Russian Second Model Test Revolver

[jleiper]

I have added a significant example to my collection of Russian contract revolvers. This is the first test example submitted to the Russians for the improvements that would result in the Second Model. This is serial number 'R'. It is basically a first model revolver with a "hacksaw" style grip intended to help control the heavy recoil of the .44 Russian cartridge. This revolver was likely submitted to the Russians in December of 1871 or January of 1872 - before any of the first contract revolvers were even shipped.
I will try to take better pictures of this revolver this week end and add them to the post.

Joe

 

[opoefc]

Congrats, Joe. That would be a significant addition to any S&W collection! Can you tell us any of the provenance of the gun that establish it's bonafides as a test revolver? Will it letter as such, with Jinks? The late Fred Datig did considerable research on these Russian contract guns and his data has yet to be published. I had proof read his manuscripts for him some years back and there's a lot of unknown facts in his work. He had several "test " guns, some from S&W and others from Loewe and Tula, etc. Ed.

 

[OldDude]

I'm just starting in my endeavor to learn about Model 3's, so please pardon my ignorance. What type of bluing process was used on this gun, and is it the same process used on the Second Model contract guns?

Thanks,
Dave

 

[glowe]

It is basically a first model revolver with a "hacksaw" style grip intended to help control the heavy recoil of the .44 Russian cartridge.

Joe

Very impressive S&W! I love the grip style, but I have yet to work up a 44 Russian black powder round that has a HEAVY recoil.

 

[opoefc]

Joe, Gary's comment on recoil caused me to stop and think about "heavy" recoil from a .44 Russian round. I have fired many such rounds, as well as .44S&W American rounds in early S&W revolvers and I don't recall much difference between the felt recoil with guns having standard grip configurations. Nothing that I would classify as "heavy recoil" such as a modern .357 or .44 Magnum. Whether the "bent grip frame" guns created less felt recoil, I don't know. It would have some effect on whether the gun stayed in one position in your grip after each round was fired. There's an interesting bit of S&W trivia about the .44 Russian ammo. Marcus Hartley's UMC ammunition company got the Russian contract to supply the .44 Russian ammo. Seems the first guns and ammo to arrive in Russia was promptly presented to the Czar to fire at his pistol range. The first two rounds of the ammo. were duds. The Russian officer responsible for the ammo. contract was executed on the spot at the Czar's order. His replacement became very diligent in the inspection at the UMC plant and no more misfires. Ed.

 

[Skeetr57]

Maybe I am confused here, but I would call that a second model with an unusual grip rather than a first model. Reason: it has the interlocking top latch and the enlarged trigger pin boss that were requested by the Russians and incorporated into the second model. Someone straighten me out if I am wrong.

 

[jleiper]

Provenance: The revolver was known to be in the S. Lewis Hutchinson collection in the 1950s. It was pictured in Parsons at that time. It was later in the collection of Richard (Slim) Capps and is pictured in Jinks. It actually belonged to Slim's wife Jean. I have borrowed the revolver several times when giving presentations on the Russian Contracts.

Mechanically the revolver is a First Model, third issue. It still has the hammer actuated cylinder stop and square trigger. Other than the grip angle there seems to be nothing different from a First Model. It is Serial numbered 'R'.
As to the 'heavy recoil" that is what has been written by the Russians as well as other sources.
Joe

 

[vytautus]

The grip angle and design looks very Merwin Hulbert. I wonder if the Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich Merwin, still in the Russian naval museum, was presented before this gun was made and was the reason for the grip angle. A picture of it is on my Merwin Hulbert facebook page. I found it on a Russian site a few years ago. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Merwin-Hulbert-and-Co-Firearms-Collectors/156673537709954

 

[glowe]

Maybe I am confused here, but I would call that a second model with an unusual grip rather than a first model.

I am a little confused as well with jleiper referring to the fact that it is a Second Model, but for a different reason? What I see is a First Model Russian or Old Old Model Russian. Since we are looking at a Russian Contract gun, it is not an American so I don't think it would have a 2nd Model designation?? It does display some of the characteristics of a 2nd Model American, but I thought all Russian contract guns were either 1st (rechambered Americans), 2nd or 3rd Models with considerably altered frame and trigger guard.

 

[jleiper]

Let me be clear: This revolver is the first step towards the Second Model. It was submitted to the Russians because Ordintetz wanted changes to make the recoil more manageable. It is mechanically a First Model with none of the mechanical changes that are seen in the second model.
The second step in the evolution was the revolver which is now in the Connecticut state library with the knuckle on the frame.

BTW it definitely predates the Merwin Hulbert by about 4 years so they didn't copy that grip shape.
Joe

 

[opoefc]

Joe, You say that this revolver is "the first test example submitted to the Russians." By "Russians" do you mean Cap't Ordinetz? If so, is there some documentation that this gun was the first sample gun submitted to Cap't. Ordinetz? ( Hutchinson, Capps & Jinks always referred to the revolver as a "Russian with an experimental handle," which it obviously is. ) As we know, Cap't Ordinetz asked S&W for several different examples with various grip configurations to deal with the what the Russians felt was excessive recoil. These were the first experimental revolver batch. None were satisfactory. Your gun is probably one of those guns, right? The second experimental batch had the the knuckle on the back strap and other engineering changes, but still had the square butt grip. Further negotiations with the Russian resulted in a trigger guard hook, a hammer change and a round butt and went into production as the Old Model Russian. Your gun, which I examined several times when Dick had it, is a very interesting example of the factory doing it's best to market it's wares. We always surmised that the "R" stamp was to identify it a one several examples made for Cap't Ordinetz, and probably the others had the same stamp. "Bent" grip American models are well known to collectors. There was even a modern test reported I believe in an early S&WCA Journal, to determine how the "bent" occurred! Ed.