I was at S&W today and I brought with me a 6 1/2 in. New Model 3 Target Model in .22 cal. I was trying to find out some information about the firearm. I was told that I would have to call Roy Jinks to find out further info about the firearm. The employee at S&W said that the revolver may be a Harry Pope Conversion. Any info about the revolver or Harry Pope would be helpful. Thank you!
New Model 3 Target .22 caliber
- Thread starter tango2
- Start date
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opoefc
US Veteran
To my knowledge, Harry Pope always stamped any guns he worked on with his name. If it's not on your .22 conversion, I would doubt he did the work. A Google search on Harry Pope should tell you all you want to know about him. Ed.
Welcome. Sounds like a nice gun.
Your going to need to post pictures on that one. Your description alone is too vague for an educated response. We have the people with the knowledge here but some thing as uncommon as your gun needs detailed photos.
Your going to need to post pictures on that one. Your description alone is too vague for an educated response. We have the people with the knowledge here but some thing as uncommon as your gun needs detailed photos.
Thanks for the suggestions. I inspected the revolver and I don't see anything that says Harry Pope on the firearm. The fellow at S&W has worked there for 42 years said it's possible that it may be a Harry Pope Conversion. He said it's the first Model 3 Target in .22 cal that he has seen. I haven't been able to find alot of info on a .22 caliber Model 3 Target. I will have to figure out how to load some photos on this thread to figure out what I have.
Thank you
Thank you
H. M. Pope
US Veteran, Absent Comrade
I doubt very much that it was done by Harry Pope
H. M. Pope
H. M. Pope
If you were at the plant today, your not far from me. Maybe I could meet you somewhere and take a look,
H. M. Pope
US Veteran, Absent Comrade
Hi Tango2,
In checking my records on # 3 Targets I found some that A. O. Niedner of Malden Mass. had converted to 22, he was famous for his work on Rifles and Handguns. He was a gunsmith in Malden Mass. for about 20 years. Guns of his are very well respected and can be pricey if verified that he did the work. If your from the Mass. area chances are very good that it may be one of his and the gun never left the area.
H. M. Pope
In checking my records on # 3 Targets I found some that A. O. Niedner of Malden Mass. had converted to 22, he was famous for his work on Rifles and Handguns. He was a gunsmith in Malden Mass. for about 20 years. Guns of his are very well respected and can be pricey if verified that he did the work. If your from the Mass. area chances are very good that it may be one of his and the gun never left the area.
H. M. Pope
Well, I've been at this since I was 14 (I'm 63 now) and have several Model 3s including a nice 38/44 Target. I've never seen one in a 22. From the photos, it was done by someone who knew his stuff. I'd give David Carroll or David C a call to see if they have some ideas. By the way, was the finish redone too? Hard to tell from the photos.
In any case, surely a keeper. Dave
In any case, surely a keeper. Dave
Thanks Dave,
The finish is like a military gray. The fellow at S&W said that he thought it turned patina over time and that it was the original finish. Someone else thought it had been refinished. I don't know for sure. The fellow at S&W said he never saw one in .22 before and he has worked there for 42 years. He refered me to calling Roy Jinks the S&W historian to see if he can help. I posted on this site to try to get some input to what I might have.
The finish is like a military gray. The fellow at S&W said that he thought it turned patina over time and that it was the original finish. Someone else thought it had been refinished. I don't know for sure. The fellow at S&W said he never saw one in .22 before and he has worked there for 42 years. He refered me to calling Roy Jinks the S&W historian to see if he can help. I posted on this site to try to get some input to what I might have.
deadin
US Veteran
Neat gun!! However I'm going to vote that it is a conversion. The finish looks like parkerizing and is too even to be any kind of patina. I can't quite tell but it looks like the cylinder is rebated for the cartridge rims. I don't believe S&W did this that early. Does the serial on the rearsight match those on the rest of the gun? It is a target sight but it and the front sight appear to be Patridge type which also came later than the No.3 NM.
As said by others, only a letter will tell for sure. Still, it should be a great shooter...
As said by others, only a letter will tell for sure. Still, it should be a great shooter...
Model 3 Target .22 Caliber
Thanks Dean for the info. I could not see any numbers located on the rear sight. I will get in touch with Roy Jinks at S&W. Hopefully I will find out more information about the revolver. But if it left the factory originally in another caliber I guess I will be out of luck.
Would anyone know what this revolver might be worth?
Thanks Dean for the info. I could not see any numbers located on the rear sight. I will get in touch with Roy Jinks at S&W. Hopefully I will find out more information about the revolver. But if it left the factory originally in another caliber I guess I will be out of luck.
Would anyone know what this revolver might be worth?
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opoefc
US Veteran
4.330 is the number of the .32-44 and .38-44 caliber New Model No. 3 Target models made. They are not rare and value depends on condition. A minty specimen can bring $3800 to $5,000 range. None of them were made in .22RF by S&W. Your gun appears to be a conversion of a .32-44 Target by a competent gunsmith, after it left S&W as a .32-44. . Have you had Roy Jinks provide you a factory historical letter for the gun? I have seen several conversions of both the Old Model 3s and the New Model Model 3s to .22RF caliber, including a single shot .22RF Model 3 American I have in my collection. None of them were factory conversions, however, and I doubt the factory would have accepted an order for a conversion. Ed.
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Thank you for your reply. All info is helpful. No I haven't got a letter from Roy Jinks. When I did a internet search recently for S&W New Model 3 Target in .22 cal. One came up at the National Firearms Museum. It looked similar to me except for the finish. It has the same sights as well.
opoefc
US Veteran
tango2, Your mission, if you care to accept it is (1) Get a factory historical letter for your gun from Roy Jinks, (2) email Jim Supica, Director, National Firearms Museum, [email protected] and ask for information on the S&W New Model No. 3 in .22RF, such as "who made it ? " and "how was the conversion done?" etc., then (3) report back here to the Forum with what you found out. Ed. (PS: the cylinder conversion on your gun was done by sleeving the .32 chambers to .22 cal. Look for the same technique for the barrel.)
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deadin
US Veteran
Ed,
Didn't you mean [email protected] ??
Didn't you mean [email protected] ??
opoefc
US Veteran
Dean, Corrected. Ed. ( It will give Jimbo something to do. He feels guilty accepting a paycheck for the job of playing with 1,000s of guns , but he says "Somebody has to do it!" Yeah, right! )
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