As discussed in Ralph's post in another thread, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd models were available in three barrel lengths, with the 10" most common and the 6" and 8" less so.



However, there was a much scarcer, not cataloged variation of the 3rd model with a 3" barrel.



Bob

What caliber is is the 3 inch gun, kind of cool looking, I too have a thing for oddball guns, although I'll bet many are cringing from looking at it.

That one appears to be a special purpose, like a hideaway or assassin's gun ... an experienced assassin's gun with one shot.

What's the story on that one ? Are you stating it letters as such ?

__________________
ANTIQUESMITHS
LM1300 SWHF425

Hello red, are there any barrel markings at all? Is the grip also shortened?
Also a grip cap applied? A top pic of the barrel would be helpful, pls.

__________________
Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

This is a special---made to order only for those who consistently shoot possibles in the 50 yard slow fire matches. Those who don't shoot possibles banded together, and petitioned the U.S.R.A. for a "performance adjustment". That went like this: Make the good guys shoot at 75 yards so the rest of us don't get our feelings hurt----oh, and give trophies to everybody.

The U.S.R.A. responded, saying it sounded like a good idea; but that many facilities could not accommodate the 75 yard distance, and floated the idea of a shorter pistol rather than a longer range. This caught on, and spread quickly---right up until it was learned those who could shoot possibles with long barrel guns can shoot possibles with pretty much anything.

And then and there was born this tried and true saying: "If you can't run with the big dogs, you best stay on the porch."

Ralph Tremaine

Hello --=--
I am the one who started the other thread regarding a 2nd Model Single Shot .22 Caliber.
The one that I am referring in that thread looks exactly like the middle one in the first picture (not exactly, yours looks WAY better). The oddity is that it has a butt stock style brass plate mounted to the base of the hard rubber stocks. Could not find any information on that so assume that it was added by a previous owner perhaps. Not a bad job on the addition as there are no tooling marks at all.
Thank you red9 for the information and post.
mike

Amended / Revised. I looked at your other post AFTER I replied about the screw holes described.

That is called a finish plate ( as shown in other thread), obviously not an "ornamental" addition as in some elegant show pistols. In that instance I agree with Ralph, likely for a removable extension stock which does not resemble a factory S&W optional, extension stock, addition. It's, almost assuredly, an after-marked / gunsmith, add-on. The slot should be dove-tailed and likely a threaded screw hole in the butt for a thumbscrew.

Other than that you've shown (in your other post) screw holes found in the base / bottom of these type of stocks:

I've seen grips stocks of this type with 2, small diameter, screw threads into the bottom of the grips, a few times in the past. THESE types os screw holes were used for an identification or club tag that the owners applied after if left the factory. Some where rather simple like stamped rack number tag, others were the owner's custom tag with name and a number, that target shooters did to mark their guns for competition matches. This is a very simple method compared to the markings Walter Winans had engraved onto each of his target handguns.

In THIS instance (of name, ID or club tag) you'll usually find (when encountered) 2 screw holes in the bottom of the grips and (of those I've found) always has one hole in each grips half. One set I recently purchased were gutta percha or hard rubber (not sure yet) patent date 1892, has one hole on on grip half and the other directly on the seam of the 2 grip halves. Other than those 2 holes and the escutcheons missing, they are the prettiest pair I've seen in a dogs age.

I was going to ask Joe Cebull if he could take a look at them for me, or, I will fill the two holes with a paste made from the sanded dust of an identical (ruined / junk) set to make a paste with some mild clear lacquer, mixed to a putty type consistency, then do a 800 grit wet/dry (wet) followed by a 1200 grit wet/dry (wet), then a light buff should make the repair either invisible of nearly invisible.

The grips (stocks) on the 1891s, when manufactured now, were thin at the back strap, Over the years from shooting or "time" and / or temperature changes from the seasons, freezing to summer, usually finish off the back strap are where they just flake and chip off at the back strap.

It figures that over the 120 years PLUS since first manufactured, they stood up rather well over the test of time for what was, essentially, a new-fangled substance which eventually evolved or helped in the evolution of "plastics".

__________________
ANTIQUESMITHS
LM1300 SWHF425

What is a club tag? What club are you shooting that hacksaw job at? Pic of the top of the barrel? Well, yes, two screws to attach the plate?

__________________
Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

See amended response. His (after I saw the pictures) look like a heavy finish plate for a aftermarket extension stock.

Name tags, ID tags and Club tags were thin, usually brass, plates added to the bottom of the butt, on the stocks with 2 small screws.

Some had names, some had just a number (like you might see a rack / shelf number) which may have been for an owner to quickly identify the gun as his and / or what it was, at a glance. A very simple way of identifying that gun.

In the old shooting clubs the Club had more than one of the same types of guns, so a plate affixed to he butt identified which one was borrowed or rented by whom at a glance.

Walter Winans invented his own, perfected method of doing this by having in engraved into the rear strap and above the behind the hammer, to identify caliber and even how he finds it shoot with a punch dot in or near a quadrant of his + emblem in the back to remind him how the target guns hits or how to best aim it.

__________________
ANTIQUESMITHS
LM1300 SWHF425

"Are you stating it letters as such?"

No; I decided that Roy would probably be laughing or crying too much to type.

"What caliber is is the 3 inch gun"

Unfortunately, standard 22LR.

"are there any barrel markings at all?"

Only an "N" on the left side, as in "SMITH & WESSON"

"Is the grip also shortened?"

No, they had to leave something unaltered.


"Also a grip cap applied?"

Yes, ivory to give it some class.

"A top pic of the barrel would be helpful"

No pic at the moment. No sign of welding; it appears that the front sight was raised by beating on the rib.

Mike - I will comment in your thread.

Bob

Thank you red9.

It occurs to me (belatedly) the bore would be off center---not concentric with the exterior of the barrel at the muzzle. Is it---enough to see?

Ralph Tremaine

"It occurs to me (belatedly) the bore would be off center---not concentric with the exterior of the barrel at the muzzle. Is it---enough to see?"

C'mon, Ralph. You can spare one to amputate and see for yourself. As you can see in the picture, a hacksaw works fine.

Hello red9, I want that rare gun. Send me a PM and lets talk! Mike

__________________
Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

Okay---that's off center a bunch!! As much trouble as I have visualizing this sort of thing, I probably should quit while I'm ahead; but I'm guessing this started life as a 6". Agreed, or do I have it backwards?

Ralph Tremaine

Backwards. The shorter the barrel, the less distance for the bore to center. Therefore, at any given distance from the breech the bore will be higher.

Another factor: I like oddball guns, but even I would have a hard time accepting someone doing that to an original 6" third model.

Bob

This is as close as I’m liable to get to owning one of those- an unusual Heiser shoulder holster for a 10” model. It’s lettered,too.
Regards,
turnerriver

__________________
turnerriver

Dang ! I have two old Triumph (iirc) scabbards that I thought were long but neither are THAT long nor THAT pretty. NICE !! Sal

__________________
ANTIQUESMITHS
LM1300 SWHF425

Looks like someone tried to make a "Fitz special" out of that SS but forgot to remove the hammer spur, too.