Smith & Wesson 460XVR

     Notes: This is a new, powerful revolver firing a new cartridge – the .460 Smith & Wesson Magnum, and introduced at the 2005 SHOT Show.  Built on the same frame as the Smith & Wesson 500, the Model 460XVR (eXtreme Velocity Revolver) has many changes from the Model 500, with a 8.5-inch barrel, a large compensator on the end of the full-lugged barrel, micrometer adjustable rear sights, and a green Hi-Viz front sight (interchangeable with a Patridge gold bead front sight).  A telescopic sight mount is also optional, but available.  The firing pin is made of thick hardened steel, primarily to fire the primers of the .460 S&W Magnum, which are actually modified rifle cartridge primers instead of pistol cartridge primers.  The cylinder is strengthened to accommodate the power of the new cartridge.  (The Model 460XVR will also chamber and fire the .45 Long Colt and .454 Casull cartridges.)  The Model 460XVR also includes an internal lock for the mechanism, released by a key inserted in the frame.

     During 2005 and 2006, a number of new (and generally massive) variations of the Model 460XVR were introduced, mostly under the Performance Center umbrella.  These include versions with 3.5, 5, 6.5, 7.5, 10, 12, and 14-inch barrels.  Some versions with barrels 7.5 inches or longer actually have sling swivels and rudimentary foregrips.  Some are also equipped with integral Weaver-type scope mounts or removable MIL-STD-1913 rails.

     In 2007, a new Performance Center version of the Model 460XVR was introduced – The Hunter Model.  The Hunter has a 12-inch barrel with a heavy profile that is fluted to save weight and increase cooling area, and is tipped with a muzzle brake.  The finish may be brushed stainless or black (in which case it is called the Black Hunter), and the revolver itself is built almost totally of stainless steel.  The front sight is a removable Patridge sight; the rear sight is fully adjustable. Just forward of the cylinder area of the frame is a thickened, beefed-up section that has a MIL-STD-1913 rail on top for optics and another shorter rail underneath that can be used for accessories, a sling swivel, as well as to attach a bipod. (A sling is included by Smith & Wesson it its price.) The underside rail is shorter than the top rail, but is long enough to allow the attachment of most accessories or a bipod, and still mount the sling swivel behind it.  The Hunter has an internal locking mechanism with a key to unlock it, as well as a conventional revolver-type manual safety.  All working parts are specially-tuned.  An interesting wrinkle is that that the Hunter can also fire .45 Long Colt and .454 Casull rounds as well as .460 Smith & Wesson Magnum.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This revolver does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Smith & Wesson 500

     Notes: This revolver from Smith & Wesson was designed specifically to fire the powerful new .500 Smith & Wesson Magnum cartridge.  The cartridges were designed by Cor-Bon, but the revolver is all Smith & Wesson – huge, heavily-built, and well-constructed, using the massive X-Frame.  It was designed on a computer using a program that told the designers what they would need to fire a cartridge of a given strength.  The grip looks small, but a proportional grip would not fit in anyone’s hands.  Construction is almost entirely of stainless steel, usually with a satin finish.  The Model 500 can be fired in either single-action or double-action modes.  The front sight is a Hi-Viz red ramp, while the rear sight is an adjustable sight that is white-outlined. Barrel length is 8.375 inches, tipped with a removable muzzle compensator or a fixed compensator.  (Subtract 0.1 kg from the weight with the compensator removed.)

     In 2004, Smith & Wesson introduced a version of this weapon with a short 4-inch barrel.  It is mechanically identical to the 8 3/8”-barrel version, but the barrel is less than half the length and the end of the barrel is ported to help fight what otherwise might be unmanageable recoil.  In 2006, a similar 6.5-inch barrel version was added to the line.

     Other newer versions include the limited-edition Performance Center 500 Hunter, with an astounding 10.5-inch Lothar Walther barrel tipped with a muzzle compensator, a teardrop hammer with a pinned sear, a scope mount, and Hogue rubber grips.  A version with a 7.5-inch barrel with a compensator is also built, also with Hogue rubber grips, and an extended ejector rod shroud; this version uses an orange fiberoptic insert in the front sight.  The Model 500ES (Emergency Survival) has a stubby 2.75-inch barrel (without porting or a compensator!) and orange Hogue rubber grips (presumably so you can use the grips as a signaling device). The PC-500 Bone Collector version features hand-milled and finished parts, a heavy-duty lock-up for the cylinder, a 10.5-inch heavy barrel with a muzzle compensator, a ramp front sight outlined in red and a white-outlined adjustable rear sight, a rail atop the barrel for a scope, a two-tone finish with a blued barrel and stainless steel-finish cylinder and frame, Hogue rubber grips, and even sling attachment points.

