Hello,

I have a .44 Double Action First Model with serial number 51, inherited from my Grandfather in very good conditions and I wanted to know the aproximately value of this piece of art.

Thanks in advance for your help.

what kind of question is that? Absolutely!! Family connection, Lettered, looks to be in excellent condition. Good grief man, YES.

ser 51 are you kidding me. thats so cool. great gun. keep it in the family.

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George Jamison

DITTO

Thank you for your replies, I don´t have any intention to sell it, I love this gun.

I am just trying to have an aproximately value for insurance purposes.

Whew! Good. You worried me there for a second. Again, get in touch with Jim.

Really nice piece!! Low number, family history, nice condition. The only thing I see that's off is that the grips aren't original. (per the letter). However, they look like they've been on there a long time so, were it mine, I wouldn't replace them as Grandad may have been the one to change them out.

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Dean
SWCA #680 SWHF #446

Wow!

That's some piece of history. I sure would keep it!

Best,

Michael

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N-Frame-itis THERE IS NO CURE!

Is it just a really dark picture, or has it been blued? If it's blued, and based on what the condition looks to be in the pictures, I would put it at less than $1,000. It's obviously got pitting and it looks like it's been buffed. Again, hard to tell a whole lot from a picture.
There are some collectors who like low serial numbers, but I don't see it adding a huge premium. Just a little. I could be wrong, though.
BTW, I've got a blue one just like it that left the factory in 1897. It shoots great!
Chris

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Chris
SWCA #2243 SWHF #292

Thats what I was thinking. Sure looks like it is a blue finish, still a very solid looking example. Any star or other marks on the frame that would indicate a factory refinish?

The problem with trying to put a value, even for insurance purposes, on this is that it cannot be replaced. You will not find another like it lettered to your grandfather.

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Pace

I miss that detail in the letter, the finish is blue but I think this finish is the original.

Is there a chance that the factory made a mistake?

The first thing I noticed, in the pictures, is that the hammer and
trigger appear to be blued. The next thing I noticed is that the
letter says it was a nickel gun originally. The factory would not
have made a mistake, but the letter might be incorrect - although I
would bet heavily against that. If the hammer and trigger are really
blued, then of course its been refinished. Even if they are not,
its been refinished, as far as I would be concerned.

Generally, we avoid questioning the letters .

Being refinished, its monetary value is not all that high. However,
as a family heirloom, it should have a lot of importance to you.

Later, Mike Priwer

I think the original finish for these pieces called for blued trigger guards with case color hammers and triggers - even on nickeled examples. I once had number 109 finished that way and that has been the case for most I've seen. In fact if I were to see nickel finished pieces with matching trigger guards and hammers, I would pass as refinished. The low number would probably add a little to the value, but it's greatest benefit is the probability of speeding a sale to someone otherwise on the fence. I would be more concerned with the replaced grips, but since you aren't selling this great family piece, that isn't an issue.

I wish my grandfather had purchased one!

Hello,

Thanks to all for all your comments.

Specially, I think that the gun wasn't refinished, I think that the finish is the original one, I don't know if the letter was wrong. The grips are now wooden (they look very old) so I think that those grips look good on the gun...

Does anyone know where can I find ammo to fire the gun?

regards,

Niccolo

FYI, NEVER EVER EVER shoot smokeless powder in this gun!! No matter what any gunshop "expert" says. Shoot only BLACKPOWDER rounds in it. I will assume you do not reload BP cartridges so I will point you to a vendor who sells some. Remember, if you do shoot BP rounds then you need to scrupulously clean the gun afterwards with soap & warm water and then lube generously after drying everything with towels & patches. On another note, look down the bore for if it is pitted then you are just wasting your time to shoot it as the barrel will lead ASAP and accuracy will go to hell in a handbasket.

