Tinker Pearce
Member
I've picked this up today. Nice gun chambered in .44 Russian. Serial number is 18500. Was curious if I could get a ballpark estimate of when it was made?
.44 Double Action 1st Model(?)
- Thread starter Tinker Pearce
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StrawHat
SWCA Member
Decent looking revolver. As to when? Well that will take someone more knowledgeable than me to tell. I know it was built before they discontinued that model but not how much before.
Kevin
Kevin
Late 1800's to early 1900's. What do you want from me? It's a big ballpark!
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The frames were all made pre-1899 so they are considered an antique.
They were sold until 1913 and not in SN order (as typical with S & W); it 'probably' shipped sometime in the late 1880s to early 1890s but only a letter of authenticity will tell you the date.
http://www.swhistoricalfoundation.com/swhf_letter.pdf
They were sold until 1913 and not in SN order (as typical with S & W); it 'probably' shipped sometime in the late 1880s to early 1890s but only a letter of authenticity will tell you the date.
http://www.swhistoricalfoundation.com/swhf_letter.pdf
Most likely the late 1880s. Ship dates range from 1884 to 1889 in your serial number range. These guns apparently were not the most popular model out there, so inventory would have been high and S&Ws were never shipped in serial number order.
Never understood why the official name was given as a 44 Double Action, "1st Model" since there was no 2nd Model made. I just call them 44 Russian Double Action revolvers. Of course, there was a Frontier Model which was a 44 WCF and a 44 DA Favorite, which was a lightened frame/cylinder/barrel model, but neither were given a 2nd Model designation. Just an oddball name selection I guess. Here is my 44 WCF for comparison of the cylinder length to yours.
These were big revolvers. Not as large as the early Model 3 American or Russian Models, but still big frame top-break revolvers. I also added an image of one compared to a 32 DA. The 32 is very similar to the 44, and hard to distinguish if photographed alone. Only the short cylinder on the little 32 DA allows for easy identification.
Never understood why the official name was given as a 44 Double Action, "1st Model" since there was no 2nd Model made. I just call them 44 Russian Double Action revolvers. Of course, there was a Frontier Model which was a 44 WCF and a 44 DA Favorite, which was a lightened frame/cylinder/barrel model, but neither were given a 2nd Model designation. Just an oddball name selection I guess. Here is my 44 WCF for comparison of the cylinder length to yours.
These were big revolvers. Not as large as the early Model 3 American or Russian Models, but still big frame top-break revolvers. I also added an image of one compared to a 32 DA. The 32 is very similar to the 44, and hard to distinguish if photographed alone. Only the short cylinder on the little 32 DA allows for easy identification.
Attachments
Roy Jinks book
I just found something in Roy Jinks Book: History of Smith & Wesson on page 131 & 132
The 44 Double Action was designed for the Russian Navy and was built on a modified Model 3 Frame. Since the New Model 3 Single action was known as the Army model, The Smith & Wesson Catalog of 1881 illustrated this model as the NEW MODEL NAVY No.3.
Since it was originally designed for the Russian Navy, D.B. Wesson kept the name alive.
Murph
I just found something in Roy Jinks Book: History of Smith & Wesson on page 131 & 132
The 44 Double Action was designed for the Russian Navy and was built on a modified Model 3 Frame. Since the New Model 3 Single action was known as the Army model, The Smith & Wesson Catalog of 1881 illustrated this model as the NEW MODEL NAVY No.3.
Since it was originally designed for the Russian Navy, D.B. Wesson kept the name alive.
Murph
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Exmilcop
Member
New Model 3 Navy
I got curious and looked in some early reproduction catalogs.
First and second photo are from the 1883 Smith & Wesson catalog.
The Third photo is from the 1887 M. Robinson catalog. Both refer this large frame 44 Russian revolver as the New Model 3 Navy. Notice they also refer the Single Action as the New Model 3 Army.
Murph
I got curious and looked in some early reproduction catalogs.
First and second photo are from the 1883 Smith & Wesson catalog.
The Third photo is from the 1887 M. Robinson catalog. Both refer this large frame 44 Russian revolver as the New Model 3 Navy. Notice they also refer the Single Action as the New Model 3 Army.
Murph
Attachments
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I've picked this up today. Nice gun chambered in .44 Russian. Serial number is 18500. Was curious if I could get a ballpark estimate of when it was made?
I have 22708, and Roy said it shipped September 1889.
These are such fun Revolvers!
Do you Load your own Cartridges?
Yup!
Oddly, no one seems to call them that today though...
We should all start revitalizing S & W's own actual nomenclature for these!
NO! Please NO! The collector books are written and accepted, which removed much of the confusion over S&W nomenclature. Besides, the 44 Double Action had no connection to the Navy that I can find!! Also, I doubt that the Frontier had much to do with the west either since only 15,000 were made.
I should add that there are some reports that foreign countries used this revolver in service for the their Navy Departments. Have not found which countries, but not here in the US.
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OP
Tinker Pearce
Member
Yes. For this one I shortened some .44 magnum brass. I loaded some 200gr LRNFPs over 4.5gr. of Unique, which gives an average of 626 fps. This is quite mild compared to the original loads, but has enough pop to make for a satisfying shooting experience. I'm going to try some Trail Boss loads when I lay hands on some.
Old girl has still got it; this was five shots, rapid-fire at seven yards.
John Wesley Hardin
John Wesley Hardin is said to have carried a Frontier Smith & Wesson 44 D/A. It's photo'd in a few of my books with court records that documented it.
I guess The Russian Navy was suppose to have adopted the 44 Smith & Wesson double action. I have no idea why they didn't. Perhaps it was a lack of paying for the first order? Maybe they wanted them for free again?
Murph
John Wesley Hardin is said to have carried a Frontier Smith & Wesson 44 D/A. It's photo'd in a few of my books with court records that documented it.
I guess The Russian Navy was suppose to have adopted the 44 Smith & Wesson double action. I have no idea why they didn't. Perhaps it was a lack of paying for the first order? Maybe they wanted them for free again?
Murph
Check your messages...I messaged you about a fairly rare Mold on the flea bay...may have ended by now though!
Yes but...the Big 'Standard Catalog of Smith &Wesson" Book refers to them as the "Navy" Model...So...I see no conflict there!
Yes...I can not remember off-hand who though...
I have seen them a few times on line in Auctions, some South American Countries for sure had them...not sure if they had them for their Army, or, Navy though, or if they had them for both.
