Faked Russian Contract Smith & Wessons

[jleiper]

This is being posted to show what is out there in the world of counter fit Military Russian No 3s. I have been very lucky to have never fallen (yet) for one of these!

Here is the first example and we'll see if you can figure out what is wrong with it.



Joe

 

[Club Gun Fan]

Joe
The first thing I noticed is, according to your ruler, that thing is over 200 inches long!

 

[Club Gun Fan]

Joe
The first thing I noticed is, according to your ruler, that thing is over 300 inches long!

 

[jleiper]

Here is the next one:



Ludwig Loewe Address line



Looks good until you look close
Joe

 

[jleiper]

Joe
The first thing I noticed is, according to your ruler, that thing is over 300 inches long!

Can't fool you!

Joe

 

[jleiper]

The next ones:


Just a top strap stamping, but obviously not factory.


Another bad top strap stamping.

Joe

 

[jleiper]

This one was made from a First model:

Nice case




This revolver was supposedly for Crown Prince Konstantin Nikolaevich.

Joe

 

[opoefc]

Joe, The first one is a very good fake, however the barrel stamping gives it away. Too bad the faker didn't copy a correct barrel stamping, as the rest of the gun is awful close to the real thing and will fool a lot of people. The grip screw may be wrong also, but I can't tell for sure from the photo. The cylinder stop notches are too big and the front sight blade radius is incorrect. Ed.

 

[jleiper]

Ed, you still haven't found the BIG one!
Joe

Here is an early original with a BIG clue

 

[seinen]

While it could be the camera flash, the barrel markings on the fake appear (to me) to be acid-etched, not stamped.

C/

 

[jleiper]

Those are the best pics I have of that one. The roll stamping is not right for the early revolvers from Tula but is much like some of the sloppier stamping seen late in Tula production. There are 2 glaring pieces of evidence in the photos that make this a fake.
Joe

 

[peterthefish]

1885 vs 1886.

 

[Warren Sear]

Ed, you still haven't found the BIG one!
Joe

Here is an early original with a BIG clue
View attachment 215831

The giveaway is that when translated, the Russian text incorrectly reads, "all your guns are belong to us".

 

[jleiper]

1885 vs 1886.

That is one of the errors. Production started in 1886 and 37 is the earliest serial number known so 125 in 1885 seems unlikely. But, there is still a much bigger problem to be identified.
Joe

 

[murphydog]

The size and type of the screw near the front top strap?

 

[jleiper]

The size and type of the screw near the front top strap?

That is important. What does the screw size indicate?
Joe

 

[murphydog]

The large thumbscrew was not introduced until the 3rd model Russian.

 

[mmaher94087]

Maybe I missed something but the 3rd Model cylinder retaining 'thumb screw' also is with the 3rd Model forged front sight.

 

[opoefc]

The screw size indicates the gun is not a 3rd model, however the date is too late for a 2nd model. Ed.

 

[jleiper]

All Ludwig Loewes and Tulas were 3rd model. They were both built on the same tooling to the same original Smith & Wesson inspection gauges.
Second Models were only made by Smith & Wesson in Springfield.
The fake is a 2nd Model "decorated" as a Tula. They didn't even bother to shorten the barrel to 6 1/2 like a 3rd model!
Joe