     Recently, a .500 Special round was developed for shooters who could not or did not wish to handle the .500 Smith & Wesson’s recoil all the time.  It is also a less-expensive round.  Statistics are included below for this round.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Smith & Wesson 581 Distinguished Service Magnum

     Notes: Designed from the start as a police weapon, the Model 581 is a medium magnum revolver designed on the L-Frame.  Finished in blue or nickel plating, and with grips of checkered walnut, the Model 581 was built from 1980-99 is various versions.  The sights are fixed, and the barrel has a full-length ejector rod shroud.  Only a 4-inch barrel is available.

     The Model 681 Distinguished Service Magnum Stainless is identical to the Model 581, except that it is made from stainless steel instead of carbon steel. 

Smith & Wesson 586 Distinguished Combat Magnum

     Notes: This weapon was introduced in 1981 as a sporting revolver in blued or nickel-plated finish; it stayed in production until 2000.  The Model 586 had a 4, 6, or 8.5-inch barrel with a continuous ejector shroud that doubles as a barrel weight.  It also has an adjustable rear sight, and a Goncalo Alves hardwood grip (until 1994, when it was replaced with a rubber grip).  A special version with a bull barrel of 8.5 inches and full-length compensator was designed by the Smith & Wesson Performance center; this version is very rare indeed.  The full-length compensator looks like some sort of suppressor or silencer, but is in fact a complicated and effective muzzle brake.  An unusual variant is the Model 585-6; this was built for the Brazilian Police from 1993-95, and was designed to fire only .38 Special ammunition.  This revolver is otherwise identical to the Model 586, except that it is available only in 4-inch and 6-inch barrel versions, and it costs 6% less than the corresponding Model 586.

     In 2012, Smith & Wesson put the Model 586 back into production due to popular demand, except for minor differences, the new version is the same as the old version.  This new version comes only with a 4-inch or 6-inch barrel. The Goncalo Alves grips return with this version.  The sights consist of a rear v-notch lined in white and adjustable for windage and elevation; the front sight is a ramp with red on the blade’s back edge. The finish is blued dark and the metalwork is of carbon steel.  The version with the 6-inch barrel is essentially identical except for its 6-inch barrel.

Smith & Wesson 610 Classic

     Notes: Introduced in 2001, this revolver was designed to fire the 10mm Colt cartridge.  However, it will also chamber and fire the .40 Smith & Wesson cartridge without a problem.  The frame and cylinder, as well as the barrel, are made from stainless steel; the cylinder is solid and round.  The rear sight is adjustable and the grips are Hogue rubber.  Only one barrel length, 4 inches, is currently available.  Due to the nature of the ammunition, half-moon or full-moon clips are needed to load the revolver.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This revolver is not available.

Smith & Wesson 619/620

     Notes: These are two very similar revolvers, able to fire both .38 Special and .357 Magnum.  Both are made from steel with a satin stainless steel finish, and both have soft rubber grips, with those of the Model 619 being from Uncle Mike’s (a noted gunsmith) and the Model 620 having Hogue grips (another noted gunsmith).  The sights of the Model 619 are a simple groove in the topstrap for the rear and a simple blade front; the Model 620 has better sights, with an adjustable rear sight lined in white and a ramped blade for the front, with red Hi-Viz inlay.  Both revolvers have internal security locks operated with a key; this prevents any part of the action from operating.  They both have shrouded ejector rods and 4-inch barrels.  The Model 619 is a bit better for concealed and under-clothes carry due to the simpler sights, while the Model 620 functions better as a service revolver and to some extent as a target weapon.  There are slight weight and price differences, but they shoot the same for game purposes, except perhaps when the character is aiming.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: Introduced in 2005, these revolvers do not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Smith & Wesson 650 Stainless

     Notes: This is a rimfire magnum revolver built from 1983-1988.  It is a small revolver that nevertheless has a heavy 3-inch barrel and decent weight for its size.  It uses a special wide combat trigger.  An option was an interchangeable cylinder that allows the Model 650 to fire .22 Long Rifle ammunition.  As the name would indicate, it is made of stainless steel.