Peter Allen, a songwriter who created hits for Olivia Newton-John, Melissa Manchester and others – and who co-wrote the hit theme to the film “Arthur” – created the title and song “Everything Old is New Again” in 1974, around the time I began learning how to handle a double-action revolver, specifically a Smith & Wesson Model 19.
In 2001, Smith & Wesson management added internal locks to the line, and the Model 19 and others were forever marred by this unnecessary bulk. If the vitriol they generate could have been used for electricity generation, a decent-sized city would have remained well lit.
Well, no more. The company’s new “Classic No Internal Lock” line (we’ll call them “No Lock” for brevity) includes, for now, three revolvers; the Model 36, Model 10 and Model 19, all in blued steel, and all without this infernal lock.
The Model 36 first saw the light of day at the annual convention of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) in 1950, where it earned the name “Chiefs Special.” Later in the 1950s, when Smith & Wesson revolvers were given model numbers, they became the Model 36 in blue and the Model 60 in stainless steel. For this generation, Smith & Wesson brought back the round front sight (the Model 36 No Lock has fixed sights), but unlike the originals, it’s not a narrow blade. On the contrary, it is well proportioned for proper aiming and use.
The Model 36’s thick handlebar stem pairs well with the rear notch, although both are not adjustable. • Although limited to only five rounds of .38 Spl. +P, the Model 36 remains an excellent choice for concealment • Although heavier than its siblings, the Model 36’s trigger still exceeded expectations • The cylinder release catch was easy to operate.
Aside from the retro viewfinder, the rest of this Model 36 is as up to date as the company can make it. The cylinder retention stud has long since been replaced on all models with a vertical retention shoulder on the frame, which is a more robust system. And the Model 36 No Lock benefits from decades of refinement in action. Comparing it with some of my Model 36 and 60, the double action trigger on the new Model 36 No Lock has been greatly improved. No more stacking the old trigger press at the end of the stroke, and now it has a smooth double action squeeze.
One limitation that this revolver might have in some eyes is its capacity. Five rounds is a good number for a backup handgun, but some believe that five rounds is not enough for an EDC pistol. Others will disagree and are willing to reload if need be. To achieve this, the new No Lock revolvers (all three) have the same cylinder size and spacing as previous generations, so every speedloader designed for the familiar models with the hellish internal lock will work just fine in the new Classic No Internal Lock models from Smith & Wesson.
Another potential limitation of the Model 36 is its barrel length. At just under 2 inches, it will cost you quite a bit of speed with any load. Additionally, the barrel is so short that the ejector rod is not long enough to fully eject the .38 Spl. brass. This isn’t a big problem though; just learn to eject with your mouth straight, and gravity will be your friend.
If you want more than the five rounds of the Model 36, or if you want a longer barrel, the Model 10 No Lock is next on the list. Reminiscent of the 1940s and the Victory Series era, this Model 10 also features a round front blade, again not narrow, on a tapered 4-inch barrel. To add to the retro vibe, the wooden grips closely resemble those on my Model Victory (a WWII production revolver originally designed for the Lend-Lease effort) and give the new Model 10 No Lock a no-nonsense, no-nonsense appearance. However, if you want something different, Smith & Wesson hasn’t changed the shape of the frame, so all K-frame replacement grips, of which there are many, will bolt right on.
The K-frame is the epitome of a nice single-action/double-action trigger system, and the number of guns capable of running it (if you want to) is legion. You don’t have to, as the Model 10 No Lock’s trigger is fully usable right out of the box. Four inches of barrel gives you most of the ballistic advantages of the .38 Spl. Six inches of barrel, in my opinion (and my handling tastes), doesn’t give you enough extra velocity in the .38 to be worth the extra bulk, especially if you plan to use the Model 10 No Lock as an everyday carry handgun. When it comes to accuracy, competitive shooters have proven for decades that a 4-inch .38 Spl. like the Model 10, you can place all your shots in a single irregular hole on the target.
That said, the top dog here for me is the Model 19 No Lock. With a 4-inch barrel and adjustable rear sight, the Model 19 can be fine-tuned. The front blade is a ramp with a red insert and that was what we all wanted at the time. It still works great in the 21st century.
A red insert in the handlebar pairs well with the adjustable handlebar. • The only usable feature on the side of the frame is the cylinder release, as this revolver thankfully does without the internal bolt. • The trigger on the Model 19 No Lock is excellent right out of the box. • Six .357 Mag cartridges. or .38 Spl. can be loaded into Model 19.
