date of production
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And #30261 (also NM #3 target) shipped October 18, 1896.
An interesting aside of trivia for the obsessive nit-pickers among us----------S&W produced 3,463 units of this model in 1896, and just over 3,000 of them were supplied to the Japanese government. Accordingly, I should think the value of a "domestic" NM #3 from 1896 should probably be increased from whatever it is to whatever it is plus a dollar and fifty cents-----or thereabouts.
Ralph Tremaine
An interesting aside of trivia for the obsessive nit-pickers among us----------S&W produced 3,463 units of this model in 1896, and just over 3,000 of them were supplied to the Japanese government. Accordingly, I should think the value of a "domestic" NM #3 from 1896 should probably be increased from whatever it is to whatever it is plus a dollar and fifty cents-----or thereabouts.
Ralph Tremaine
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Masterpiece
Member
Ralph,
Question, I'm a bit confused...(And Curious)...as to where you came up with the total of NM#3s produced in 1896 being only 3,463 given nearly 3,800 of them shipped to Japan during the course of that year...Not just over 3,000 as you stated...Hmmm??
Also...Not to confuse anyone further...The above Japanese Shipment Totals I mentioned include both Std. Configuration NM#3 Single-Action Revolvers plus the NM#3 Single-Action Frontiers that were converted from 44-40 to 44 Russian also shipped to Japan that year as well!!
Fair enough!!
I came up with 3,463 NM#3's produced in 1896 from Jinks' letter (of August 30, 2011) on my gun (#30261) from this sentence: "Smith & Wesson only produced 3,463 units of this model in 1896 of which just over 3,000 units were supplied to the Japanese Government."
Now, I suspect your confusion/curiosity may arise from the fact Jinks said "produced"----and you said "shipped". Perhaps the difference between the 3,800 units you mention and the 3,463 units Jinks cites were "produced" in 1895----or whenever---and then sat around gathering dust----as has been known to happen----from time to time.
Another possibility is Jinks regards the Frontier model you mentioned as separate and distinct from the everyday NM#3 model.
Bottom Line: You're asking the wrong guy. I collect (what I regard as) target guns. The NM#3 was the first of such, so I have the obligatory three of them (.44 Russian, 38/44, and 32/44). Beyond that, I don't know nothin' 'bout no antique S&W's----aside from a smattering of single shots. Jinks, on the other hand, has quite likely forgotten more than the rest of us know----all put together! So I'd ask him---unless you were just playing a little game of "gotcha"-----in which case--------
Ralph Tremaine
I came up with 3,463 NM#3's produced in 1896 from Jinks' letter (of August 30, 2011) on my gun (#30261) from this sentence: "Smith & Wesson only produced 3,463 units of this model in 1896 of which just over 3,000 units were supplied to the Japanese Government."
Now, I suspect your confusion/curiosity may arise from the fact Jinks said "produced"----and you said "shipped". Perhaps the difference between the 3,800 units you mention and the 3,463 units Jinks cites were "produced" in 1895----or whenever---and then sat around gathering dust----as has been known to happen----from time to time.
Another possibility is Jinks regards the Frontier model you mentioned as separate and distinct from the everyday NM#3 model.
Bottom Line: You're asking the wrong guy. I collect (what I regard as) target guns. The NM#3 was the first of such, so I have the obligatory three of them (.44 Russian, 38/44, and 32/44). Beyond that, I don't know nothin' 'bout no antique S&W's----aside from a smattering of single shots. Jinks, on the other hand, has quite likely forgotten more than the rest of us know----all put together! So I'd ask him---unless you were just playing a little game of "gotcha"-----in which case--------
Ralph Tremaine
Masterpiece
Member
Hi Ralph,
First of all, I assure you my question wasn't intended to be a "Gotcha" Question whatsoever...Just curious where you had heard there was such a Defined Production No. in a Specified Year...Thanks!!
That's the main reason I'd asked given "None" of My NM#3 Letters have ever had such information provided other than there were 35,769 NM#3 Std. Single-Action Revolvers...Which has been known for quite some time now!! Other than that the other Specific Models of them produced in total throughout all the years of production all had their own Specific Serial No. Ranges!!
And Yes, the NM#3 Single-Action Frontiers are considered to be a Model of their own & the only reason I brought them into the picture is the fact that mention was made of the amount of NM#3 Revolvers sent to Japan in 1896!!
