Talk:Smith & Wesson Model 52

Magazine capacity
I don't understand why "the shape of the rimmed cartridge limited the magazine capacity to five rounds". I just measured a stack of .38 Special rounds, and it comes to a stack about 2 inches high, single stacked. A 1911 can fit seven .45 ACP rounds single stacked into the grip. I see no reason why a normal sized automatic couldn't fit more that 5 rounds in the magazine, rim or no rim. It's not the only semi-Auto to ever fire rimmed cartridges, and others managed to deal with it just fine. Just make sure the rounds are stacked with each rim ahead of hte round below, and it should work fine. I think they intentionally limited it to 5 rounds, just to emphasize that the pistol was not for self-defence or combat, but for target shooting only. Also, there are disciplines whioh used to penalize autos for having more capacity than revolvers, aren't there? Limiting the magasine to 5 rounds + one in the chamber makes it a 6-shot gun, like a revolver. I can't believe that is a coicidence.