Smith & Wesson "N" to the largest .44 Magnum type frame. In 2003, the even larger "X" frame was introduced for the .500 S&W Magnum. Most Smith & Wesson revolvers have been equipped with an internal locking mechanism since the acquisition by Saf-T-Hammer. The mechanism is relatively unobtrusive, is activated with a special key, and renders the firearm inoperable. While the lock can simply be left disengaged, most gun enthusiasts prefer "pre-lock" guns. In 1953 the U.S. Army was looking for a pistol to replace the Colt 1911A1. To obtain a bid from the U.S. Government, Smith & Wesson began working on a
Smith & Wesson Model 610 Smith & Wesson Model 610 The Model 610 is a six-shot, double-action revolver chambered for the 10mm Auto cartridge. The 610 was manufactured by Smith & Wesson on the N-frame, similar to the Smith & Wesson Model 29 in .44 Magnum, and the Model 28 in .357 Magnum. The 10mm Auto is a rimless automatic pistol cartridge so moon clips are used to hold cartridges when loading and extracting spent cases en bloc. Since the .40 Smith & Wesson is a shorter, less powerful variant of the 10mm Auto but has the same diameter, the Model 610 can chamber and