What do I have here? Guy said it is 44SW cal. Don't know much about these older guns. He wants $1500 for it.

Thx

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You have a model 3 Smith & Wesson. Either an American or first model Russian depending on the caliber.

That price seems almost too good to be true.

Edit. Of course I cannot see from one picture if there are any problems with the gun.

I belive that even the experts that will soon chime in can't either. But they will ask you the "right" questions.

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Expect the unexpected

I’d have bought it yesterday, if I wasn’t currently broke of play money. I’m trying to save up for the new impending replica if this very gun from Cimarron in .44 Special and it’ll probably be more than a grand. unless experts here point out something I don’t know, grab it!

I would have bought it yesterday. If only it was here.

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Expect the unexpected

Only thing wrong that I can see is the top latch will not stay down. Guessing a spring out in it and the cylinder stop is worn down. The cylinder will spin. Other than that, it looks like a nice old gun. Guess I will run back up to the shop and pick it up.

I remember they guy saying he thought it was a 3rd American model.

That is one butt ugly ole gun. $1500 in USD? Thats crazy.
In a caliber you cant even buy anymore. Put it to rest, it deserves it.

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

$1500 is somewhere in the ball park, IF the faults you mention can be repaired and the gun is otherwise in good mechanical condition. The cylnder is supposed to spin in this model, so that's not a defect. Is it center fire or rimfire ? Caliber is probably either 44 American or .44 Russian. What's the serial number ? if the stocks are original, then the back side of the right stock will have the same number on it as appears on the butt. How's the bore ? The barrel, cylinder and frame should have an assembly code stamped on them and if these parts are original, then the code will match on all three. Look on the frame under the stocks, on the back of the cylinder and on the rear of the barrel between the "ears." Ed.

Bore looks good. It does need work on the hand. It is centerfire. Serial number is 29XXX. I'll pull the grips and take a look at the number. Appears that it was nickle at one time.

If the charge holes are bored through it's, I think, in .44 American. If there is a step it would be .44 Russian.

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Expect the unexpected

"The cylnder is supposed to spin in this model, so that's not a defect.". To clarify Ed's statement: the cylinder will spin freely when the hammer is in the half-cock notch. Otherwise the cylinder is latched; hammer down or hammer at full-cock.

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Mike Maher #283

It does not look like it was nickeled to me.
Blued

To be honest. Neither to me. But I dont have all the facts, just the one picture.

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Expect the unexpected

It’s a model 3 for sure, but not one of the original US contract models. I would have thought it’d be worth more than $1,500, but I’m no authority. I’m hoping my US contract model’s worth more than $1,500.

With a serial number in the 29XXX range, it's most likely caliber .44S&W Russian and you will see a step in the charge holes, as mentioned above. Mike is correct in his explanation of my statement that the cylinder spins freely in this model. Ed.