Information Needed.

[Zoltan417]

I have a family heir loom passed on to me and I know nothing about guns. It has the Smith and Wesson logo on the grip, but, my research says that if it does not have "Smith and Wesson" imprinted on the barrel, it is not a Smith and Wesson. It has no impressions except for the s/n.

Here is a pic



There is no Model Number imprinted on the pistol. I found a photo of a .38-44 -- Model 3 that is very similar, only the forward sight is different.
It is a Top-Break, the hammer is not exposed.
The S/N is 14070
There is no "CTG or Caliber" imprinted.
Barrel Length: 6 1/2 inches
Fixed Sights

Family history is that this pistol was issued to a great great . . . grandfather when he was a US Marshal in the Kansas/Oklahoma area.

I hope this information will help you guys help me.

Thank you very much in advance.

 

[DWalt]

It looks like a New Model #3 Single Action. Any guess as to what the caliber is? It was made in a dozen calibers ranging from .32 S&W to .455. It would definitely be from pre-1899, therefore legally an antique.

 

[gdnagle]

Nice heirloom with history to go with it. Looks like something to be displayed and passed down.

And a warm welcome from "wild and wonderful " West Virginia at least that's what they tell us.

 

[opoefc]

Welcome to the Forum. It appears to be a standard new Model #3. Probably in .44 S&W Russian caliber. Made about 1880. See page 102-104, Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, 3rd edit. for details on this model. Calibers were not stamped on these guns unless they were target models. The gun was made 75+ years before S&W adopted Model numbers. Great family heir loom. Don't keep it in that holster, as the tannic acid in the leather will damage the finish over time. If you can post a close up picture of the top of the barrel rib, it will help us decide if the gun is a S&W or a very close copy. Your family history of the gun being "issued" to an ancestor is suspect, as Deputy US Marshals owned their own handguns, in most cases, as they were appointed by the U.S.Marshal for the area that the Federal Courts had jurisdiction, and they did not have arsenals to issue firearms. Ed.

 

[RECONDO91]

S&W will provide you with a factory letter from the S/N. I haven't requested one in over 10 years? They use to be about $15.00, it will provide you the manufacturer date, specification, options, who originally ordered the weapon and where it was shipped to.
I hope that this helps you brother?
Scouts Out!

 

[mmaher94087]

Letters are $50 now. Look above your first post for "Downloads" to find the request form. It is helpful if you include photos of your revolver; both sides and the top rib since you state there is nothing "imprinted" on the barrel.

 

[Zoltan417]

Thanks for all the information, it has been very helpful. I was going to send for the "Factory Letter", but they said to make sure that this is an authentic Smith & Wesson and that if Smith & Wesson was not imprinted on the barrel, it was not.

Since it does not have the impression, I'm wondering if this is an actual Smith & Wesson pistol. By the responses that I have received, it appears that the best guess is that it is.

Thanks, again, for all the assistance.

 

[DWalt]

I'd say you have the real McCoy, but I have no explanation for a complete lack of markings. Even Belgian and Spanish knockoffs usually had some kinds of stampings on them. Does anyone know of the existence of foreign copies of the NM #3? Any guess about the caliber or at least a chamber diameter?

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Are there patent dates stamped on the top of the barrel? IIRC, on the older S&W revolvers, there was no S&W trademark or calibre stampings. It sure looks like a Model #3 and Ed should know.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

Difficult to tell from the out of focus photo, but it appears to be a genuine New Model Number Three to me. Most of the imitations I have seen are immediately obvious to a S&W student. The grips appear to be correct too.

Here is a photo of my New Model Number Three, chambered for 44 Russian, shipped in 1882:

Better photos (in focus) would certainly help, particularly of the top rib on the barrel where the S&W markings should be along with the patent dates.



Here is what the markings on the top of the barrel look like on my New Model Number Three:

While you are at it, check for Serial Numbers. The SN on the butt of the grip is the SN of record. The SN appears in three additional places on these guns;

Rear of the cylinder:

Underside of the latch:

And hidden next to the latch at the rear of the barrel extension:

The numbers at the additional three places should match the number on the butt, signifying the gun left the factory with those specific parts.

I'm betting yours is the real McCoy, but you need to supply some better, in focus photos of both sides and the top of the barrel.

 

[Zoltan417]

Not sure I can get better pictures, I have an old digital camera. Wiregrassguy and Driftwood, you guys helped me a lot. The pistol is quit dirty, as you could probably tell. I was told not to clean it. I rubbed with my finger on the top of the barrel, and would you guess, I found the S&W impression with a bunch of patent dates. And I found the s/n at the other 3 locations. I just missed those.

Thanks again to everyone, your assistance has been most helpful.

I spoke to my brother and he remembers our Dad saying that it was a 44-75 caliber.

 

[DWalt]

There is no .44-75 caliber, but .44 Russian would be likely.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy Again

Your Serial Number, 14070, is before mine, 154XX. Mine was shipped on August 15, 1882, so yours was most likely shipped before then, but with S&W you can never be sure unless you letter it. Ed is probably correct, he usually is, yours probably shipped around 1880.

Your cylinder is most likely 1 7/16" long and the caliber is most likely 44 Russian, which was the most common caliber these guns were chambered for. 44 Russian was the predecessor of the 44 Special and 44 Magnum cartridges. Nomenclature for old cartridges can be very confusing. There was a 44-75 cartridge, (44-75 Ballard Everlasting) but it was a relatively rare, great big cartridge that was only suitable for rifles, much too big and powerful for a revolver. There was a 44-40 (44 caliber, 40 grains of Black Powder) cartridge and these revolvers were chambered for it, but to accommodate that cartridge the cylinder would need to be 1 9/16" long, and I believe yours was made before S&W made that change.

Lightly cleaning the gun to only remove dirt will not hurt its collector's value. Altering any patina or oxidation that has developed on the actual finish will hurt its value, just like with old coins. Can't quite tell from your photo if it is a blued gun where time has rubbed away most of the finish, or if it is a nickel plated gun with a lot of dirt and patina. I suspect it is nickel plated like mine with a lot of loss of the plating, revealing the steel below, which has oxidized over time.

If you want to clean it up just a little bit, do not use any abrasives on it. Lightly rubbing it with very thin oil, such as Rem oil, and 0000 Steel wool will not hurt the finish. Do not use anything coarser than 0000, such as 000 or 00. These will rub away the oxidation and patina, damaging the collector's value. You can also use bronze wool which you can buy at Brownells.

Better yet, just use an old nylon toothbrush and some light oil.