I have inherited a very low serial # (less than 1700) New Model 3 Target (I believe, based on the sights)with 6 1/2" barrel chambered for .38S&W, nickel plated (very minor pitting in a couple of spots) with black (bakelite?) grips. Its parts are tight and operation is smooth. It has probably been fired very few times. Can anyone provide a ball-park estimate of its value as described.

The ball-park estimate is way on up there---------somewhere. Suffice to say it will be bigger than a breadbox!!

That's because while the books note the existence of such an animal, this is the first I've heard of in a while------like never. Perhaps Mr. Cornett will be along with some words worth reading.

Ralph Tremaine

Has it lettered as a .38 S&W? Or could it be a 38-44 Target?

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Dean
SWCA #680 SWHF #446

No markings as to caliber, but I'm sure it's .38 S&W

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The one I had was not as pretty but it had a lower serial number and was .38-44 Target.
How are you sure yours is .38 S&W?

(The guy I got mine from had shot .38 S&W in it just to say it had been fired. I tooled up to load proper cylinder length cases for it.)

I'll admit I'm not absolutely certain it's .38 S&W but there was an old box of such ammunition in the box with it, and I have since fired half a dozen rounds of Remington 38 S&W with no adverse consequences.

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The cylinder is 36mm in length, if that can help anyone in determining whether it is .38-44 or .38 S&W.

Is this a 5-shot or a 6-shot? Could possibly be a .38 3rd Model Single Action (Model of 1891), which would be have a 5-shot cylinder.

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1891SingleShot

Definitely a New Model 3. The .38 S & W and .38/44 cases are dramatically different in length; if you see a shoulder in each chamber about 3/4" in, it may be a .38 S & W.

The best way to find out its original caliber and features is a factory historical letter:

Firearm History Request - Smith & Wesson

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Let's try this: If the chambers have a step/ring/whatever in them, it's not a .38-44. If they do have steps/rings/whatever, then it's something else--------and could very well be 38 S&W.

Ralph Tremaine

No "step" or "collar" in cylinders. I'm beginning to think it's probably a .38-44, based on the odds, but I read that the length of the .38-44 Target cartridge was longer than the 36mm cylinder, which keeps me wondering a little...

Zag, .38-44 case lengths vary slightly, depending on the makers, however lengths will fall between 1.471 to 1.480 inches. Both .38 S&W and .38-44 have case diameters of .383 in.. so a .38 S&W round will fire in a .38-44 cylinder. I suspect the gun in question is a .38-44 target and the reason for the old ammo. with the gun being .38 S&W is because the .38-44 ammo. is almost non-existent, except in cartridge collections, and too expensive to shoot, so the prior owner shot the cheaper and easily attainable .38 S&W ammo. While the .38S&W caliber could have been special ordered for NM$# Target ( S&W would make you any thing you could pay for) it's not a round that a sensible shooter would want in this type of Target revolver. Ed.

The 38-44 cartridge case is, in fact, longer than the cylinder------if you count the rim. That said, when chambered, that portion of the case inside the chamber is the same length as the cylinder-------except in the later guns----when they made the cylinders longer-----and screwed up what was a really good idea in the beginning.

It is my recollection the cylinders were made longer to accommodate another cartridge (44/40 maybe--??). The added length of the later 38-44 cylinders was one of those "unintended consequences", and while it resulted in a more than optimum length for the 38-44 cylinder, I reckon they still shot better than almost anybody could hold them anyway.

Ralph Tremaine

Thanks, everyone, for much appreciated information. I conclude that it's an early .38-44, maybe worth a couple of thousand, according to a S&W book excerpt on Amazon. I'm no judge of condition, but I'd be surprised if it were considered less than "good". Guess I'll keep it for the grandkids.