S&W I Frames, worth considering?

[T-Unit]

I've always been a fan of small double action revolvers because unlike autos they retain their reliability as the size decreases. I've long considered .32 in a small frame snub a perfect pairing, even when the .38 was available. For top breaks like the H&R or Iver Johnson, I prefer the .32 for its reduced recoil and wear on these old relics, even if .38 S&W had a little more power, not worth the extra wear on an old gun. I figured the .38 is best in a solid frame, but most of those are all in medium frames or are the right size, but were poor designs from H&R and Iver Johnson.

At least, that's what I thought until recently I found out that the S&W I frame wasn't just made in .22 and .32, the model 32 AKA the "Terrier", was in .38 S&W and the pre-61 models were built on the I frame.

For the first time in my life I'm interested in owning a .38 S&W chambered revolver. This is all dependent tho because the appeal is the I frame being smaller than a J frame, but by how much? If it's not smaller by that much, then it's not all that interesting to me.

So, is the difference significant between the I and J frames? Anyone ever own or shot an I frame before? Good experience worth chasing or were you left unimpressed?

 

[RKG]

I, too, am a fan of small frame S&W DA revolvers. But I’d probably not go to a great effort to find an I-Frame in .38 S&W.

The I-Frame was the first of the solid frame DA revolvers introduced by S&W in the 1890s. The first two were the “.32 Hand Ejector” (later Model 30) and the “.32 Regulation Police” (later Model 31), in the era before S&Ws had model numbers. As far as I can tell, the only difference between the two was that the Hand Ejector had a round butt and the Regulation Police had a square butt. Both were issued in a cartridge now know as .32 S&W Long. Such revolvers, in that cartridge, were dominant in police uniformed use in the early part of the 20th century.

In 1950-something, Smith & Wesson announced the “Chief’s Special” revolver (later Model 36), a small-frame revolver chambered for the .38 Special cartridge. However, the .38 Special round was too long to fit in an I-Frame cylinder, so S&W came out with the J-Frame. Essentially the only difference between I-Frames and J-Frames is that the cylinder window is about 3/16” longer. At some point, S&W switched from I-Frames to J-Frames for such models as the 30 and 31, as there was no need for having two different frame sizes. I believe (but don’t quote me on this and I’m not at home to look it up), that Models 30 and 31 switched from I-Frames to J-Frames about the same time that model numbers began to be used, about 1957-1959.

I also own a S&W Model 32 (a/k/a “Terrier”) in .38 S&W, as well as an ancient box of factory .38 S&W ammunition. Dimensionally, the .38 S&W round is not the same as a short version of .38 Special, and the .38 S&W rounds will not fit into a Model 36 or Model 60 revolver. And I have not fired any of the old ammo in the Model 32, as I cannot be certain that the ammo is not corrosive. At one time I spent some time trying to find either modern .38 S&W ammo or some modern brass that I might reload, neither of which I could find and the search for which I pretty much abandoned.

I do regularly shoot my .32 S&W Long I-Frames, using a fairly light reload.

So this may not be what you want to hear, but such is my experience.

 

[T-Unit]

@RKG thanks for your input. I guess I would really have to compare a J and an I frame side by side in person before I could say the I is significantly smaller enough to make it worth buying.

Now I just have to find a shop that has an I frame on the shelves.

 

[RKG]

If you are a S&W collector, you should own at least one I-Frame. Or better yet, one I-Frame Regulation Police and one later J-Frame Model 31.

My only rain on your parade was the .38 S&W cartridge. And if reloading for that were less of a pain, I'd even considered hunting for a .38 S&W I-Frame. So keep up your enthusiasm and don't let me dissuade you.

Oh, and I should add: if you're thinking about a carry gun versus a collectible, I have both 36s and 60s and sometimes carry one for the hell of it. Using a pretty light Bullseye load pushing a 148-grain wadcutter, I think the 36/60 makes a fine self-defense weapon. It does take a bit of drilling to become skilled with the small revolver, but acquiring the skill is fun in the process.