How common is a 5" barrel on the New Model #3? Like the look of the short barreled single actions.

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Mark

Yes, the 5" is a sweetie, so are the 7-8 inch barrels.

Post a picture of the top of barrel showing the entire length of the Barrel and roll print. Check to see that all parts numbers match including the barrel number which is located in the recessed area of the rear of the barrel, visible with the latch raised. You may need a q-tip to clean the recessed areas.

Serial numbers should be on the butt, on the face of the cylinder, on the bottom side of the latch and on rear end the barrel in the recessed area should all match. Also SN should be "scribed" into the back side of the right grip.

For the caliber to be stamped in to the side of the barrel, if all the numbers match, it was likely near the end of the run of the NM3s, e.g. 1898 to 1908.

Congrats and hope it all matches. Best Regards, Sal Raimondi

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ANTIQUESMITHS
LM1300 SWHF425

My answer is I don't know. That leaves guessing, and I'd guess 6 1/2 comes in first---followed by 5----followed by 8----and it isn't followed very closely by 8. Then you can take your pick of the remaining options.

Way back when I knew even less I figured 6 1/2 was pretty much it, and the rest of what the book said was correct enough----just as rare as hens' teeth. Then I saw a display of Jim Supica's, and came away thinking pretty much the same thing, but I'd at least seen some of the others. And if it was me asking, that's who I'd be asking. See if you can get his attention with a PM, and we'll see what's what.

Ralph Tremaine

In the last 20 years I have seen 3) 5" and 1) 4" in person

Out of curiosity, I ran the numbers from SWCA database. I found 4", 5", 6", 6.5", 7", 7.5", 8", and a couple odd-balls. Almost 200 entries total with the following breakdown:

7% . . . 4"
6% . . . 5"
5% . . . 6"
71%. . 6.5"
6% . . . 7"
2.50% 7.5"
2.50% . 8"

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Gary
SWCA 2515

My one and only #3 was a 5in bbl target sighted edition in 44cal.
It shipped at the end of Dec in 1915 according to the letter.

Sold it of course!

Yeah, but you didn't sell it to me---and God will get you for that---sooner or later He'll get you!!

Ralph Tremaine

The numbers all match on the frame, cylinder, latch, and the barrel. The stocks even have the right serial number. It has the single line address.

Gary, thanks for crunching the numbers from the database. Would not have guessed the 6" barrel is less common than the 5" or 4".

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Mark

I had my eye on this same NM3. What gave me a bit of pause was the condition, the barrel numbers (photo misfocused and not all warm & fuzzy about the alignment of the numbers although none of the barrel numbers are flat and even on any of them) and not quite sure about the placement of the roll stamp atop the barrel even though it "lettered" as a 5".

Most likely it is correct, it's just that I have a bit of an OCD complex about the condition on these old Model 3s.

Smith & Wesson New model 3 44 Russian 5in NO RES - Antique Guns at GunBroker.com : 843991122

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ANTIQUESMITHS
LM1300 SWHF425

With regards to the shipping destination in the letter, Fuller-Cook Hardware Company was at 410 Travis Street in Houston, Texas.