Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson

by Jim Supica, Richard Nahas

Smith & Wesson outfitted some of the biggest and boldest gunfighters, both actual and fictional, including Wild Bill Hickock, Buffalo Bill and Dirty Harry, whose exploits are still legendary. Today a renewed Smith & Wesson corporation is back in the front of the pack. Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, 3rd Edition combines full color photos with details collectors need to identify and better appreciate all Smith & Wesson firearms. For fans of Smith & Wesson firearms, this book is a must-have. This work provides easy-to-locate listings organized by model ad year of manufacture to quickly and accurately identify firearms. With more than 775 models of Smith & Wesson guns and variations, including many models not found in other firearm-pricing guides, this is the book for any Smith & Wesson gun-toting fan.

384 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1996

About the author

Prior to taking on oversight of the National Firearms Museum and NRA Gun Collector Programs, Jim Supica was an antique gun dealer, peddling old iron through his mail order catalog, website and auction business. He holds Juris Doctorate and Bachelor degrees from the University of Kansas. In 2020 he retired as Director of the NRA Museums Division after a dozen years.

Jim is author or co-author of six books on firearms. He's written numerous articles on gun collecting, including regular columns for American Rifleman and Shotgun News; is a contributing editor for the major firearms price guides; and appears on television, radio and webcasts.

Supica served eight years on the NRA Board of Directors, including stints as chairman of the Publications Policy Committee and Vice Chairman of the Gun Collectors Committee. He is a past president of the Smith & Wesson Collectors Association and Missouri Valley Arms Collectors Association, a former board member of the Colt Collectors Association, and a member of American Society of Arms Collectors and other collecting and shooting clubs. Jim collects 19th century big frame S&W revolvers and serial number one guns.

Reviews

[Checkman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I suppose my rating gives away the surprise doesn't it? Well that's never stopped me before. This is a great reference book. It literally lists every single firearm model (as well as other products) manufactured and/or marketed by Smith & Wesson. Each model is described in detail, with all the possible variations listed. There are photographs (many in color) with each listing as well. As the title states this is the third edition. I also own the 2nd edition Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson which is also a well done book, but the amount of additional data between the two editions is astounding.

Mr. Supica and Mr. Nahas are not supermen. Over the years they have reached out to the S&W community requesting any additional information as well as helpful citicism. I am pleased to state that I made a small contribution to this edition as well. If you look on the list of aknowledgements you'll find me. Well you will find my avatar name "Checkman" from the Smith & Wesson forum. This speaks well for the writers. They aknowledge that the field is vast and that there is no way they and a couple researchers can possibly cover all th bases. S&W has been in business since the 1850's and is still going strong. That is alot of firearms.

If you are a budding S&W collector get a copy of this book. If you are long-term collector (and evidently been living under a rock if you aren't familiar with this catalog) get this book. If you're just a gunbuff and have a love of firearm trivia get this book. It isn't cheap, but it is money well spent.