.44 SW new model ? No. 3 se # 31971 . Date of manufacture please if possible . I have gone through “ the book “ but my head hurts .
Good decent honest piece I just need a hammer spring available to Canada .
Thx in advance
Cheers

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Hi There,


How about some pics, Please?


Cheers!
Webb

Looks like 1897 - 1898 most likely. You would need a S&W letter to be certain when it shipped / was made.

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S&WHF #946
S&WCA #3824

BTW the 44 Special caliber was introduced years later. Often the 44 Russian caliber is referred to as 44 S&W in this period.

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S&WHF #946
S&WCA #3824

Pics would help a lot. If Pietta or Pedersoli makes a reproduction of your pistol you may wish to contact them and see if you can get the part.

I've heard that the reproduction revolver springs are too short to work in the S&W NM #3.

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Mike Maher #283

I tried posting pics but once downloaded I could not see or figure out how to save and post to thread . Jeeez what an ordeal , figured it out . 3 pics posted

You gun was probably shipped 1900 or later although the frame was made before 1899.
I have one in the 30,000 range that shipped 1900.
The only way to know for sure is a Historical Letter
The caliber marked barrel is a good clue.
Nice gun!

I have #31902 and it was shipped June of 1902.

Then again, there just might be a fix for " too short" springs---but it helps if you pay attention to what's going on around you---never mind I don't always do that----right up until there's no choice!!

It is my practice to completely disassemble each and every new visitor, and give it a bodacious bath. Having done just that, I'm in process of putting it back together.

WHOOPS??!!!! The damn mainspring is too short-----how can that be?!!

Now this particular item is a 1st Model Single Shot. They don't get much simpler than that, so there's not much to sit and stare at; but sit and stare I did! I mean---this damn thing worked before I took it apart----why won't it go back together right?!!!

Then I saw it------a little bitty notch in the grip frame----just about a quarter of an inch above the little bitty notch the factory put in the grip frame---that would be the notch where the bottom end of the spring goes! HMMMMMMM?!!!

If you've been paying attention to all this drivel, you already know the rest of the story---goes like this: The damn mainspring is sure enough too short---it's also too thin, and too narrow----and it was all done on purpose on part of a diabolical action job which made this little single shot's action as sweet as you can imagine!!

Bottom Line: I put the bottom end of the too short spring into the too high notch---and just like that, the too short spring wasn't too short anymore---fit perfectly, and worked GREAT!!

The moral of this story is when all else fails, sit and stare. Then, if you've got a too short spring, get out a little needle file, and make a too high notch. Then stick the too short spring into the too high notch---and go play with your children's Momma!

That'll beat the hell out of messing with these guns every time!!

Ralph Tremaine

AND-----if you're too bumfuzzled by all this too short and too high business to figure out where to make your too high notch, just put your too short spring up next to a just right spring from another gun---or from a friend's gun, or wherever, and measure the difference. That difference is where your new notch goes.

I had NM #3 ---.44 Russian with target sights #30261, and it was shipped on October 18, 1896. Now while that's likely to be no help at all, the rest of this might be---and if it isn't, it's at least interesting.

This from the letter:

" 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." (The mere mention of this tells me mine was one of those made in 1896---never mind I don't give a rat when it was made.)

So--------given the respective serial numbers, yours may very well also be one of the 3,000+ produced---and one of those not shipped to Japan.

All this "may very well" business can easily be confirmed or denied with a letter. Andi if you order a letter, tell them what I've told you about mine, and ask them to see if maybe yours and mine just might be kissin' cousins.

The more you ask for the more you get!

Ralph Tremaine

How long is the barrel? Looks longer than the standard 6 1/2".

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Mark