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The Smith & Wesson (S&W) Model 12 is .38 Special revolver on Smith & Wesson's K-frame (medium size) platform. 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- and four-inch (102 mm) barrel configurations. It weighs 19 oz (524 g) unloaded. Early models used an aluminum cylinder as well as frame. ==Production Variants== 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''.〔Scarlata, Paul, ''(Smith & Wesson's Model 12 Airweight )'', Shooting Times (retrieved 3 April 2011)〕〔Boorman, Dean K., ''The History of Smith & Wesson Firearms'', Lyons Press, ISBN 1-58574-721-1 (2002), pp. 63-64〕 Some 40,000 Smith & Wesson M13 revolvers were produced.〔Boorman, pp. 63-64〕 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.〔TM 43-0001-27, ''Army Ammunition Data Sheets - Small Caliber Ammunition, FSC 1305'', Washington, D.C.: Dept. of the Army, 29 April 1994: The standard .38 ball M41 cartridge first issued in 1956 had a pressure limit of only 13,000 CUP for a bullet velocity of After the M13 was withdrawn from service, a higher-pressure cartridge, the ''Caliber .38 Ball, Special, M41'' was introduced. The M41 ''Special'' cartridge had a revised pressure rating of 16,000 CUP, giving a velocity of 〕 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negative reports, Air Force officials decided that the revolvers were not suitable for issue, and the model was withdrawn from service, all but a few examples being crushed or destroyed.〔Boorman, pp. 63-64〕 A civilian model of the M13 was released in 1953, called the Military &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''.〔Scarlata, Paul, ''Smith & Wesson's Model 12 Airweight''〕 The Military & Police Airweight initially used both an aluminum cylinder and frame, and weighed only 14.5 ounces.〔Scarlata, Paul, ''Smith & Wesson's Model 12 Airweight]''〕 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.〔Scarlata, Paul, ''Smith & Wesson's Model 12 Airweight]''〕 The Model 12 variants 12-1, 12-2, and 12-3 used a narrower hammer〔Camp, Stephen A., ''(Shooting the S&W Model 12 )'', retrieved 3 April 2011: The earlier Models 12-1, 12-2, and 12-3 used a 0.240" hammer, compared to the 0.265" wide hammer of the standard Model 10.〕 and had an aluminum grip frame that was narrower than the standard steel K-frame.〔Scarlata, Paul, ''Smith & Wesson's Model 12 Airweight''〕 The final version, the Model 12-4, used the standard frame dimension〔Camp, Stephen A., ''Shooting the S&W Model 12'', retrieved 3 April 2011〕 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 5 screw design with 4 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 same as all K frames 〔User: Mesinge2〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Smith & Wesson Model 12」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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