New Model 3 Pleasant Surprise

[Oldmanwesson]

There is no better feeling as a collector when you realize that your new purchase turns out to be way more than you had expected. This New Model No. 3 was, according to the vendor, engraved and customized "after-market" in England. Still a beautiful piece, but after-market custom work is never the same as the original. So, when I got the S&W factory letter, I was pleasantly surprised that the gun I had bought was in its original factory configuration. It is listed as a "New Model No. 3 Target Special", nickel plated, .44 Russian, with target sights, "Smith and Wesson Type 4" engraving and ivory grips, shipped to Birmingham in 1902. The timeline would fit for it to be a Young-family engraving job however when you look at it closely, the "hash mark" border around the engraving is something I have not seen on Young's work, or anywhere else. I don't know - maybe someone here does?? The sights are the standard Paine Black Bead front sight but the rear is the rare target sight apparently exclusively used on early 32-44 models (well, obviously not...). It is not adjustable for elevation but windage can be adjusted by drifting the blade with a brass punch or mallet. This piece is pristine, and mechanically perfect. It looks unfired to me.

 

[mmaher94087]

Very nice. It's great to see an unmolested example of factory work.

 

[AJ]

Sal (model3sw) would have liked this one!

 

[Model19man]

That's pretty awesome!

 

[Kinman]

As a muzzle loading pistol shooter it would be a matter of starting with a slightly taller sight and making adjustments by filing excess material away until the proper elevation for load and range is achieved. Single shot muzzle loaders do this all the time, once the proper combination is established you can go to the trouble of finishing out the rear sight and even going to the extra trouble of engraving horizontal lines towards the eye as well as milling away a convex or dished area to give you the sharpest possible view through the rear sight. I do that to all of my iron rear sights, especially clunky ones on factory rifles like Browning Mt. Rifle, Lyman Great Plains.

 

[iby]

It is a very attractive revolver but I agree that is does not look typical of Young family engraving..???

 

[Patbar]

It looks very much like an acid etched type of engraving.

 

[Exmilcop]

Pardon me while I wipe the drool off my chin. You lucky son-of-a-gun! That is one beautiful pistol!

 

[Heinz]

Wow!! And great photography also.

 

[raljr1]

Wow, just Wow.

 

[leonardocarrillo]

It's a beautiful revolver, congratulations and thanks for sharing with us.

 

[Boulder350]

Beautiful Revolver Oldmanwesson!

Where is Ralph to comment on your rear sight? Yours is not a typical sight installed on the early 32-44 target revolvers. Attached is a picture of my 32-44 with an early serial number of 1x. The early target rear sights were not adjustable for windage, but fixed. The detailed article by Robert J. Neal about rear target sights does not mention your type of rear sight. It looks like it could be factory. Is there a serial number on the sight? Its beautiful work.

 

[Oldmanwesson]

Beautiful Revolver Oldmanwesson!

Where is Ralph to comment on your rear sight? Yours is not a typical sight installed on the early 32-44 target revolvers. Attached is a picture of my 32-44 with an early serial number of 1x. The early target rear sights were not adjustable for windage, but fixed. The detailed article by Robert J. Neal about rear target sights does not mention your type of rear sight. It looks like it could be factory. Is there a serial number on the sight? Its beautiful work.

Most intereresting. I found the information about the rear sight in one of the recent S&W collectors' magazines. It is a hand drawing and does not show the dovetailed blade. Yes, the latch and sight are numbered to the gun, so it's definitely original.

 

[Oldmanwesson]

It looks very much like an acid etched type of engraving.

No, it's definitely chisel engraved, not etched. The border finish is unique, though.

 

[texmex]

You should go buy a lottery ticket. Maybe you will win again cause you sure won the lottery with that 44. You must be a great person to have karma like that. Fortune favors the bold.

 

[mrcvs]

I’ve looked at this revolver ever since the thread was created, and found it to be rather perplexing. Due to how the background appears, I would have not thought it to be factory engraved. Upon second glance, the engraving itself is excellent, clearly of the quality of the Young’s. My guess is that it shipped engraved, and the background was applied by the distributor in Birmingham. Simply because I’ve never seen it before and British shipped guns are prone to distributor modifications. Was the ship destination to Charles Osbourne?

 

[wordsmith]

Clearly a 'Young' pattern, used by the family from the 1870's onward, almost certainly done by Oscar Young, Gustave's eldest son, who became the factory master engraver after his father's death in 1895. The border treatment is not terribly uncommon from other Young engraved S&W's of the period.

Congratulations on such a wonderful addition to your collection!
David

 

[H Richard]

I only wish it was mine!

 

[mrcvs]

Clearly a 'Young' pattern, used by the family from the 1870's onward, almost certainly done by Oscar Young, Gustave's eldest son, who became the factory master engraver after his father's death in 1895. The border treatment is not terribly uncommon from other Young engraved S&W's of the period.

Congratulations on such a wonderful addition to your collection!
David

You have seen many more than I have, so I stand corrected. But it is unusual and of high quality.

 

[Jim Watson]

The sights are the standard Paine Black Bead front sight but the rear is the rare target sight apparently exclusively used on early 32-44 models (well, obviously not...).It is not adjustable for elevation but windage can be adjusted by drifting the blade with a brass punch or mallet.

Bisley rule of the period:

Back-sight: To be without screw adjustment, and of some simple pattern of sufficient solidity and strength to withstand rough usage, in the opinion of the Bisley Committee. It may consist of a sliding bar or of leaves affixed to the barrel by hinges, or of interchangeable bar fitted into a slot; and it may have a plain open notch, or open square, or open half-circle or section of a circle, or of buckhorn pattern or a plain bar. The interchangeable bars fitting into a slot may be adjusted with the aid of a hammer, but such interchange of bars and such adjustment of bar, with or without the aid of a hammer, shall not be permitted at the firing-point.