Airweight Excellence - K Frame Model 12

[42Willys]

This is one of my favorite rotators, a S&W Model 12-2, round butt, 2 inch barrel. I added a BK grip adapter and carry this revolver frequently with Winchester Silvertip 110 grain .38s kindly provided by a forum member (that load is unobtainable after covid except on the secondary market). The holster is an ETW IWB rig that surprised me with its versatility. Slipping the holster at 3:30 is comfortable for all day carry and easy to conceal. I have a leather belt slide OWB holster that doesn't get any use because the ETW is so useful. I usually carry the HKS speedloader and Bianchi speedstrip in front trousers pocket or jacket pocket.

The trigger is a superb vintage K frame trigger. Loaded weight is 21.54 ounces. After long experience with an Airweight J Frame, I was surprised that stout loads were not that much easier to shoot in the Model 12 compared to the J frame, what with the Model 12's larger grip and additional weight. Norma 158 grain jacketed cartridges are no fun. PMC 130 grain jacketed cartridges are pleasant to shoot, and 125 grain lead reloads are fun as well. I will be working on a light 148 grain lead wadcutter practice load. Winchester Silvertips are accurate and have acceptable recoil impulse.

The aluminum frame is less to worry about rust wise, thankfully, but the blued barrel and cylinder are a concern long term. I don't think I've ever read a bad review of a Model 12, and I get why, it is a superb carry gun.

I would not give it to a novice to be their only handgun, mainly because factory wadcutters are now hard to find and expensive when available, and most novices are not going to go to lengths to find appropriate practice ammo they can afford to shoot and they actually want to shoot. They'll be lucky just to get .38 special instead of .380 acp. I'd steer a novice towards something else.

[Totem Polar]

The only gun that I truly, deeply regret letting go.

[42Willys]

I’ll try not to make that mistake!

[Moped]

T I was surprised that stout loads were not that much easier to shoot in the Model 12 compared to the J frame, what with the Model 12's larger grip and additional weight. Norma 158 grain jacketed cartridges are no fun. PMC 130 grain jacketed cartridges are pleasant to shoot, and 125 grain lead reloads are fun as well. I will be working on a light 148 grain lead wadcutter practice load. Winchester Silvertips are accurate and have acceptable recoil impulse.

So are you shooting +P loads through your Mdl 12? I'd read that was a big no no, with them.

[fatdog]

So are you shooting +P loads through your Mdl 12? I'd read that was a big no no, with them.

I do and have run +P in mine for 25+ years without incident. Any practice is standard pressure stuff with all my revolvers, but I own a half dozen M12's, all have seen at least a few hundred rounds of +P factory ammo, and none have cracked the frame at the forcing cone like the internet has declared will happen on the first cylinder. A guy over at S&W Wesson forum who goes by Osprey ran a 1000 round +P ammo test through one of his M12's and documented it as he went, with no damage.

I became convinced by my old gunsmith, who truly knew his revolver stuff, that most of the alloy frame cracking in the pre-scandium airweights happens because there was too much torque put on the barrel at the factory when it was installed instead of timing it by removing metal from the frame like you are supposed to, because S&W refused to do that part of the process on those alloy frames.

They just kept spinning it in upon installation until the sight trued up without regard to how much torque that took. The allow frames allowed that because it did not forcibly stop the turn as soon as the steel would have, requiring that hand trimming to keep turning it.

I believe if your M12 is going to crack the frame, it will do so at some point with or without the +P rounds, just by shooting it a lot if it was one with too much torque.

The pressure delta for the .38 special +P ammo loaded by the factory is just not that dramatically greater. It might stretch the frame of an older J frame airweight to the point the cylinder needs shimming but I have never heard of that phenomenon on a M12 which has a much thicker and wider top strap.

I lost a 042 and its successor the 442 (no dash) both to frame cracking at the forcing cone years ago, and neither of them had ever seen a single +P round.

[42Willys]

So are you shooting +P loads through your Mdl 12? I'd read that was a big no no, with them.

No these are standard pressure loads according to the factory packaging. Norma’s 158 grain FMJ load feels pretty stout in revolver under 30 ounces but doesn’t appear to be a +P load.

