New Model 3 Target Serial Numbers 2700 to 2899

[Boulder350]

I'm doing some research on the New Model 3 Target guns between serial number 2700 to 2899 (and possibly a few more). I recently found serial number 2823. It is drilled for a lanyard ring. The strange thing is, it has a another serial number on the frame under the left grip, 18,337. I found NM3 Target serial number 2795 and it has serial number 18356 stamped on the left side of the frame under the grip.

Does anyone else have a New Model 3 Target in this serial range with a second serial number under the grip?

How about a New Model 3 in 44 Russian in the 18,000 range?

Thanks

 

[Boulder350]

Found another one in the serial range. It too is a New Model 3 Target with a second serial number under the grips, its 18,354. All 3 are blued. 2 are drilled for lanyard ring and the 3rd I don't know if it was. Looks like the original frames in the 18k range were rejected and reused as NM3 Targets. Its kind of odd that a target gun was drilled for a lanyard ring. Is there any way to see if the guns in the 18k range actually shipped from the factory?

 

[wlw-19958]

Hi There,


I am interested in your research but I cannot provide any help
myself (my NM#3's are in the very end range). Do you have
any pics showing this second serial number and would you be
willing to post them? I'm sure I'm not the only one who is
interested.


Cheers!
Webb

 

[mmaher94087]

Mark, I'm curious to know if these 'targets' are .32-44, .38-44, .44 Russian or? I regret that I have no input to add.

 

[Boulder350]

Here are pictures of mine. The numbers match on the cylinder, barrel, and latch. That serial number matches to the 2 remaining numbers on the bottom of the frame. The lanyard hole has threads in it for some reason.

When I sent for a letter I included pictures and also mentioned the second serial number on the left side under the grips and the hole for the lanyard ring. At the time I did not know it was threaded. I only looked after finding the 3rd gun with these features.

Will add the info on the other guns later. Gotta pay for this hobby of mine.

 

[BMur]

Interesting

Whoever stamped the number under the grip used the same die stamp 3 next to the non factory cut for stock. So that assumed serial number was not stamped by the factory.
Very interesting. I wonder what the aftermarket stock looked like?

The Major Distributor could do most anything that the customer wanted done. Custom work was not uncommon. You can also see that the cut for stock was not done well enough for factory work. It’s also oversized.

After market shoulder stocks were also very common in the 1890’s. Often selling for $1. They go for a lot in the collectable world now often exceeding $1,000+.

They even had them for cheap spur trigger revolvers and also for the Colt lightning revolver. Very hard to find them today. You can find antique revolvers cut or drilled and threaded for them but the stocks are actually quite rare.

Some of these photo’d I’ve never actually seen first hand but I have seen several of the revolvers having long barrels and cut for shoulder stock. Some were later cut likely on special order from the Major Distributor and some factory cut. The variations are many.

Murph

 

[rickyt]

I too am interested in the New Model 3 Target as I own a 32-44 with a serial of 235. Would love to get hold of a letter but their a bit on the pricy side and I'm in the UK.

 

[rct269]

Letters being "a bit on the pricey side" may be a temporary situation---depending.

That upon which a temporary situation may exist depends upon to whom the gun was shipped----and of course that's an unknown until after you get the letter----odd how these things work out.

I decided letters were part of the package---frosting on the cake, and lettered all of them. One of them came along one day which ended up making the cost of a letter a joke. It spoke of a gun shipped gratis to Philip B. Sharpe----he who's credited with the development of the 357 Magnum cartridge---he who was also the recipient of Registered Magnum #2.

Come time to liquidate my collection, the difference between the purchase price of the gun and the selling price of the Sharpe gun would've paid for a whole big pile of letters.

The sad part of this tale is the fellow I bought the gun from had owned it for ten years--------and never lettered it. His comment upon learning of his misfortune was, "I guess that'll teach me!"

Ralph Tremaine

 

[iby]

I too am interested in the New Model 3 Target as I own a 32-44 with a serial of 235. Would love to get hold of a letter but their a bit on the pricy side and I'm in the UK.

Ricky
That is fine looking MN3
$100 is a small fraction of it's value? ? ? ?

