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 2 Model". In 1880, Smith & Wesson offered the Model 2 in a double-action format, whereby a single squeeze of the trigger both cocked the hammer and fired the revolver. These revolvers are easily recognizable by their fully enclosed trigger guard. The first such revolvers made by Smith & Wesson. These revolvers were available in nickel or blued finishes and a smaller version was offered in .32 Smith & Wesson. The Model 2 in .32 S&W was made in 5 iterations. The initial version was a batch of 30 revolvers that were the first of such made by Smith & Wesson