Notes: This is a stainless steel-framed rimfire revolver designed in several different versions. In addition to a 2- or 4-inch barrel, the Model 63 has an adjustable rear sight and walnut grips. Four versions exist other than the original model: The Model 63-1, which had the barrel retaining pin removed; Model 63-2, a special version with a 2-inch barrel and Hogue grips (manufactured for the Lew Horton Company); Model 63-3, which modified the cylinder arm for more reliable operation; and Model 63-4, which modified the ejector star for more positive ejection and used an Uncle Mike wooden grip. The Model 63 was introduced in 1977, and the various models remained in production until 1999.

The Model 651 Service Stainless is a further modification of the Model 63; it fires .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire as its primary caliber, with an interchangeable cylinder to allow firing of .22 Long Rifle ammunition. It uses only a 4-inch barrel. The Model 651 was introduced in 1983, and production stopped in 1988, but production picked up again from 1991 to 1999.

In 2008, a new version of the Model 63-4 began production. The new Model 63-4 uses a 5-inch heavy barrel, and rubber grips that have finger grooves and molded-in checkered sides. The cylinder of the new Model 63-4 has an 8-round capacity, the sights are adjustable for windage and elevation, and the frame is drilled and tapped for a scope mount.

Twilight 2000 Notes: The Model 63-4 is not available in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Notes: The Model 242 was designed to be an Airlite that had both a high-capacity cylinder and a capability to fire more powerful +P ammunition. Chambered for .38 Special, the Model 242 was built on an L Frame, but made from high-quality light alloy with a titanium cylinder. The barrel is only 2.5 inches long, and is made from an inner liner of stainless steel with an alloy barrel shroud. The sights were simple, being a blackened low front blade and a fixed rear sight consisting of an open notch. The grips were Uncle Mike’s wrap-around types and made of soft rubber. The hammer is semi-concealed, with the hammer spur just accessible enough to allow thumb-cocking. Production of the Model 242 began in 1999, but stopped in 2001, as the slightly-lighter and more powerful Model 296 became more popular.

The Model 296 is essentially the same weapon, but is chambered for .44 Special ammunition (including +P loads). The hammer of the Model 296 is completely concealed, unlike the semi-concealed hammer of the Model 242. The Model 296 is still in production.

Twilight 2000 Notes: These revolvers are not available in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Notes: The Model 317 has an alloy frame finished to look like stainless steel, and a stainless steel cylinder and barrel. The Model 317 was introduced in 1997, and there are several versions available.

The Model 317 Airlite Chief has a barrel 1.89 inches long, a fixed rear sight, and an Uncle Mike rubber boot grip. The Model 318 Airlite Lady Smith is the same, but has a laminated grip made of Dymondwood. The Model 317 Airlite Kit Gun has an adjustable sight and an Uncle Mike rubber boot grip, as well as a 3-inch barrel. The Model 317 Airlite Kit Gun Hi-Viz is the same as the Airlite Kit Gun, but has a fiberoptic light-gathering front sight inlay, an adjustable rear sight, larger, more comfortable grips, and a longer 3-inch barrel. The Airlite Chief and Airlite Lady Smith are identical to the Airlite Chief for game purposes. For all except the Hi-Viz, the sights of the Model 317 are somewhat deficient (as is normal for such concealable snubbies); if fact, it is best to blacken the front sight, since it is otherwise difficult to line up with the rear sight trough otherwise. The sights of the Hi-Viz are a good idea in principle, but not in execution on the Model 317 Hi-Viz. The V-notch of the rear sight is tight, making acquisition of the front sight difficult, and the elevation adjustments tend to slip with shooting, and "Kentucky Windage" (or elevation, in this case) becomes more and more necessary with each shot.

Notes: This revolver picks on the trend of late for revolvers chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge. The Model 325PD is a lightweight personal defense gun, small and concealable, yet still packing a punch. Since the .45 ACP cartridge is rimless, full-moon clips come with the revolver to allow the weapon to be loaded. (Without them or half-moon clips, the .45ACP cartridge cannot be loaded into the revolver; they would fall out the other side of the cylinder.) The frame is made from lightweight scandium alloy.

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

Notes: This is an example of Smith & Wesson’s continuing work with lightweight metals for some of their revolvers. The barrel is stainless steel inside an aircraft aluminum tube, the frame is scandium, the cylinder titanium, and the lockwork is carbon steel. The sights are made for rapid target acquisition and high visibility, but are not designed for precision shooting.

Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon does not exist.

Notes: The Model 331 is a very lightweight revolver firing the .32 H&R Magnum cartridge. It was designed to be very small and light, with a barrel only 1.88 inches long and consisting of a stainless steel liner within a light alloy shroud. Overall construction is also of light alloy, with a titanium cylinder. The Model 331 can be had with either wood or Uncle Mike’s rubber boot grips. The Model 332 is similar, but operation is DAO and the hammer completely shrouded.

The Model 337 Airlite Ti, built from 1999-2002, was also a similar revolver, chambered for .38 Special (including +P loads) and also capable of firing .38 Long Colt. It was finished to look like stainless steel., but is actually made from a titanium/vanadium alloy. The 337PD Airlite Ti was designed for police use and is still in production; it is finished in matte black, with a gray cylinder. From 2000-02, the Model 337 Kit Gun was also produced; this version had a 3-inch barrel, an adjustable rear sight, and (after 2001) a green fiberoptic inlay for the front sight (and called the Model 337 Hi-Viz).