 

[Masterpiece]

Here are pictures of mine. The numbers match on the cylinder, barrel, and latch. That serial number matches to the 2 remaining numbers on the bottom of the frame. The lanyard hole has threads in it for some reason.

Hi Mark,

You certainly do have the knack for finding some Very Interesting NM#3 Revolvers...Congrats!!

As to your inquiry about the Frame being threaded for a Lanyard Ring...All of the S&W Factory-Installed Lanyard Rings of that era were threaded into the Frame rather than drilled & pinned as in later years!! If shipped as such...The Serial Numbers were also relocated as your Frame shows even though the Center (8&2) of the Ser. No. are missing given it had the Frame cut for a Shoulder Stock after it left the factory!!

I also find it somewhat interesting...Given the Factory Letter notes it being shipped with the somewhat Scarce Lyman Ivory Bar Rear Sight...It makes no mention that it originally shipped with a Lanyard Ring with is clearly evident it did given the Relocated Serial Number...Hmmm!!

I've also attached a Photo of the style of Lanyard Ring it most likely had before it was removed to cut the Frame for the Stock..Also take note it has the Serial Number relocated sideways like Yours has as well!!

As to the Numbers stamped on the Inside Grip Frame...Very sorry I'm unable to help as I've never crossed paths with any NM#3 Revolvers stamped in that manner in all the years I've been collecting NM#3s!! I am hoping though some more will come forward having Revolvers stamped in that manner as I'm very interested in what shakes out with this oddity...Must be something to it given you now have found yet a 3rd one stamped in that manner as well!!

 

[BC38]

In looking at the photos of the groove cut in the bottom of the grip frame and the description of the "threaded lanyard ring hole" I was wondering if this one might have been modified to accommodate this type of shoulder stock...

(posted by BMur above).
The threaded hole would certainly seem to be required for the knurled knob on the bottom of the grip frame in the drawing of the stock.
I don't know that much about these early revolvers, but that is the thought that occurred to me.
I'm probably wrong, but I thought I'd put it out there for consideration....

 

[Boulder350]

Here is the second revolver I found with some of the same features. Is sold in 2012 and has a factory letter too. Its serial number 2795. The auction description says the serial number 2795 is on the cylinder, barrel, the barrel latch, and on the underside of the grip frame. It also states The left side of the grip frame is marked "18356". There is only 1 picture of the gun from the side. There is no mention of a factory swivel or how the serial number was applied on the bottom of the frame. The auction description or the letter does not say anything about a swivel. The letter reads:

We have researched your Smith and Wesson New Model No. 3 Target, caliber 38-44 S&W Gallery, revolver in company records which indicate your handgun, with serial number 2795, was shipped from our factory on December 24, 1895, and delivered to Winchester Repeating Arms Co., New Haven CT. The records indicate that this handgun was shipped with a 6.5 inch barrel, adjustable rear target sight, blue finish, checkered black hard rubber grips.

Here is the Auction Link:

Smith & Wesson S&W .38-44 -- Model 3 Target Single Action Revolver Antique | Lock, Stock & Barrel

 

[Boulder350]

Here is the 3rd gun, only 7 serial numbers away from mine. It has serial number 2816 that is found on the frame, barrel, latch, and cylinder. Even though it has been drilled for the lanyard ring, there is no wear from a ring. There are marks on the bottom of the frame but they don't look consistent with the marks I have seen from a lanyard ring. The ring was removed a long time ago. I emailed the owner and they confirmed that there is a serial number on the left side of the frame, number 18,354

 

[Boulder350]

Hi Mark,

You certainly do have the knack for finding some Very Interesting NM#3 Revolvers...Congrats!!

As to your inquiry about the Frame being threaded for a Lanyard Ring...All of the S&W Factory-Installed Lanyard Rings of that era were threaded into the Frame rather than drilled & pinned as in later years!! If shipped as such...The Serial Numbers were also relocated as your Frame shows even though the Center (8&2) of the Ser. No. are missing given it had the Frame cut for a Shoulder Stock after it left the factory!!

I also find it somewhat interesting...Given the Factory Letter notes it being shipped with the somewhat Scarce Lyman Ivory Bar Rear Sight...It makes no mention that it originally shipped with a Lanyard Ring with is clearly evident it did given the Relocated Serial Number...Hmmm!!