The Model 19 No Lock comes with larger wooden grips that fill the space behind the trigger guard and provide more surface area to rest on, helping to alleviate felt recoil. At just over 37 ounces, the Model 19 recoils when using the .357 Mag at full capacity. ammo can be sharp (an understatement). With lighter bullets, it can also be flashy, producing a muzzle blast that other shooters might find a little annoying, especially on an indoor practice range.
An update to the Model 19 that the other two No Lock revolvers lack is a two-piece barrel. On the Model 36 No Lock and Model 10 No Lock, the barrel is bored and rifled from a forging that includes the front sight and ejector rod locking lug. The handlebar on these is fixed and not user serviceable (or replaceable), and the ejector rod is the front locking location of the crane.
On the Model 19 No Lock, however, the front sight blade is pinned into a slot in the barrel shroud. The barrel itself is a threaded cylinder at the rear. The barrel slides into the shroud, screws into the frame then compresses the shroud into place on the front of the frame. It is a simple and secure solution to solve a number of problems. This means the front latch needs to be moved, so Smith & Wesson moved it. It is now a spring-loaded piston built into the frame that engages the crane to keep the locked cylinder in alignment, reminiscent of the third bolt on old Smith & Wesson “Triple-lock” revolvers like those Elmer Keith used to develop the .44 Mag.
When the Model 19 came about, it was at the request of Bill Jordan. His idea was to marry the power of the .357 Mag. with the compact size, practical proportions and light weight of the Model 19 compared to the larger N-frame Model 27 which had been the common Smith & Wesson revolver in this chambering. Now, even Jordan suggested that officers train a lot with .38 Spl. and carry .357 Mag., which remains a good idea both for reasons of cost and shooting comfort. As a gun writer, I have fired almost as many rounds as a professional shooter, and by the time I was shooting enough to be in the professional ranks, I even then found a regular training routine with the .357 Mag. it looks a lot like work. Do yourself a favor and do a lot of shooting with .38 Spl. Even +P loads are easier to take, while still keeping you in shape for casual fights with the .357 Mag. Of course, if you only want to use magnums in the Model 19 No Lock, go for it: the revolver can take it.
While the front sight blade is serrated, it and the front sight are fixed. • Six .38 Spl cartridges. +P can be held in the cylinder of the Model 10. • Of the three No Lock revolvers, the Model 10’s trigger was perhaps the best right out of the box. • Reloads are made simple with an easy-to-use cylinder latch and the fact that existing speed loaders will work with all No Lock models.
The skills developed by learning to shoot a double-action double-action revolver can be transferred to developing the skills used to shoot more effectively with your much more common striker-fired pistol. The whole process of shooting well can be summed up as “aim on target, trigger pulled straight back.” So if you’ve developed the skills to do this well with a double-action revolver, a 9mm semi-automatic will be much easier to deal with. Plus, shooting an accurate, smooth-recoiling revolver is just plain fun. Now most .38 Spl. ammo will be relatively easy to fire, but in the Model 36 No Lock it may be a bit more difficult due to the weapon’s small size, lighter weight, and short sight radius. Defensive ammo will be downright lively. Move these loads to the 10 No Lock model, and the task becomes much easier, and in the 19 No Lock model it will just be fun.
The three No Lock revolvers are perfectly suited to everyday carry. You don’t believe me? What do you think we were holding back before anyone heard the name Microsoft? We carried good revolvers chambered in .38 Spl. or .357 Mag., and while guns have evolved, most criminals have not.
Seen on this 360 model, the internal locking mechanism has been maligned by serious shooters for decades. The new No Lock models do away with this superfluous “functionality”.
You might object that spending $850 to $1,100 is a little too tight for fun. Maybe. But a good quality 9mm striker-fired pistol, along with a handful of magazines, won’t do you much less harm. Just to check, I did a quick search for the original pre-lock models of these new No Lock models. When you can find one, the prices they sell for have made me reconsider how much I want to use my old ones instead of one of the new ones and to re-examine my estate planning. Unless you are a collector, the best (and only affordable) way to acquire a genuine .38 Spl. or .357 Mag. The Smith & Wesson revolver without the hated internal lock is to buy one of these new Classic No Internal Lock models.
