Over the past couple of years, I've stumbled on to a couple of these unique guns. They are the only top break S&W's that I own. I have yet to shoot them, as I keep forgetting to throw them into my range bag when I head out shooting (that will change next time I go). Have any of you shot one of these? If so, how do they shoot?

SN 9308 has seen some use over the years (front sight was replaced sometime in the past and was soldered/brazed into place, rather than pinned) EDITED TO CORRECT SN - IT IS 9308 NOT 9508. I WAS READING IN NEAL AND JINKS AND SAW THAT ON PAGE 40 IT WAS NOTED THAT A BLOCK OF SN'S WERE NOT USED - LOW AND BEHOLD 9508 WAS IN THAT BLOCK - SO BACK TO THE SAFE WITH A HIGH POWERED MAGNIFYING GLASS AND EVEN WITH THE GLASS IT IS EXTREMELY HARD TO TELL THE "3" FROM A "5", BUT BASED ON THE N&J, I'M GOING WITH 9308 AND CHANGING MY RECORDS.:






SN 10232 on the other hand does not appear to have been shot. It is a real beauty!





I look forward to learning from those of you who own and have shot these unusual looking, but very cool guns.

Thanks,

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

Wow--10232 is spectacular. Great find; congratulations.

Have you checked the guns for the so-called "Olympic" chambers? In other words, does a cartridge dropped into the (cleaned, dry) chambers go in all the way or does it have to be pushed in that last 1/4--1/8 inch?

According to one of the very knowledgeable Forum members, these 3rd Models actually had THREE types of chambers, regular, tight and tighter. That was news to me.

I've shot a couple of these guns--both with regular chambers-- over sandbags for grouping and although their light weight makes them hard to shoot carefully (for me at least) I could keep three shots in an inch or so at 20 yards. I'm sure someone else could do better, and in a machine rest God knows what they would do. I didn't experiment a lot with different ammo, but like many .22s it was clear the guns had preferences.

As you no doubt know, stick with low-velocity cartridges.

I--and probably 40 others here on the Forum--stand ready to buy 10232 as soon as you tire of it.

Regards, Ralph Boineau in central South Carolina

Ralph:

I think that both of them have the Olympic barrels - I know for sure that 9308 does, but I cannot recall for sure if 10232 has it. I'll check next time I have it out and confirm for sure. [UPDATE 2/21/12: CHECKED THE BARRELS AND I HAD IT BACKWARDS - 10232 HAS THE OLYMPIC AND 9308 DOES NOT]

Thanks,

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

I fired all three versions ("regular, tight and tighter") several years ago for an article I did for the SWCA Journal---------two hands/sand bag/25 yards/25 rounds each gun. "Tight and tighter" put all rounds in the 'X' ring. "Regular" put all rounds in the ten ring-------with pronounced vertical stringing. The group was the width of the 'X' ring, but strung (Is that a word?) from top to bottom of the ten ring.

Ralph Tremaine

Your #9508 should have the "tighter" chamber. Please let me know if it does not. (I say should have. By now we've had it pretty well beaten into our heads that S&W didn't build guns in serial number order-----but I have never been one to be confused by facts!)

And now that I've double checked my numbers---------if your #10232 also has the Olympic chamber, it also "should" have the "tighter" chamber. And-------if both guns have Olympic chambers----and if the cartridge protrudes from the chamber the same amount on both guns, you won't have a clue which Olympic chambers you have----unless you already know the numbers. We'll take care of that later, if need be.

Ralph (both of you):

Your post made me curious enough to go and dig the perfected's out of my safe. I checked the barrels and I had it exactly backwards - 10232 HAS THE OLYMPIC and 9308 DOES NOT. On the Olympic barrel the round stuck out about 1/4". No idea whether it was "tight" or "tighter".

RCT: Do you remember what Journal your article appeared in?

Thanks for the info.

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

My gun, which I was urged to sell to a close friend, was a fantastic shooter. I was shooting at steel rams @ 75yds and "digging" on every shot. At 50ft and 25yd NRA bullseye targets, all shots in X-ring from a rest. Off-hand, the balance was not as precise as my modern competition pistol (Pardini), but I was able to shoot a 290 NRA course of fire (300). I would say the gun was fabulous. It did NOT have an Olympic chamber.

Terry

The article was in the Summer issue, 2006.

I hope the cartridge didn't really stick out 1/4", 'cause if it did, we're going to have "tight", "tighter", and "a whole bunch tighter yet". The cartridges stuck out of my guns .105" (tight) and .132" (tighter). Now it stands to reason different brand cartridges are going to stick out more or less, depending on the design of the bullet; so don't get hung up on those exact numbers. The difference between the two (tight and tighter) is going to be what tells the tale----call it .025" (+/-).

Terry, does your gun letter with the checkered trigger and the stop, or did those come along later?

Ralph Tremaine

Nice guns! I found one a few years ago, a Perfected Model, but with a 8" 2nd Model barrel. It has the standard chamber, and I was a little disappointed with the accuracy. It would shoot into about 1" at 50 ft. I am sure it was a rebuilt gun someone "resurrected". The side plate seems to be replaced, and did not fit flush I tightened the screws down and the trigger did not work properly. When I removed the side plate I found the trigger return slide was incorrect, and had been filed down form a K frame! I was able to obtain a new one from a .32 Hand Ejector and it installed and works fine. These are unusual and really different guns which you don't run across every day.

Will look forward to your shooting results, be sure to try a few match loads such as Ely or Fiocchi Match .

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

EDITED ORIGINAL POST TO CORRECT SN - IT IS 9308 NOT 9508. I WAS READING IN NEAL AND JINKS AND SAW THAT ON PAGE 40 IT WAS NOTED THAT A BLOCK OF SN'S WERE NOT USED - LOW AND BEHOLD 9508 WAS IN THAT BLOCK - SO BACK TO THE SAFE WITH A HIGH POWERED MAGNIFYING GLASS AND EVEN WITH THE GLASS IT IS EXTREMELY HARD TO TELL THE "3" FROM A "5", BUT BASED ON THE N&J, I'M GOING WITH 9308 AND CHANGING MY RECORDS. I ALSO CHECKED THE NUMBER ON THE BACK OF THE EJECTOR AND ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BARREL LOCK - ALSO VERY HARD TO TELL A 5 FROM A 3.

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

Ralph,
letter says they were aftermarket.....
Terry

10232 appears to be unblued, or is it just the pic?

Just the pic. The gun has that beautiful pre-war blue.

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

i have one of these model 3 s&w single shots serial number 6452 donot know anything about it but have been reading the threads serial #s match, mine has single line writing on top of rib (smith &Wesson Springfield mass usa, left side of barrel 22 long rifle ctg what does ctg mean ?

CTG means cartridge----they're just telling you what flavor of ammunition to stick in it.

Ralph Tremaine

Should be noted Olympic barrel should use lead, not jacketed bullets. I have a 1st model 91 with HM POPE Olympic barrel that is so tight I had to build a press to push them in. It shoots great with light trigger pull, action & lock-up tight. It was made in 1902.