I purchased this 6.5" double action recently off a fellow forum member. The jinks letter that came with it states that it was shipped in 1881 to M.W Robinson in a bath of twenty like it - but it seems to have a new model 3 barrel (look at the protrusion under the barrel near the hinge, it's longer)

It also has a 6 digit number next to the barrel patents - 748005, any idea what this means?

Finally, there is no serial on the butt, I'm guessing that someone removed it and refinished it? I read somewhere that they were occasionally left un-stamped.

If anyone has any ideas I would be very grateful if they could post them here, cheers!

Hi Dan,
I believe the Barrel on your Revolver to be the Original even though it looks to have a slightly longer Extractor Housing than is generally seen!! This is a Very Early Double-Action and I have seen this variation on other Early ones I've encountered in the past as well!! It "Does" have the Correct Barrel Address & Patent Markings so I wouldn't consider it to have been changed!! Does the Barrel have the Serial Number stamped on the underside of the Barrel Catch & on the Barrel between the Ears?? If so,it's definitely the Original Barrel!! As far as the Number Stamping on the Barrel Rib,it is not Original & has been applied at a later time for some unknown reason to me!! The other Unknown is the Reason why the Serial Number was removed and/or forgotten on the Butt of the Revolver which I believe it may have been judging by the photo you provided!! You can also see that the Grip may have been slightly modified as well!! Have you removed the Grips yet & checked to see if the Serial Number may have been stamped underneath them?? I've also seen this done by the Factory from time to time on Early Large Frames!! Let us know what you find & we'll go from there!! A couple more photos of the areas in question might help as well!!

Take Care!!

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Masterpiece

Here are pix of one of my DAs. There seems to be a difference. I have several of these DAs and all the pix I have in the computer, they are all the same. I will check the actual guns and see if there is a difference in 44-40 vs 44 Russ and report later.

Thanks for the detailed response; yes it does have serials on the latch and the barrel ear (in fact this is the only serial left on the gun! The one on the cylinder has been removed I think) this is how the letter was obtained by the prior owner, so it must be original I guess.

I removed the grips and sure enough there is a '2430' scratched into the left plate by hand. I will post more pictures tomorrow of the 'extractor housing' as I should have known it was called..

My lowest s/n .44 Russ is 35xx, with short cylinder. Lowest s/n .44-40 is 22xx. Both same at the barrel position just fwd of hinge point.

Is it possible that the longer extractor housing was only on the early 6.5" barreled DAs? Maybe they had not re-tooled sufficiently in the first year?

Here's my 6.5" .44-40 for comparison. This one also shipped to MW Robinson. Shipped in 1896. The ejector housing is also short. I've never seen one that looks like the OPs gun before.

Howdy

Here is a photo of my DA 44. 6 1/2" barrel. SN 24XX. Caliber 44 Russian. Shipped October 1881.

The ejector housing seems to be similar to yours. Yes, the frame, barrel, cylinder and barrel latch all bear the same SN.

No, the front sight is not original.

Attached Images

NewFrontSight.jpg (46.1 KB, 70 views)

driftwood - your DA seems to be in the same configuration as mine, not surprising seeing as the serials are so close. This furthers my idea that S&W was using stock barrels from their SA model for the 6.5" guns in the early production era.

Any ideas about what the number on the top could be? Maybe a guard/prison/police issue gun of some sort? It looks like it was stamped a while back. Thanks for your input

Dan,
I believe you'll find that this slightly longer Extractor Housing will only be found on the Early Lg-Frame Double-Action Top-Breaks!! The "Key" to it's authenticity as being an "Original" Double-Action Barrel is the Barrel Address & Patent Information!! This Stamping was only used on Lg-Frame Double-Action Top-Breaks and Early 32 & 38 Double-Action Top-Breaks!! And as you well know the 32 & 38 Barrels will not interchange on a Large Frame!!

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Masterpiece

Here are a DA .44-40 and a New 3rd, it shipped in 1896.

Howdy Again

Here is my New Model Number Three, shipped August 15th 1882. The extractor housing is pretty short.

Attached Images

myNewModelNumberThree.jpg (57.8 KB, 63 views)