For collectors, historians, law enforcement officers, and firearm enthusiasts, few names carry as much weight as Smith & Wesson. Since 1852, the company has been a titan of American firearm manufacturing, producing legendary revolvers like the Model 10 (the "Military & Police"), the .357 Magnum, the Model 29 (made famous by Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry ), and the Model 60 Chief’s Special.
: After WWII, S&W began using letter prefixes (like S, K, D, or J) to denote specific frame types.