S&W New Model 3 in .44 Russian (Pics Added Post 7)
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TripLeader
Member
TripLeader
Member
The only way to know, for sure, is with the S&W letter from Roy Jinks but I'd be willing to lay odds that it will likely come back as a Japanese contract gun. That lanyard is a typical Japanese contract style lanyard but not exclusively. That would be no detriment to the gun, by the way. At least yours has all matching numbers. Many of the Japanese contract NM3s are not found with matching numbers. The most frequent is a mismatched cylinder to a variety of mismatched numbers with all the numbers being in the Japanese contract serial number ranges.
TripLeader
Member
The factory letter is in!
The factory letter was delivered on a few days ago. It confirmed what was to be expected--the revolver was delivered in a large shipment to Takata & Co. It was shipped on August 12, 1896.
The letter also documents the original configuration was a 6.5 inch barrel, blue finish, and a butt swivel. That matches the the current configuration, which has all matching serial numbers.
It's really cool to get all of that confirmed.
Now the downside. The letter came in an 8.5 x 11 inch envelope. All the sides had been opened and re-taped. The envelope was also partially creased, even though "do not fold" was stamped on it in all capital letters. Both pages of the letter itself are crinkled. There was note inside (included in the attachments). Turns out both the US Postal Service and the IRS both screwed me over on damaging my letter.
Anyway, please enjoy the history!
The factory letter was delivered on a few days ago. It confirmed what was to be expected--the revolver was delivered in a large shipment to Takata & Co. It was shipped on August 12, 1896.
The letter also documents the original configuration was a 6.5 inch barrel, blue finish, and a butt swivel. That matches the the current configuration, which has all matching serial numbers.
It's really cool to get all of that confirmed.
Now the downside. The letter came in an 8.5 x 11 inch envelope. All the sides had been opened and re-taped. The envelope was also partially creased, even though "do not fold" was stamped on it in all capital letters. Both pages of the letter itself are crinkled. There was note inside (included in the attachments). Turns out both the US Postal Service and the IRS both screwed me over on damaging my letter.
Anyway, please enjoy the history!
Attachments
Wow, what a great thread. TripLeader, you now have a very desirable Smith & Wesson revolver, the story of its history with your family, the historical letter, and now a story _about_ the letter. Outstanding, well done!
TripLeader
Member
Thanks. I'm glad I can share the story.
S&WsRsweet
Member
Just saw this cool,gun trip leader ,cool thread lots of great information,thanks for posting all those great pics had a blast reading all this.
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Just got mine (S&W New Model 3 'Russian')
It has taken me 3 years, but I finally completed my Spanish American War collection. Just got #53 shipped to Vallro, Cuba. Totally worth the wait and the effort to find. Beautiful piece of history.
It has taken me 3 years, but I finally completed my Spanish American War collection. Just got #53 shipped to Vallro, Cuba. Totally worth the wait and the effort to find. Beautiful piece of history.
Tripleader
Please put the original letter in a #10 envelope, mail it to SWHF P O Box 669, Warren, MA 01083. I'll have Roy redo the letter.
Don
Anti-gun issue
Don,
I think it's a clear " Anti-Gun" issue! I also just received a factory letter and it was deliberately folded right down the middle over the DO NOT FOLD stamp. All the junk mail made it just fine though so no harm done!
Don,
I think it's a clear " Anti-Gun" issue! I also just received a factory letter and it was deliberately folded right down the middle over the DO NOT FOLD stamp. All the junk mail made it just fine though so no harm done!
I thought so. Good find !
Texas Star
US Veteran
This was fascinating. Pity the gun was stored for so long in a shed!
Might unmarked (in Japan) guns have been sold to Japanese officers, who bought their own sidearms? Those with Navy marks would be service-issued ones, govt. property.
British officers bought their own revolvers until 1915 or 1920, published dates varying. They would not have government Broad Arrow marks,as would military-owned ones. Maybe the same was the case in Japan.
I doubt there was ever a commercial market for handguns in Japan. Gun control there has always been very tight, I'm thinking. ??
Might unmarked (in Japan) guns have been sold to Japanese officers, who bought their own sidearms? Those with Navy marks would be service-issued ones, govt. property.
British officers bought their own revolvers until 1915 or 1920, published dates varying. They would not have government Broad Arrow marks,as would military-owned ones. Maybe the same was the case in Japan.
I doubt there was ever a commercial market for handguns in Japan. Gun control there has always been very tight, I'm thinking. ??
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Excellent thread, congrats for keeping it all together.
We can redo yours as well, is you chose to do so.
At a gun show 20 years ago, a man showed me a NM #3 exactly like yours.
Loooong story short. He was a Navy man stationed at Pearl Harbor in 1945.
He bought it from a Marine who told him a "Jap willingly surrendered it to me after I emptied a clip in him". After the war he worked at Smith & Wesson for a short time and while he was there, he had it refinished. I tried to buy it, but he wanted to keep it.
Loooong story short. He was a Navy man stationed at Pearl Harbor in 1945.
He bought it from a Marine who told him a "Jap willingly surrendered it to me after I emptied a clip in him". After the war he worked at Smith & Wesson for a short time and while he was there, he had it refinished. I tried to buy it, but he wanted to keep it.
That's very kind of you Don. Thank you for the offer. I was able to use thin cardboard and a hot iron to reduce the crease. Besides you guys send another one and they will just fold it again. Maybe worse , like this gentleman's. We are fighting the tide in this State. The fight will go on though!!
TripLeader
Member
That is a very decent offer, thank you. I do not feel it is your responsibility to make it right. I was initially irked at the condition of the letter, due to the errors of others, but not you, sir. I now feel the letter is in ok condition for my needs.
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