Dont think S&W, its a copy of some description, the cylinder locking lug recess is just straight, S&W had a taper cut on the cylinder before the lock-up recess, allowing the bolt to rise gently against the cylinder before final lock-up. Its based on the Russian 3rd model. Absent barrel markings etc are certainly not S&W. Perhaps a Spanish copy. The German company Ludwig Lowe produced this and earlier models for the Russians, however they were much more faithful copies of the S&W produced revolvers. The different blue between frame and barrel assy is also a worry. If it was a Smith, all the main assemblies would carry the same serial number, frame/barrel/grips/cylinder. As well as their legend on the barrel rib. Serial numbers only were used on the Russian contract guns, no assy numbers, from about early 1872. Therefore any assembley numbers indicate a non S&W produced item. In this era assy numbers eventually became obsolete when the Schofield was manufactured in approx 1878, they were then as Russian contract guns parts serialised with the serial number, hope this helps.
Any rejected Russian contract guns would have had the Russian barrel markings ground-off and English markings re-stamped.
One interesting item mentioned is the letter P, this was a Russian acceptance mark, so make what you will of that. It was used long before the 3rd model contract though. So is somewhat confusing. It does not usually appear after the first Russian contract guns bearing the straight frame without the trigger pin reinforce.
Further info can be obtained by getting a copy of Pates book The S&W American model. Full of information.
Last edited by Ballarat; 06-05-2011 at 07:35 AM.
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