Smith & Wesson Model 12

Smith & Wesson Model 12
1976 S&W model 12-2
Type	Revolver
Place of origin	United States
Production history
Manufacturer	Smith & Wesson
Produced	1953–1986
Specifications
Mass	17 oz (482 grams) 2 inch (50.8 mm) barrel and 19 oz (539 grams) 4 inch (101.6 mm) barrel
Cartridge	.38 Special
Action	Double-action
Feed system	6 round cylinder

The Smith & Wesson (S&W) Model 12 is a .38 Special revolver on Smith & Wesson's medium-sized K-frame. It is an aluminium alloy-frame version of the Model 10 (also known as the M&P). It was made from 1953 to 1986 in both two-inch (50.8 mm), 17 ounces (482g) and four-inch (101.6 mm), 19 ounces (539g) configurations. Early models used an aluminum cylinder as well as frame.

In 1953, the United States Air Force (USAF) ordered a variant of the S&W Military & Police Airweight with a two-inch barrel and aluminum cylinder to be issued to US Air Force flight crew members, called the Revolver, Lightweight, Caliber .38 Special, M13.^[1][2] Some 40,000 Smith & Wesson M13 revolvers were produced.^[2] After persistent reports on cylinder and frame failure with the M13 and its counterpart, the Colt Aircrewman, the Air Force attempted to remedy the issue by issuing a dedicated low-pressure .38 cartridge for the weapons—the Caliber .38, Ball, M41 round.^[3] However, after continued negative reports, Air Force officials decided that the revolvers were not suitable for issue, and the model was withdrawn from service, all but a few examples being crushed or destroyed.^[2]

A civilian model of the M13 was released in 1953, called the Military & Police Airweight. This designation was changed in 1957 to the Model 12 Airweight.^[1] The Military & Police Airweight initially used both an aluminum cylinder and frame, and weighed only 14.5 ounces.^[1] The aluminum cylinder proved insufficiently strong to withstand continued firing with standard .38 Special cartridges, and in 1954, S&W changed over all new production Airweight revolver cylinders to steel, increasing the weight to 18 ounces.^[1]

The Model 12 variants—12-1, 12-2, and 12-3—used a narrower hammer^[4] and had an aluminum grip frame that was 0.08-inch (2.0 mm) narrower than the standard steel K-frame.^[1] The final version, the Model 12-4, used the standard frame dimension^[5] of the other K-frames. It also featured a rounded butt.

• Pre-Model 12: predates model number markings. It has an alloy cylinder and will be a five-screw design with four sideplate screws and a screw in front of the trigger guard.
• Model 12 (1957):
  • -1 (1962): Change extractor rod to LH thread, eliminate screw in front of trigger guard
  • -2 (1962): Front sight changed from ⁠1/10⁠″ to ⁠1/8⁠″
  • -3 (1977): Gas ring on yoke to cylinder
  • -4 (1984): Change frame thickness to the same as all K-frames^{[citation needed]}