Smith & Wesson 1857 -1945, by Neal and Jinks (1966)

This is a seldom seen hard cover book that details the development of one of the premier industrial corporations of the USA, Smith & Wesson of Springfield Massachusetts. After being out of print for many years it is now available again. I bought my copy from Amazon.com.

As a dedicated shooter, hunter, and collector I have often used Smith & Wesson revolvers in my sports so I was completely interested in reading the history of the company by Smith & Wesson historian Roy G Jinks with Robert J Neal.

Smith & Wesson made their initial inroads into the realm of firearms manufacture with work on the lever action pistol known as the Volcanic that formed the foundation of the Winchester Repeating Arms Co and another famous brand that sprang from those roots.  Horace Smith and Daniel B Wesson continued their partnership with a new gun, a revolver chambered for the 22 short cartridge based on the Rollin White patent of 1855.  The Smith & Wesson Model 1 was very successful and served many officers in the US Civil War. The Model 1 also was the first revolver chambered for fixed ammunition keeping Colt from using the technology until 1873, giving S&W a good head start on developing the technology from whence they have never really given up the advantage.

The Model 1 gave way to larger revolvers, and led to break top revolvers with simultaneous ejection chambered in 32 and 38 cartridges that bore S&W's own designations. In 1899 S&W introduced one of their most popular models, the swing out cylinder 38 Hand Ejector model that chambered the 38 S&W Special cartridge. The revolver would also chamber and fire the 38 Long Colt which was the same diameter only shorter in length. More than 2 million of the 38 Military & Police (as it was named) revolvers have been sold to date as they are made to this day with similar outside appearance but many internal improvements.

The book covers all the swing out cylinder hand ejector models including the K-22, K-32, and K-38 which have been the basis for some of the finest target shooting since they have been available early in the 20th century.  S&W also developed the 44 S&W Special cartridge in the 44 Hand Ejector model which led to the illustrious 44 Magnum in 1956, but that is outside the range of this volume. 

The most famous development of all is the 357 S&W Magnum, the first Magnum revolver cartridge, introduced in 1935, designed for penetration of auto bodies and bullet proof vests which were in vogue during the Great Depression with the attendant bank robbers like John Dillinger, Pretty Boy Floyd, and Baby Face Nelson.

The book has many pages of description of the many variations of each model making it a vital reference for collectors.  Clear black and white photographs illustrate the models and special features described in the text.

Smith & Wesson 1857 -1945 is a hardbound book with 434 pages available now.  I bought my copy at Amazon.

Recommended: Yes