Smith & Wesson Model 1913
Smith & Wesson · Pistol · Discontinued · 1913
Also known as: S&W .35 Automatic, Smith & Wesson .35 Auto, Smith & Wesson Model of 1913
Overview
The Smith & Wesson Model 1913 was the first semi-automatic pistol Smith & Wesson ever produced, based on patents of Belgian designer Charles Philibert Clement and adapted under Joseph Wesson. It was a fixed-barrel straight blowback chambered for the proprietary .35 S&W Automatic cartridge, which used a distinctive half-mantle bullet jacketed at the nose but bare lead on the bearing surface to reduce barrel wear. The pistol featured a hinged tip-up barrel for cleaning, an extremely light reciprocating bolt with a mainspring disconnector, and an unusual middle-finger-operated manual safety. Beautifully made but expensive and awkward, it was a commercial failure.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 620 g (21.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 168 mm (6.61") |
| Barrel Length | 89 mm (3.50") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Single Action |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 7 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .35 S&W Automatic · primary — also known as .35 Automatic, .35 S&W Auto
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Grip Safety
- Features: Fixed Barrel, Tip Up Hinged Barrel, Very Light Breech Bolt, Mainspring Disconnector, Middle Finger Safety
Variants
- Smith & Wesson .32 Automatic (1924) — Simplified 32 Acp
Production
Estimated total produced: 8,350 · Production years: 1913-1921
~8,350 of the original .35 S&W (1913-1921); fewer than ~1,000 of the 1924 .32 ACP variant (1924-1937).
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Charles Philibert Clement
Discontinued: 1921
Notes
Contrary to the blow-forward premise, sources confirm a conventional fixed-barrel blowback. Designer lineage is Charles Clement (Liege), not 'Clement-Neumann'. The .35 S&W Automatic cartridge dimensions (case length, bullet weight, velocity, energy) could not be confirmed from accessible sources and are left null rather than fabricated. A 1924 redesign switched to .32 ACP and deleted the manual safety and tip-up barrel.
Background
This was Smith & Wesson's first attempt at a self-loader and a notable flop: beautifully made but expensive, awkwardly ergonomic with its middle-finger safety, and saddled with a proprietary .35 cartridge that offered no advantage over the cheaper, widely available .32 ACP. The failure ended S&W's semi-auto experiments until after World War II.