My reloads are all standard pressure so far as I can tell. I need to get a chrono….

[42Willys]

I do and have run +P in mine for 25+ years without incident. Any practice is standard pressure stuff with all my revolvers, but I own a half dozen M12's, all have seen at least a few hundred rounds of +P factory ammo, and none have cracked the frame at the forcing cone like the internet has declared will happen on the first cylinder. A guy over at S&W Wesson forum who goes by Osprey ran a 1000 round +P ammo test through one of his M12's and documented it as he went, with no damage.

I became convinced by my old gunsmith, who truly knew his revolver stuff, that most of the alloy frame cracking in the pre-scandium airweights happens because there was too much torque put on the barrel at the factory when it was installed instead of timing it by removing metal from the frame like you are supposed to, because S&W refused to do that part of the process on those alloy frames.

They just kept spinning it in upon installation until the sight trued up without regard to how much torque that took. The allow frames allowed that because it did not forcibly stop the turn as soon as the steel would have, requiring that hand trimming to keep turning it.

I believe if your M12 is going to crack the frame, it will do so at some point with or without the +P rounds, just by shooting it a lot if it was one with too much torque.

The pressure delta for the .38 special +P ammo loaded by the factory is just not that dramatically greater. It might stretch the frame of an older J frame airweight to the point the cylinder needs shimming but I have never heard of that phenomenon on a M12 which has a much thicker and wider top strap.

I lost a 042 and its successor the 442 (no dash) both to frame cracking at the forcing cone years ago, and neither of them had ever seen a single +P round.

That’s some great data. Thank you.

[fatdog]

Test that "Osprey" on the S&W forum conducted on the M12 and +P ammo, 1K rounds

[Bruce Cartwright]

42Willys:

That is a very nice revolver and a great post. If the recoil is bothersome, you may want to look for an old set of Pachmayr Compact Presentation stocks that cover the back strap of the frame. Pachmayr made a bunch of those type stocks for S&W round butt K frame revolvers, and they can be found on Ebay etc. They may even be in production, but I am not sure. The Pachmayrs that cover the back strap give a great grip and tend to soften recoil to some extent. Whenever I want to shoot heavy loads in revolvers, I usually use a set of Pachmayr stocks that cover the back strap to help dampen recoil a bit. Since you are carrying your Model 12 in a belt holster the small increase in size shouldn't be a problem in terms of concealment.

Smith and Wesson should consider remaking the Model 12 that is +P rated with a 2 or 3 inch barrel length option (and no internal lock). I have asked S&W to do that, as has Wayne Dobbs. I think they would sell well.

Thanks for a great post.

Bruce

[42Willys]

42Willys:

That is a very nice revolver and a great post. If the recoil is bothersome, you may want to look for an old set of Pachmayr Compact Presentation stocks that cover the back strap of the frame. Pachmayr made a bunch of those type stocks for S&W round butt K frame revolvers, and they can be found on Ebay etc. They may even be in production, but I am not sure. The Pachmayrs that cover the back strap give a great grip and tend to soften recoil to some extent. Whenever I want to shoot heavy loads in revolvers, I usually use a set of Pachmayr stocks that cover the back strap to help dampen recoil a bit. Since you are carrying your Model 12 in a belt holster the small increase in size shouldn't be a problem in terms of concealment.

Smith and Wesson should consider remaking the Model 12 that is +P rated with a 2 or 3 inch barrel length option (and no internal lock). I have asked S&W to do that, as has Wayne Dobbs. I think they would sell well.

Thanks for a great post.

Bruce

Bruce,

Thank you my friend. I do have a set of Pachmayr compacts on another round butt rotator and they are great. The thing holding me back on the Model 12 is the aesthetic - but function over form I suppose - if it makes shooting heavier loads more tolerable then it’s probably worth it. I did start loading a 158 grain LSWC round that becoming a favorite in all my steel frame rotators and maybe it would be more fun in the 12 with some Pachmayrs…..

I agree a new S&W Airweight K frame would be tops, in 2 and 3 inch tube configurations preferably!