I also was always under the impression that there is no realistic way of knowing just when all of these were produced by year since many of the records have been lost to time, How sporadically they were produced vs. shipped plus if the Floor Foreman's Logs for these even exist anymore given Roy's never made mention of them (Only Shipping Records)...And I've inquired numerous times in the past!!
Thanks again for taking the time to let me know where you heard and/or read it & like you said, possibly a call to Roy may reveal some new info previously unknown...Unlikely, But Possible!!
So be it! As is often the case, there's more to the story; and it may be of benefit to you and others who have funky letters for guns that deserve better.
I bought this gun about four years ago. It came with an old letter----from the 80's maybe. The letter was such that I, as diplomatically as possible, described it as "sparse" when I sent it in along with my request for a new letter. This gun has a "Russian style" hook trigger guard---and the hook is checkered. I figured there had to be more than "sparse" information available.
I was right, but the reason I was right speaks to your comment about records having "been lost to time". The records for this gun weren't lost to time, it's just that they were essentially illegible----until now---the second time around.
The new letter comes back thus: "This was a special order and the revolver was shipped with a 6.5 inch barrel equipped with a Paine front sight, adjustable target rear sights, special checkered Russian style trigger guard, blue finish, and checkered black hard rubber grips." It goes on----and this is the important part: "The computer enhanced records allowed us to to see that the date of shipment was the 18 of October rather than the 13 as listed in the Duffy letter."
Now, I don't necessarily know what "computer enhanced" means---nor do I care. What it means to me is the records can be read today, whereas yesterday they couldn't be read-----at least not very well. So any and all of you with "sparse" or otherwise funky letters may wish to throw a few bucks in an envelope----and try, try again. The worst that will happen is your money will be gone, and you won't have anything worthwhile to show for it. The good news is you'll get some some more money the day after that. The records are what they are----the only game in town! Money keeps coming.
Ralph Tremaine
I bought this gun about four years ago. It came with an old letter----from the 80's maybe. The letter was such that I, as diplomatically as possible, described it as "sparse" when I sent it in along with my request for a new letter. This gun has a "Russian style" hook trigger guard---and the hook is checkered. I figured there had to be more than "sparse" information available.
I was right, but the reason I was right speaks to your comment about records having "been lost to time". The records for this gun weren't lost to time, it's just that they were essentially illegible----until now---the second time around.
The new letter comes back thus: "This was a special order and the revolver was shipped with a 6.5 inch barrel equipped with a Paine front sight, adjustable target rear sights, special checkered Russian style trigger guard, blue finish, and checkered black hard rubber grips." It goes on----and this is the important part: "The computer enhanced records allowed us to to see that the date of shipment was the 18 of October rather than the 13 as listed in the Duffy letter."
Now, I don't necessarily know what "computer enhanced" means---nor do I care. What it means to me is the records can be read today, whereas yesterday they couldn't be read-----at least not very well. So any and all of you with "sparse" or otherwise funky letters may wish to throw a few bucks in an envelope----and try, try again. The worst that will happen is your money will be gone, and you won't have anything worthwhile to show for it. The good news is you'll get some some more money the day after that. The records are what they are----the only game in town! Money keeps coming.
Ralph Tremaine
Masterpiece
Member
Ralph,
Appreciate the Update!! Sounds as though it may just be worth my while trying again on a few of them...Especially if I stumble across a Big Wad of Benjamins in the future that I don't know what to do with...given more than a few of my Letters date from the Late-70's & Early to Mid-80's...Thanks Again!!
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s&w model 36 serial number dateig
I need some help dating my Smith and Wesson model 36 the serial number is j34642 the dare and value would be appreciated
I need some help dating my Smith and Wesson model 36 the serial number is j34642 the dare and value would be appreciated
DWalt
Member
I suspect that "computer enhanced" means that the original documents are scanned or photographed and processed by various digital manipulations to enhance legibility. Lots of old paper records are very faded and the paper has aged to brown. Cop TV shows seem to do this sort of thing a lot.
I have scanned many old faded family photographs, some from the 19th century, and used Photoshop to restore them to far better condition - not necessarily making them look like they were taken yesterday, but sometimes very close.
I have scanned many old faded family photographs, some from the 19th century, and used Photoshop to restore them to far better condition - not necessarily making them look like they were taken yesterday, but sometimes very close.
DWalt
Member
1969-1970 = J1 - J99999
Value depends upon condition and we can't know that.
In the future, it's best to not hijack someone else's thread. Start a new one with your questions.