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

This was one of the first scandium-alloy-frame handguns built, becoming available in 2001. Scandium has until recently been a very expensive metal, too expensive for things like handguns, but in 1971, a large supply of scandium ore was discovered in the Ukraine, and it became available after the fall of the Iron Curtain. The Model 340 uses a scandium-aluminum alloy frame (the alloy being much stronger than simple aluminum, and much less expensive than pure scandium). The Model 340 is basically a J-frame revolver with a frame and barrel sleeve made from this alloy, and with a stubby barrel of only 1.88 inches. The cylinder is made of titanium alloy. The frame looks like stainless steel and the cylinder is gray. The hammer is shrouded and the Model 340 has a Hogue Bantam rubber grip. The Model 340 Airlite ScPD (Personal Defense, often called simply the Model 340PD) is the same, but has a matte black frame and a dark gray cylinder, and is identical for game purposes. (The Model 340ScPD is a favorite of undercover ICE agents in the US, though theirs have fiberoptic inlays on the sights.) The Model 360 Airlite Sc is also similar, but the hammer is not shrouded; a Model 360 Airlite Sc Hi-Viz version is also available, with a fiberoptic inlay for the front sight, a longer 3.125" barrel, and some added weight to improve controllability. The Model 360 Airlite Sc is the same as the Model 340 Airlite Sc for game purposes.

An interesting note about the Model 340 series is that Smith & Wesson recommends that these revolvers (except the Model 360 Airlite Sc Hi-Viz) use bullets weighing no less than 120 grains in weight (7.78 grams), since lighter bullets tend to move forward out of the cartridge case during firing, but too early, leading to jams. Smith & Wesson goes as far as to stamp "NO LESS THAN 120 GR BULLET" on the ejector rod shroud of these revolvers.

The Models 637 Sc and 638 Sc are derivatives of the Model 340, and are both favorites of ICE agents. Both have Michael’s of Oregon rubber two-piece "Boot Grips", with Hogue one-piece "Mono-Grips" made from soft rubber as an option. The Model 637 ScPD also has the enhancement of Hi-Viz fiberoptic sights (as do ICE Model 637 Sc’s). They weight a bit more than the Model 340 Sc, but retain the 1.88-inch barrel. The Model 638, however, uses a grip able to take a laser designator, but otherwise is identical to the Model 637 Sc for game purposes.

Twilight 2000 Notes: These weapons are not available in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Notes: One of the smallest and lightest revolvers that Smith & Wesson sells, this J-frame revolver is designed to be as light as possible and fires only .38 Special ammunition. The "Centennial" moniker arises from the fact that J-frame was introduced in 1952, the 100^th anniversary of Smith & Wesson. The frame is actually made of aluminum alloy; the cylinder is the part made of titanium alloy. The Model 342PD has a ramp-style front sight with a red stripe; however, the rear "sight" is little more than a groove in the top strap. The Model 342PD is not strong enough for .357 Magnum ammunition, but can fire +P loads.

Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon does not exist.

Notes: This is a snubby rimfire revolver designed for .22 Magnum ammunition. It was designed for self-defense, and to this end, is a lightweight, short-barreled J-frame revolver that is easy to tote around and conceal. The Model 351PD has cocobolo wooden grips, since rubber grips can get stuck on cloth sometimes. The problem with case ejection that often rears its head with .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire ammunition has been solved with the Model 351PD, by making the extractor part of the chamber wall. There is no conventional rear sight, but there is a U-shaped trough that runs the length of the top strap. The front sight is a Hi-Viz fiberoptic sight, very low in profile and snagless.

Notes: These two revolvers have a frame made from a lightweight scandium-aluminum alloy, with a titanium-alloy cylinder, making them very light. They were both introduced in 2001, and are still manufactured.

The Model 386 Mountain Lite Airlite Sc is meant to be a "backpack gun," for use against angry animals or predators when in the wilderness. The frame and barrel are finished in a stainless-steel-type finish, while the cylinder is medium gray. The Mountain Lite has a Hi-Viz fiberoptic front sight insert.

The Model 386PD (Personal Defense) Airlite Sc is a light snubnose revolver in the same vein as other Smith & Wesson PD-type revolvers. The frame is finished in matte black, and the cylinder is matte dark gray. The Model 386PD is capable of firing +P loads.

Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon does not exist.

Notes: This is similar to the Airlite Ti revolvers, but fires .44 Special ammunition. Like the Airlites, it is a very light revolver that has a lot of kick and muzzle blast.

Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon does not exist.

Notes: This weapon was introduced in 1993 as a 5-shot blued revolver with a 2-inch barrel. In 2000, however, the barrel was shortened to 1.89 inches and the revolver was strengthened to handle +P loads. The frame is off light alloy, and the hammer is shrouded. It is, by necessity (because of the shrouded hammer) a double-action-only weapon. It is still in production. There are several other related weapons: the Model 642 Centennial Airweight, with a stainless steel cylinder and faux stainless steel-finish frame; and the Model 642 Centennial Airweight Lady Smith, with an Uncle Mike Dymondwood grip.

Twilight 2000 Notes: The late (short-barreled) version does not exist.