Track of the Wolf - .44 Russian Black Powder Ammunition, 205 grain RNFP soft lead bullet, 50 per box, Goex Black Dawge Center Fire Cartridges

I'm sorry folks, but while the family history and the low serial number are certainly attractive attributes, the atrocious refinishing job is the kiss of death! Are you sure you want to spend your hard earned dollars on insurance premiums for that?!

Let me put it another way------------- if you saw that at a gun show, would you even slow down, much less pick it up to look at it?!!

Given that it's grandpappy's pistol, there is certainly every reason to keep it----------lest you get in big trouble like I did! I inherited an S&W "New Departure" model of one sort or another from my grandfather. At the time (young and not really stupid---but), I didn't know the first thing about them (and still don't). It was flat mint------with pearl grips (factory)----and a SIX INCH BARREL! I had a lot of trouble trying to figure out why anybody in their right mind would put a 6" barrel on a double action only, "Belly Gun"-----not only double action only, but with a fearsome hard trigger pull to boot! I thought the purpose of having a gun, especially a gun with a loooooong barrel on it, was to be able to hit something with it. So I took it to my friendly neighborhood gunsmith and told him to whack the barrel off. I mean, if you can't hit anything with it anyway, what's the point of carrying all that iron around with you?!! He did a great job!!

Then my father found about it. You don't want to hear any more.

Ralph Tremaine

P.S. I vote for a value of less than $1,000----way less than $1,000-------way, way less!

I've used the policy of trying to estimate a future value any "collectible" when buying insurance. This old Smith may be worth less than $1000 now, but what will it be worth 5 years, 10 years from now. Even though we might intend to keep our insurance policies "updated", most of us don't do it. So the value assigned to the item when it is included in a policy is usually the value that stays with it until the policy is updated maybe 5 to 10 years out (or likely never). In the case of some collectibles, this may not be the true value at the time of loss. Unless a motherload of these is discovered somewhere, the replacement value will undoubtedly increase.

Niccolo,

Why does the finish look blue in some pictures and buffed no nickel in the barrel picture. It would be almost impossible to determine a value from these pics!!
Being that so many of us took a look... could you do some better pictures for us?

Thanks!
Terry

Definitely a refinish. It's obvious to anyone who knows these guns.
In the marketplace worth considerably less than $1000.
That said, it is an interesting piece that you have a family connection with. I'd be proud to own it if it were passed down to me.

Thank you for the information of the ammo, I will buy a few. The bore is perfect so I think I will not have any problem shooting a few rounds with it.

I think you need a poll on whether your gun was refinished?? As far as I can tell from your pictures, you have a gun that came from the factory with a nickel finish and was re-blued at some point in its life. You might check under the grips and behind the side-plate for evidence of nickel. No gun left the factory with a blued trigger and hammer, as those were all case-hardened. Those parts normally turn to a straw color with use and age, but will never look dark like yours do and will never have a matching finish to the rest of the gun.

What you have is a great family heirloom that should be appreciated for what it is, a very nice refinished gun that your grandfather may have had refinished after the nickel started flaking off.

Niccolo, Your gun was manufactured on May 16, 1881, as a nickel plated gun with black hard rubber grips. It was shipped June 22, 1881, in the same configuration. It is clear from the photos the gun was refinished at some time in the past, after it left the factory. It's market value is $500 to $750 range, as a shooter, and that you can insure. It's sentimental value as a family heirloom is priceless and not insurable. Ed.

I'd go with about $700. I have about a dozen S&W .44 DA top breaks. Not as many up for auction as couple years ago.

About smokeless powder cautions --- I wrote to S&W asking about use of smokeless in their old revolvers. In reply from Smith & Wesson, Roy Jinks, Feb 17, 2011, he attached a copy of a 1909 S&W publication that guarantees their arms when used with factory loaded smokeless. I take them at their word and shoot smokeless, usually cowboy. Practical evidence of my own is, as a kid 1930s, I had a Schofield that someone had machined off the cylinder so it would shoot .45 Auto Rims. I shot it a lot at then 5 cents a round. Anything a gun would breech, we shot.