sale but only two rounds missing from the box. These were not handguns for the faint of heart and even though a ton of people bought these handguns during the Dirty Harry years, not many actually shot a ton of rounds through them. As the years went on, the N-frame revolver was used still as a heavy-duty use for the 357 Magnum offering 8 shots, as well as being chambered in 9mm and 10mm.
The N-Frame Today
Even to this day, the N-frame is still being released as new models from Smith & Wesson. Smith recently released the Model 629 Mountain Gun which is a classic yet modern take on the 44 Magnum. These models are full stainless steel construction, as well as a tapered lightweight barrel profile to keep the overall weight lighter than a bull barrel construction. This new model is a fantastic example of an all-American handgun that I would argue would sit right next to the 1911 or classic pistols of that era. The large-frame revolver has been used for over 100 years now and new variants are still being released with upgraded materials and modern machining.
Smith & Wesson makes several variants of their N-frame revolvers in the classic model line with both 44 Magnum and 41 Magnum models available as modern throwbacks to the classic revolvers that were made from the 1950s to 1980s. I think it’s a fantastic line to keep alive for Smith & Wesson because it’s such a classic part of American gun culture. You aren’t a true gun guy until you have at least one big-bore revolver you can take to the range and shoot.
Overall Thoughts
When it comes to a classic American revolver, there are a few options like the Colt Python, but nothing comes close to classic American firearms quite like the N-frame series of revolvers from Smith and Wesson. With the help of Elmer Keith and pop culture, it has turned into a mainstream item not only in the shooting community but also in mainstream culture. I absolutely love my example and if you haven’t gotten your hands on one, I highly suggest trying to find one, they certainly don’t disappoint.
Let me know your experiences and thoughts on the N-frame in the comments below. If you have questions about N-frames or firearms in general, feel free to shoot me a message on Instagram @fridgeoperator. Stay safe out there and we will see you next week for another edition of Wheelgun Wednesday.
