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04-24-2017, 04:59 PM
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Case coloured trigger guard on Nickel NM #3 Target Model
I could have posed this as a question, but it is an (emphatic) statement!
I believed, up until this point, that a nickel revolver, late 19th Century vintage, would have a blued barrel latch and trigger guard, and a case coloured hammer. This New Model #3 Target Model shipped in December of 1892, and is as righteous as they come! Indeed, any imperfections are reflections and I know now not to be overly critical of those who post photographs of nickel Smith & Wesson revolvers "of quality", as a nearly perfect finish is clearly not reproducible in photographic form. Attached are photos depicting the case coloured trigger guard, as well as some that show the hammer as well, for comparison. Not sure if this is a special order feature or what, but, again, this one's "right as rain"!
Last edited by mrcvs; 04-24-2017 at 05:53 PM.
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04-24-2017, 09:15 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mrcvs
Not sure if this is a special order feature or what, but, again, this one's "right as rain"!
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mrcvs,
Your Revolver is correct as it stands...All NM#3 SA Revolvers came Std. with Case-Colored Triggerguards...Target or Otherwise!!
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Masterpiece
Last edited by Masterpiece; 04-24-2017 at 09:21 PM.
Reason: Add Content!!
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04-24-2017, 09:27 PM
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WOW, that one looks like it came out of a time capsule. Very nice gun.
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James Redfield
LM #497
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04-24-2017, 09:36 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Masterpiece
mrcvs,
Your Revolver is correct as it stands...All NM#3 SA Revolvers came Std. with Case-Colored Triggerguards...Target or Otherwise!!
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Really? I was not aware of that. Come to think of it, my blued one, which is not nearly as nice, always had, in my opinion, a "dull" or grey trigger guard relative to the rest of the finish; I now know it is muted case colouring.
Very interesting! Learn something new on this forum every day!
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04-24-2017, 09:42 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JSR III
WOW, that one looks like it came out of a time capsule. Very nice gun.
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I really hesitate to post additional photographs of this one as photographs, due to glare or reflections, make it appear flawed or even renickeled. You have to trust me when I say it isn't. Here goes...
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04-24-2017, 09:47 PM
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Every blurred area you see is a reflection of myself and/or the camera. Photo 1, base of frame, photo 2, at sideplate, fifth photo, barrel beneath front sight, etc.
Have no idea how to photograph this and give it any justice...
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04-24-2017, 09:51 PM
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That's a beauty! Love that front sight. When's the range report? Just kidding...
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04-24-2017, 10:17 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Breakaway500
That's a beauty! Love that front sight. When's the range report? Just kidding...
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I can see NO evidence of this one having ever been fired. A factory letter is on order.
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04-24-2017, 10:31 PM
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It's a "keeper". What caliber is it ?
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04-25-2017, 08:09 AM
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^ I'm going to guess .44 Russian.
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04-25-2017, 08:40 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by model3sw
It's a "keeper". What caliber is it ?
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I believe it to be .32-44 S & W Gallery, but will wait for the factory letter to arrive to confirm.
Last edited by mrcvs; 04-25-2017 at 08:42 AM.
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04-25-2017, 09:26 AM
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I'm just curious how you know for certain the gun was never re-nickeled? I do see that every pin looks perfect, not a screw appears to have been turned, so refinish is very unlikely, but . . . Also, when you say it looks unfired, how do you know that? I see a well defined turn line on the cylinder and bet it has been to the range over the last 125 years. Nothing to take away from the revolver's appearance, but just sayin' . . .
The goal of the 1800's gunmakers was to make parts durable. The best way to do that was to case harden parts subject to wear. The case hardening process changed the chemistry of a very thin layer of surface steel, giving it a very high resistance to wear. The byproduct of case coloring was a change in the color of the part. Some would have the classic mottled appearance while others would have a mottled blued appearance. The process for making springs also give a similar appearance by the simple use of heat and water & oil quenching. The color was not so important to the gunmakers of the time, since that was not their goal, so colors varied widely. It seems that case coloring either wears to base metal or oxidation mutes the color over time. The results are that many case colored parts seem to turn to a medium of dark grey over time.
As more carbon was added to make steel, strengths improved, so moving into the Twentieth century, gunmakers turned their attention to imparting a vivid case coloring of steel, more for eye appeal than to improve wear resistance.
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04-25-2017, 09:58 AM
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glowe,
I cannot, of course, "prove" that this particular firearm has never been fired, but the barrel and the face of the chambers of the front of the cylinder appear pristine with no discolouration whatsoever.
I have been into Colt, Smith & Wesson, and Merwin & Hulbert revolvers long enough to be able to distinguish between most refinished vs original firearms. Of course there have been a few that were debatable over the years, but these are much rarer than the ones that I can definitely state one way or the other, refinished or not. Again, it is impossible for me to provide photographs that even hint of doing this one any justice. You sort of have to believe me when I state this revolver is OUTSTANDING!!!
