Help needed

[ttpete]

I received a question the other day from an acquaintance: "A friend has emailed me a question, seeking information on an early Smith & Wesson Revolver. Patend Date of April 16, 1873 - 5 shot - .41 caliber. Any info would be appreciated."

Any thoughts on this? I asked him to see about getting pictures and going on from there. He's not especially knowledgeable about S&Ws.

 

[ttpete]

I received a question the other day from an acquaintance: "A friend has emailed me a question, seeking information on an early Smith & Wesson Revolver. Patend Date of April 16, 1873 - 5 shot - .41 caliber. Any info would be appreciated."

Any thoughts on this? I asked him to see about getting pictures and going on from there. He's not especially knowledgeable about S&Ws.

 

[Pistol Toter]

Could it be a .41 Rimfire, Model Number Three Pocket Pistol as listed on the bottom right hand of page 47 in the SCSW 2nd edition. Maybe a NEW MODEL NUMBER THREE page 72 same volume.

 

[deadin]

Don't think it could be a No. 3 Pocket as all 50 of them were made in 1867. The 1873 patent date on the barrel doesn't fit.
The books list the NM No.3 as being chambered in .41 S&W, but the April 16, 1873 date doesn't match any of the dates found on any NM No.3, so it's a mystery. Pictures needed.

(If it does turn out to be a S&W in .41 caliber other than a M57, 58 or 657, it's extremely rare.)

 

[Pistol Toter]

Yeah Dean, I knew I shouldn't have climb out on that limb. You sawed it off.

I recognozed that they didn't quite fit his description but I didn't know what else it could be.

LOL We need pictures!!

HEY! You don't reckon that could be a COLT Thunder do ya. When did they appear? Ole Billy the Kid had a .41 Colt.?.?.

 

[deadin]

I don't know much about Colts, but you may be on the right track. TRhere was a Colt New Line .41 caliber that came out in 1874-1879 in both RF and CF. It was a typical looking spur trigger, 5 shot revolver.
There also were the "New House" and "New Police" from around the same era. (They all look the same to me, but then again Colt's don't ring my chimes.) The "Thunderer" DA .41 didn't show up until 1877 and had three patent dates on the left side of the frame. (1871, 1874 & 1875)
They all were clearly marked "Colt" so I don't know where he would have got "S&W" from.
Maybe some kind of a copy/ripoff?

 

[wedgeguns]

In Smith & Wesson model 3 by Charlie Pate on page173 he lists the model of 1873 How ever the pat date is Feb 25,1873 They were doing quite a bit of expermemtation in that period You might want to check it out with Charlie

www.model2project.com


Ron Curtis

 

[opoefc]

here's another choice. The gun could be one of the many infringements (Moore, Pond, Springfield, Paragon, etc.) made in .41RF and marked "Made For Smith & Wesson" and turned over to S&W by the losers in the various lawsuits brough by S&W.

 

[JayCeeNC]

Ed's back!!!!

 

[opoefc]

JayCeeNC, et al., Yes, I'm back and will occasionally contribute a comment or two, as the situation requires. The Forum owner gave me a call recently and graciously apologized for the mutual misunderstanding that lead to my absence from posting hereon. We agreed that the Forum members would be better served if I would continue my postings, our mutual disagreements have been put behind us, hopefully to the betterment of the S&W fraternity. Ed.

 

[JayCeeNC]

Ed, I've missed your wealth and breadth of knowledge since you left. I'm glad circumstances allowed you to return and contribute to the Forum.

 

[deadin]

Welcome back Ed!! Now you can keep me honest in some of my answers to questions.