I've also attached a Photo of the style of Lanyard Ring it most likely had before it was removed to cut the Frame for the Stock..Also take note it has the Serial Number relocated sideways like Yours has as well!!

As to the Numbers stamped on the Inside Grip Frame...Very sorry I'm unable to help as I've never crossed paths with any NM#3 Revolvers stamped in that manner in all the years I've been collecting NM#3s!! I am hoping though some more will come forward having Revolvers stamped in that manner as I'm very interested in what shakes out with this oddity...Must be something to it given you now have found yet a 3rd one stamped in that manner as well!!

Thanks Masterpiece. I don't have a NM3 with a lanyard ring installed. I didn't know how they did it

 

[Boulder350]

In looking at the photos of the groove cut in the bottom of the grip frame and the description of the "threaded lanyard ring hole" I was wondering if this one might have been modified to accommodate this type of shoulder stock...

(posted by BMur above).
The threaded hole would certainly seem to be required for the knurled knob on the bottom of the grip frame in the drawing of the stock.
I don't know that much about these early revolvers, but that is the thought that occurred to me.
I'm probably wrong, but I thought I'd put it out there for consideration....

That would probably have worked on this gun. Mine actually has the hole in the top of the back strap so the gun accepts the standard Smith and Wesson stock. Here it is shown with the short tang stock

 

[BMur]

Factory Letter

Shame on me. I was focused on the factory letter. I agree, there was a “factory” lanyard originally intended for this NM3 but likely never happened. That supports the matching die stamp 3 on both sets of numbers was actually stamped by the factory. Very odd.

Mark, do the others have a missing lanyard also? I don’t think I have ever seen a target gun with a factory lanyard. A target NM3 isn’t a gun intended to be holstered. It’s possible that this gun was pulled from a special order run with a lanyard that didn’t go through and subsequently sold as a Target variation.

The number under the grip frame was stamped quickly, lightly, and not very uniformed almost like it was in limbo for a while after a failed contract having lanyard rings. That’s just my opinion but it would fill in the blank as to why it wasn’t recorded as having one.

It would also answer why the serial number was stamped on the butt like that. There was probably a blank there so they stamped the serial number as though a lanyard existed instead of stamping over the blank. That fits.

I also think the machined boss(hole) on the backstrap was part of the machine work on the butt. Non factory work.

Murph

 

[Boulder350]

Posts 12 and 13 are for the other guns like mine. One for sure was machined for a factory lanyard and has the cross serial number like mine. The other does not have a picture of the bottom of the frame, but has the second serial number like mine, in the same range.

 

[BMur]

The other one

It would be interesting to see the other one. The second example has a non factory screw installed where “the blank” would be. I’d like to see what the blank looks like.
Special order guns often bring oddities to machine work. This reminds me of the 9” barrel revolving rifle that lettered as a special order. The factory moved the rear sight and blanked the rear sight cut out and “did not” center the barrel address stamp because they did not want to stamp over the blank.( my opinion) It’s likely the same thing applies here. Blanks sometimes fall out over time because they are normally machine pressed in place. Pressing a blank in place then stamping over it could loosen it. Which in your case would have taken some of the serial number with it if it was stamped like an example without a lanyard. You follow me?

Murph

 

[Boulder350]

I submitted a letter request for serial number 18,337. Will see what the historians say about that serial number

 

[Masterpiece]

It would be interesting to see the other one. The second example has a non factory screw installed where “the blank” would be. I’d like to see what the blank looks like.

Murph,

While there's always a remote possibility the Screw installed in place of the Factory Lanyard Ring on Mark's NM#3 Tgt. with Ser. No. 2816 may not be absolutely correct...Blanks (As you are referring them to)..."Were" Screws on S&W Revolvers of that era!!

They were not Pressed-In Slugs as seen on Later Revolvers that were drilled straight through & sometimes plugged when removed...Not threaded as the Revolvers of that era were if a Lanyard Ring was either not Factory-Installed...Or removed as to not damage the threads if one chose to install a Lanyard Ring at a later date!!