Hello, Its been awhile but I am lurking all the time. I purchased this revolver in April and had it lettered from Roy Jinks. I have not seen any 4" target 44 da 1st so I thought it was quite rare. I will include some photos. I was reading the letter from owner and could not figure out the signatures. Any help is appreciated.
44 Double Action 1st model
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mmaher94087
Member
I hate sloppy handwriting and this is as good as it gets. Are people ashamed of their names? OK, rant over; I feel better. Time for my Lithium.
My guess: JJ Nouvlehalter, 1440 H5 Blvd, Houston, Texas
My guess: JJ Nouvlehalter, 1440 H5 Blvd, Houston, Texas
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"Houston, TX
4/6/1928
Smith & Wesson Inc.
Springfield Mass.
Gentlemen: on the 17th of Feb. I sent you a check to cover cost of repairing and refinishing Five Revolvers. You informed me that you would, or could have them ready for me, in, from three to four weeks. It has now been seven weeks. I am at a loss, as I have no way of knowing when they have been shipped and lost in transit, or when you have not shipped them yet.
I would be very glad if you have not shipped them, that you would do so as quickly as you can, as I need One or Two of them very badly.
Thanking you for whatever special attention you may give them,
I am Respectfully
J F Burkhalter
1440 Hts Blvd
Houston Texas"
Your man was James Frank Burkhalter, who was a 54 year old grocer when he wrote this letter. He lived at 1440 Heights Blvd in Houston, and appears to have later worked as an antiques dealer (that's his profession as listed on his death certificate). He was born on Sep. 14, 1875 and died on Feb. 25, 1959.
Mike
4/6/1928
Smith & Wesson Inc.
Springfield Mass.
Gentlemen: on the 17th of Feb. I sent you a check to cover cost of repairing and refinishing Five Revolvers. You informed me that you would, or could have them ready for me, in, from three to four weeks. It has now been seven weeks. I am at a loss, as I have no way of knowing when they have been shipped and lost in transit, or when you have not shipped them yet.
I would be very glad if you have not shipped them, that you would do so as quickly as you can, as I need One or Two of them very badly.
Thanking you for whatever special attention you may give them,
I am Respectfully
J F Burkhalter
1440 Hts Blvd
Houston Texas"
Your man was James Frank Burkhalter, who was a 54 year old grocer when he wrote this letter. He lived at 1440 Heights Blvd in Houston, and appears to have later worked as an antiques dealer (that's his profession as listed on his death certificate). He was born on Sep. 14, 1875 and died on Feb. 25, 1959.
Mike
mmaher94087
Member
Dang, mike what translator did you use? That is spot on. Congratulations.
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I've been doing this for a long time ... I guess my eyes are just used to looking at old and cryptic handwriting and making sense of it.
Mike
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By the way, I have the same model gun, serial number 258xx, which was also factory refinished. I wish mine came with a letter like this one did ... the Historical Foundation didn't have anything on mine. :-(
Mike
Mike
This is my 1st Model D.A. .44 Russian serial number 187xx that went back to factory for a complete overhaul and refinish in 1956. I think they are beautiful, my favorite of all Smith and Wessons personal protection firearms.
Driftwood Johnson
Member
Howdy
I am always a little bit confused why this model is always referred to as the First Model. Despite the fact that there were several different models available, the unusual lockwork was never updated as it was with many of the smaller double action top breaks.
Anyway, I have two of them. I purchased the target model at the top of this photo from a fellow S&W Collector's Association member. I'm pretty sure it has been refinished, but it was a good job. The blued model at the bottom of the photo was also refinished, not such a good job.
Regarding your letter from the S&W Historical Society, 44 Russian ammunition is now commercially available in Cowboy Action loads. Midway USA offers two different brands. However, I strongly suggest you only fire Black Powder ammunition in your 44 Double Action.
I am always a little bit confused why this model is always referred to as the First Model. Despite the fact that there were several different models available, the unusual lockwork was never updated as it was with many of the smaller double action top breaks.
Anyway, I have two of them. I purchased the target model at the top of this photo from a fellow S&W Collector's Association member. I'm pretty sure it has been refinished, but it was a good job. The blued model at the bottom of the photo was also refinished, not such a good job.
Regarding your letter from the S&W Historical Society, 44 Russian ammunition is now commercially available in Cowboy Action loads. Midway USA offers two different brands. However, I strongly suggest you only fire Black Powder ammunition in your 44 Double Action.
hello
Driftwood Johnson
out of curiosity, your blue model is it at the same number .
Extractor housing seems to be 1 type ,found on the first new model 3 SA.
it is interesting to know if these Barrels were also assembled on the DA
your target model is interesting
Driftwood Johnson
out of curiosity, your blue model is it at the same number .
Extractor housing seems to be 1 type ,found on the first new model 3 SA.
it is interesting to know if these Barrels were also assembled on the DA
your target model is interesting
Driftwood Johnson
Member
Not quite sure what you are asking.
I have often wondered my self about whether the same barrel assemblies were used with some of the Double Action 44s and New Model Number Threes.
In the photo below, starting from the top left, Double Action 44 SN 24XX (obviously an early one) shipped October 1881. Top right, Double Action 44 Target Model SN 283XX, shipped August 1895. Lower Left, New Model Number Three, SN 154XX, shipped August 1882. Lower right, New Model Number Three, SN 310XX, shipped October 1896.
Three out of four have identical short extractor housings. The odd one with a slightly longer extractor housing is the blued DA 44 in the upper left that shipped in 1881. The angle of the photo may be deceiving, but I assure you that the top right, bottom left, and bottom right revolvers all have extractor housings exactly the same length. Other than the fact that one is a target model, the three barrels appear exactly the same and could have come out of the same parts bin. At least that is the way it appears to me, and I have examined them pretty closely.
A couple more photos that may be a bit clearer.
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Let me explain : (sorry for the translation)
On the nm3 SA There are 3 types of extractor mechanism
Type 1: from +/- 1 to 13600 (longer)
Type 2; +/- 13600 to 23700
Type 3 after +/- 23700 (shorter)
The extractor mechanism that we see the most on SA nm3 is type 3, it is also the one used on DA.
On the blued model, it is longer, That makes me think of a type 1. Of the 3 others, it is shorter (type 2 or 3)
The barrels of SA and DA are the same, only the extractor mechanism of NM3 SA has evolved
If the barrel is at the same numbers, this would suggest that s&w was assembling 1-type Barrels of Nm3 SA (1878 / 1879) on its DA (1881).
Very nice collection
On the nm3 SA There are 3 types of extractor mechanism
Type 1: from +/- 1 to 13600 (longer)
Type 2; +/- 13600 to 23700
Type 3 after +/- 23700 (shorter)
The extractor mechanism that we see the most on SA nm3 is type 3, it is also the one used on DA.
On the blued model, it is longer, That makes me think of a type 1. Of the 3 others, it is shorter (type 2 or 3)
The barrels of SA and DA are the same, only the extractor mechanism of NM3 SA has evolved
If the barrel is at the same numbers, this would suggest that s&w was assembling 1-type Barrels of Nm3 SA (1878 / 1879) on its DA (1881).
Very nice collection
Attachments
I do not consider myself an expert in things Smith and Wesson but would it not make sense that the different extractor lengths due directly to their being two or more cylinder lengths. The early cylinders being 1-7/16" and other later cylinder 1-9/16" found on later 1st Model D.A. and Frontier models.
