Hi !

I want your help to know about this gun, I think the caliber is 44 russian but I´m not sure.

For the pictures see the attached files.

thank you very much!

Attached Images

	S&W 1.jpg (105.9 KB, 99 views)
	S&W2.jpg (109.4 KB, 102 views)
	S&W4.jpg (48.6 KB, 87 views)
	S&W5.jpg (62.4 KB, 82 views)
	S&W6.jpg (63.2 KB, 77 views)

Hi H44NModel3,

From what I see in your photos...Being it looks to have a Short (1 7/16") Cylinder...I believe you're likely correct to assume it's chambered for the 44 Russian Cartridge!!

To confirm...If my assumption of the Cyl. Length is correct & you don't have a 44 Russian Cartridge on-hand to check the fit...Look to see if there's a shelf/ridge about 2/3 down into the Chamber...If so I'd find it hard to believe it's chambered for any of other the 44 Caliber offerings of that era!!

As an aside...If the Serial No. is only 4 digits (3774) as it looks to be...It's an Early Production NM#3 which also looks...Given the Offset Serial No. & Plug just rearward of that...To likely have had a Factory-Installed Lanyard Ring at one time...Or at least was Factory-Drilled & Tapped for one when it was produced!! Hope this helps!!

By the way...Welcome to the Forum...Hope you'll like it here!!

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Masterpiece

Hi H44NModel3,

Just took notice to something I failed to make mention of in My Previous Post!!

That being...After looking over the Photos of the Barrel Address a bit more carefully...It also has had the Barrel shortened somewhat from it's Original Barrel Length...Likely originally being a 6 1/2"...Sorry about the oversight!!

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Masterpiece

Welcome to the Forum. It is interesting how it's possible that without measurements, we can determine the cylinder is the short variety. There is only 1/8" difference, but I do see the same thing as Masterpiece and agree it should be the short cylinder for a 44 Russian. That serial number should have shipped around 1880, 5 years before the 44-40 Frontier was introduced with the 1 9/16" cylinder.

Just curious if the barrel address is centered on the barrel rib or if part of it is missing where the front sight is installed?

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Gary
SWCA 2515

Gary,

To answer the inquiry you posted above...If you look closely at the 3rd Photo he posted...You'll see that there is quite a bit of the Full Barrel Address missing given the Address in that Photo begins with Wesson just rearward of the Sight Blade!!

Also...The Sight Blade itself looks to be much thicker than an Original & was also Silver-Soldered into the Barrel Rib...Rather than being Pinned as were the Originals!!

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Masterpiece

Thank you for your quick response !

if the barrel was shortened from 6 1/2" to 5" , and the sight blade isn't the original, I suposse that the changes may affect the price, I recently adquired it, so I"ll be Very thankfull if you could help me know if i pay the right price and you tell me an estimate value

Gary,

Sorry...Forgot to address the above inquiry earlier!!

As I've noted to you in previous discussions we've had...I've always liked to note the machined area just ahead of the Screw for the Barrel Latch as being shorter on the Earlier Production NM#3's to determine if it's the Shorter (1 7/16") Cylinder...As the OP's exhibits!! (See Attached Pic)

I know you've mentioned favoring the Rectangular vs Square Cylinder Method as being easiest...Although this is the Method I prefer!!

Of course this method can only be applied to the Earlier vs Later Production NM#3's...Given they may have either a Long or Short Cylinder & still be chambered for the 44 Russian Cartridge...Then a measurement & inspection of the Chamber itself is in order to definitively determine the Actual Cartridge it's chambered for if the Left Side of the Barrel isn't Roll-Marked with the Caliber Designation!!

Attached Images

NM#3 SA-DA Long vs Short Cylinder Topstrap Difference 001.jpg (145.2 KB, 43 views)

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Masterpiece

Thanks Masterpiece. I was thinking it was cut, but the marking behind the front sight was pretty faded and I need new reading glasses. I do see the contours as yo note, but without a ready reference for comparison like your photo, I am not sure I would be able to be certain - maybe those glasses will help that as well.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

Gary,

Concerning the method I prefer...After you look at as many of these Revolvers as I have over the course of many, many years...Believe me after only a short period of time you'll find it's not as hard as you'd think to discern the difference....With or Without New Glasses...Ha!!~Ha!! Try it for a while & you'll see what I mean!!

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Masterpiece

Thank you for your quick response !

if the barrel was shortened from 6 1/2" to 5" , and the sight blade isn't the original, I suposse that the changes may affect the price, I recently adquired it, so I"ll be Very thankfull if you could help me know if i pay the right price and you tell me an estimate value
Last edited by H44NModel3; Yesterday at 10:22 AM.

Hi!
I don't know if that's what you mean with "Look to see if there's a shelf/ridge about 2/3 down into the Chamber...If so I'd find it hard to believe it's chambered for any of other the 44 Caliber offerings of that era!!"

Attached Images

image.jpg (54.5 KB, 26 views)

Howdy

Here is a photo of some old 19th Century revolver cartridges. Left to right they are 45 Colt, 45 Schofield, 44 Russian, 44 S&W American, 44 Henry Rimfire, and 44-40. At one time or another, the New Model Number Three was chambered for all four of the cartridges on the right, although 44 Russian was by far the most common. If you study the photo closely, you will notice that besides being much longer than the other three, the 44-40 cartridge has a slight taper to it. All the other cartridges in this photo are straight for their entire length, with no taper.





This is the cylinder to a New Model Number Three chambered for 44 Russian. Notice the chambers have one step. The step is where the chamber steps down from the cartridge case diameter to the bullet diameter. The short section of narrower diameter is called the chamber throat.





I don't own a Smith and Wesson chambered for 44-40, but here is a view into the chambers of a Colt New Service chambered for 44-40. The wide ring is the step where the chamber narrows down to the chamber throat. Closer to us is a faint ring that is the taper in the chamber to accommodate the taper of the 44-40 cartridge. That is the 'shelf, or ridge' being referred to. It is not actually either, it is a taper.



If your cylinder is 1 7/16" long it is too short to chamber the 44-40 cartridge. The cylinder had to be 1 9/16" long to chamber the 44-40 cartridge. However, at one point all cylinders became 1 9/16" long, including those for the 44 Russian. So the only way to be sure is to look in the chambers for the taper. This may be difficult to see if your chambers are as pitted as they appear to be in your photo.