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04-25-2017, 12:34 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mrcvs
I believe it to be .32-44 S & W Gallery, but will wait for the factory letter to arrive to confirm.
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.32-44 S&W Gallery is one of two LOADS available in that cartridge (.32-44 S&W). The gallery load is a round ball seated deep within the case. The specifics: A 50 grain ball in front of 6 grains of powder. The regular load is an 83 grain round nose bullet with 11 grains of powder----also seated within the case---almost. (It pokes out of the top of the case about .040".)
As noted by another, all the NM #3 trigger guards are case hardened. I have two pampered specimens with clearly visible "case colors"---two others gone to gray. It is my distinct recollection the top of the trigger guards on all of them show rather bright colors. The removal of one screw gives you the top of the trigger guard.
As an aside, the specifics for the .38-44 S&W cartridges are 146 grain round nose bullet ahead of 20 grains of powder (regular), and a 70 grain ball in front of 6 grains of powder (gallery)----both seated within the case.
And those are the ONLY two cartridges to be found within the NM #3 Target series. They were always chambered in one or the other----never in anything else. ALL the books will confirm that---never mind I have one (#3914) chambered in "38 WINCHESTER CTG" (.38-40). (This is but one of several reasons we're not supposed to say "always" and "never" when we talk about Springfield's finest products.) And having said all that, it is my somewhat dim recollection this gun isn't a NM #3 Target (per se), but a NM #3 with target sights----and one of several within a specific serial series all in .32-44 S&W----which is to say its serial number is outside the NM #3 series range-----yes?
And if you're lucky, your letter will tell you the caliber of your gun. If you're like me, they won't have the first clue what the caliber is. The only good news on my .38-40 is "It appears to be a special order for one unit-------------." (And seeing as how the only thing "special" about this gun is the caliber, I'm satisfied-----sort of----more like resigned to my fate-------GGGGGGGGGGAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGHH!!!!!!!)
Ralph Tremaine
AND-----a "light box" (store bought or home made) will give you SUPERB photos of nickel guns (also of blue guns----and any other finish you can imagine)---if/when the camera/lighting placement is proper---and if/when all of the other myriad variables about which I know absolutely nothing are also "proper". (Bill Cross can tell you how to take merely SUPERB pictures of guns. And if he can't, he can tell you who takes his pictures for him. Either way, you'll be talking to REALLY GOOD picture takers!!)
Last edited by rct269; 04-25-2017 at 01:28 PM.
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04-25-2017, 02:23 PM
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I should have stated this is probably a .32-44 S & W. And, yes, it is indeed a NM #3 with target sights and not serialized in the Target Model series. It is within a serial number range where most, if not all, produced were either .32-44 or .38-44.
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04-26-2017, 07:13 AM
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And, here is a photograph of the trigger guard of my other New Model No 3 Target Model. I always thought the trigger guard was originally blued, and heavy cleaning, for unknown reasons, caused the grey appearance. Now that I know that case colouring was standard, I now see hints of it present. Easy to miss it when you are really looking at the knurled trigger, which, in my experience, is RARE, which may or may not be true.
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09-02-2017, 09:58 AM
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To fire up this old thread ... I had recently gifted a .32-44 NM3 Target to a friend that is a cowboy shooter and reloader. With that gift, I loaned him the correct ball and bullet molds, an Ideal .32-44 hand loader tool and about 200 .32-44 cases I accumulated of the past 30 years.
He came back the next day with about 10 test loads of .32-44 Gallery loads with .323 ball. We tried out the loads on a felled tree in my yard.
My first venture in firing a .32-44 Target proved impressive, even with gallery loads. Gallery or not, you wouldn't want to be standing at the wrong end of that barrel.
Of course this friend was pleased by the gift of the .32-44 but I advised him of the "hook" in the package. I wanted 100 x .32-44 black powder gallery rounds back with refills whenever I needed (offering to pay for supplies). That was a good deal for both of us, I feel.
This same friend has worked in gun shops his entire life. He has sent referrals to me, over the years, of a customer of his gun shop looking to sell or buy a high grade old S&W that his shop does not deal with.
He never asked for anything in return so the gift of a NM3 Target .32-44 was my pleasure. Only bad thing is that now leaves me with only 3 other New Model 3 .32-44 Targets
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09-03-2017, 01:31 PM
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I can not distinguish a S&W Logo on the frame. Was it left off on this revolver?
Regards,
Last edited by bcowern; 09-04-2017 at 01:28 PM.
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09-03-2017, 02:32 PM
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Quote:
Have no idea how to photograph this and give it any justice...
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If you send the gun to me I will gladly try to take better photos and email them to you. Of course to do the gun justice this may take several years but it IS quality that you are seeking.
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James Redfield
LM #497
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