How many of you are shooting your New Model 3s?

[Teddydog]

Or other antique .44s (don't want to exclude the Americans, Russians and Schofields)?

I have one that I bought 6 or 7 years ago when I was still actively doing CAS. I have never fired it, though. It is in .44 Russian and has the 6.5" barrel. No finish. When I bought it, it had just been "fixed" to full mechanical function, but I have found that the hand protrudes a little too much at half-cock and I have to drop the hammer fully to get the barrel closed without binding on the hand.

Anyway...I was just wondering how many owners of these actually shoot them, either regularly or occasionally? I assume that I should stick with black powder handloads if I do shoot it.

rob

 

[mxbob]

I shoot my antiques, not a lot but I do enjoy it. I do not use black powder but very mild smokless loads. If I don't feel a gun is shootable I pass it along with the admonition that it is a non shooter.
Bob Ray 1815

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

Yes, I shoot both my New Model #3, and my 44 DA. They are both chambered for 44 Russian. I shoot them in CAS matches. Not all the time, but I didn't buy them to look at them. I only shoot the Double Action at local matches where they will allow me to, since it is not a single action revolver.

I only shoot them with Black Powder, I am a firm believer in what Dave Chicoine says about shooting Top Breaks with Smokeless, even light loads.

 

[Thuer]

I do shoot my New Model 3 only with Black Powder. These guns are intend to shoot Black Powder. Nitro wasnt invent yet.
I do use only 18 grains of Blackpowder.
The .44 Russian is an very accurate cartridge.

 

[2152hq]

I've never shot mine.
A target sighted 44Russian cal w/a 5" bbl in nickle.
Everything letters and it's in beautiful condition. Shipped in late Dec. 1915.
Just hate the thought of something happening to it.
..and I'm usually not like that. I shoot everything else I have and I've never owned any 'safe queens' aside from this one.
Just a special revolver to me I guess..

 

[Teddydog]

I do shoot my New Model 3 only with Black Powder. These guns are intend to shoot Black Powder. Nitro wasnt invent yet.
I do use only 18 grains of Blackpowder.
The .44 Russian is an very accurate cartridge.

Hmmm... I would not think 18 gr would even come close to filling the case. Do you use a filler? My understanding is that BP cartridges should have no air space, or be compressed.

Rob

 

[Thuer]

Yes I do use a filler. Dont laugh I use Maroc Couscous to fill the space.
It works well with me.

 

[Teddydog]

Yes I do use a filler. Dont laugh I use Maroc Couscous to fill the space.
It works well with me.

Ah. When I cook up reduced BP loads, I use Malt-O-Meal or Cream-O-Wheat in my recipes.

Rob

 

[Thuer]

If that stuff fill up the space between powder and bullet and dousn't burn it is alright. When the light is alright on my balcony I shall make a new picture of my New Model 3. I considre this revolver as one of the most beautiful Smith and Wesson revolvers.

 

[Thuer]

2152hg. Your New Model 3 is a realy beuatifull Target Model.
Take good care of it.

 

[rhmc24]

I have a New #3 target model .44 Russian about 50% out EXC in, lettered shipped 1896 to Gastinne - Renette, Paris. I bought in in France in 1950 in a used furniture shop for $18. I also have a DA that I reamed from .44 Russ to shoot .44 Specials. I shoot both with off the shelf ammo.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

"Hmmm... I would not think 18 gr would even come close to filling the case. Do you use a filler? My understanding is that BP cartridges should have no air space, or be compressed.

Rob"

Howdy

Actually, 18 grains will come pretty close to filling the 44 Russian case. The 44 Russian is not a very big case, it does not have a whole lot of powder capacity. Of course, the powder capacity depends on what bullet you use and how deep it sits in the case when fully seated. I load 44 Russian with a special Black Powder 200 grain bullet. My normal load is 1.3CC of Schuetzen FFg. This is about 19.5 grains. When my bullet is seated, the powder is compressed by about 1/8", which is just about ideal.

I have also experimented with a lighter load that I made a custom dipper for. This load turns out to be only about 17.75 grains of Schuetzen FFg. It requires no filler, the bullet compresses the powder by about 1/16". I experimented with this load because my New Model Number Three shoots very high. I was trying to reduce recoil a bit with the lighter load, so it would not shoot quite so high. It turns out most of the old #3 revolvers shot high. I eventually went back to the 19.5 grain load and just remember to hold low on the target. I also shoot the same load in my DA 44.

The attached photo should give some idea of how small the powder capacity of the 44 Russian round really is. Left to right in the photo the rounds are 44-40, 44 Special, 44 Russian, 44 American, 44 Henry, 45 Schofield, and 45 Colt. I regularly put about 33 grains or so of Schuetzen FFg into 44-40 and 45 Colt, the exact amount depending on what brand of powder I am using. This amount also compresses about 1/8" when the bullet is seated. I put 1.9CC of FFg into the 45 Schofield case. With Schuetzen FFg that comes to about 28.4 grains. Don't forget, modern solid head cases do not have as much case capacity as the old balloon head cases did. I always attempt to compress the powder by between 1/16" - 1/8" with all my Black Powder loads. The powder charges I have mentioned do just that.

 

[rhmc24]

My Two Shooters

Here are pix of mine per entry above. The DA I got with no finish but good mechanics and good bore so I reamed it to shoot .44 Specials and dolled it up a bit.