I'm kicking and screaming by trying to join the 20th century.. never mind the 21st. I'm hoping to post a photo or two. Here goes..

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Mike Maher #283

Judging by that collection of beauties, you should stick with the 19th century.

thadheth, thanks for the reply. I could see these on my computer but was unsure if they transitioned to the Forum. The bottom three of the 1st, 3rds are "short" barrel examples. The 1st, 1sts represent the six variations. The 1st, 4th is 'Full Plate'. I can't explain the sideway photo; just glad it posted. I'm new to this photo posting stuff.

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Mike Maher #283

Man oh man you picked two good photos to post for you first ones that is a great collection ,thanks for posting them.

I have one --

Outstanding!
Is the full plate nickel or silver or both?
Mike

Mike, I believe the full plate is nickel on the barrel and silver on the frame.

rhmc24, do I detect a gold wash on your 1st, 3rd?

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Mike Maher #283

Mike, I empathize with you, all the way. I have a few of the earlier models, some are quite nice but not as nice as yours, then I started to consume the Model 3s in about 1990 and have not walked by one that really impressed me without doing my best to make a deal to take it home with me.

Oh, and 2 New Haven Arms 31 Cal Volcanics, engraved. Both have appx 50%+ of the silver plating intact.

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ANTIQUESMITHS
LM1300 SWHF425

Not sure if this will work Mike. Very nice.

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James Redfield
LM #497

Kool James, my file photos are correctly orientated but the forum image was off by 90 degrees. Thanks.

I know you didn't ask, but the 1st, 1st, 2nd (#2 from top) doesn't have much finish remaining but there is enough on the top of the barrel rib to indicate a full plate in silver on that revolver. The S&W barrel markings are faint at best and the silver plating pretty much fills them.

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Mike Maher #283

Oh Mike. You had to go posting a photo with every variant of the Model 1, 1st Issue. Now I'm all giddy and trembling with excitement ...

Mike

Anyone that can amass a collection of all the variances of 1st, 1st's has been working on it for some time. I'm envious. I have more 1 1/2's than I do #1's.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Hang on. Before everyone gets too excited; the top revolver is a second type. I had the opportunity to purchase a 1st type but the crazy money being asked was more than I would pay for the presence of a reduced diameter cylinder pin as that is the only difference between the 1st type and the 2nd type.

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Mike Maher #283

Mike, not to be too nit-picky, but there's actually a lot more that changed between the 1st and 2nd variants.

John Kountz's April 1956 article in "The Gun Report" goes into exhaustive detail about this, and I believe this is the first time that the six variants were clearly detailed in print (Herschel Logan wrote about 1st issue variations in 1948, but he only counted three or four variants at that time). Kountz notes that in the first variant, the gun had a full floating recoil shield (in other words, it rotated with the cylinder), whereas the second variant had a stationary recoil shield.

I don't have a 1-1-1 in my collection, but I can confirm that the 1-1-2 I have has a stationary shield.

Mike

Mike, the recoil shields of the first five types rotate with the cylinder. The sixth type had a stationery recoil shield as part of the frame. Not sure; am I missing the point?

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Mike Maher #283

I'll look at my 1st Issues tonight ... now you've got me doubting myself.

I'll pull out Kountz's article tonight and give it a re-read as well.

Mike

It's also worth noting that there is, technically, a seventh variant of the first issue Model 1. I have in my notes that there were a few 6th variant guns produced that had the solid one piece hammer and the split spring under the barrel stop that would be found in the Model 1, 2nd Issue. Kountz shows an illustration of serial number 10424 in his article as evidence of this.

Mike

Mike, two questions to continue my education into S&W antiques.

1. How does that model 1 side plate come off? The photos are small but even enlarged I cannot tell if that is a screw in the center of the round plate.

2. Your fourth, fifth and sixth issues appear to be plated whereas the first three appear to be half and half. Was the half and half blue and silver or blue and nickel or some other configuration?

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James Redfield
LM #497

James, there is a screw in the center of that tiny side plate. One of the production snags was that the side plate was so small as to make it very difficult to assemble the innards. The assembly of these revolvers was a "cottage industry" with a "per piece" payment for a completed revolver. I have heard that these were generally assembled by women because they had smaller fingers than us clumsy, fat-fingered men. I don't know the truth to that statement.

The "standard" finish was a blue barrel and cylinder and silver plated frame. From observation; nickel became available about the time of the 4th Type.

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Mike Maher #283