Serial # help NM No.3
- Thread starter buffhuntr
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You can obtain a factory letter that will give you the exact date shipped and usually a destination or individual to whom it shipped. However, there are no serial number tables in which a serial number corresponds to a specific date of production.
There were two different serial number ranges for this model. The early 44 Russian NM3 had 11 7/16" cylinder lengths, while the 44 Winchester Frontier Model was 1 9/16" cylinder.
If it has a short cylinder, the gun would have been manufactured the first year of production in 1878. If long cylinder, the first year production was 1885. The picture you posted looks like the short cylinder, but take the measurement and that will help.
Now, let's discuss the target options for this model. Some early serial numbered target NM3s shipped very late, into the 1900s, so there is no way to tell when the official ship date was without a historical letter. S&W and the BATF define antique classification based on when the frames were made, so all NM3s are considered antiques, made pre-1899.
If it has a short cylinder, the gun would have been manufactured the first year of production in 1878. If long cylinder, the first year production was 1885. The picture you posted looks like the short cylinder, but take the measurement and that will help.
Now, let's discuss the target options for this model. Some early serial numbered target NM3s shipped very late, into the 1900s, so there is no way to tell when the official ship date was without a historical letter. S&W and the BATF define antique classification based on when the frames were made, so all NM3s are considered antiques, made pre-1899.
Here are a few ship dates you can play with, and one of them is for a single unit special order; so you can pretty much figure it was made the day before----maybe the same day---however long it took the paint to dry.
#1610, a 38-44 S&W was shipped May 13, 1893.
#2163, a 32-44 S&W was shipped May 28, 1894.
#3914, a 38-40 Winchester was shipped October 25, 1902.
The special order for one unit is probably pretty easy to spot, never mind they can't confirm the caliber. The fellow who drilled the holes knew which bits to use, and it says "38 WINCHESTER CTG" on the numbers matching barrel.
Ralph Tremaine
#1610, a 38-44 S&W was shipped May 13, 1893.
#2163, a 32-44 S&W was shipped May 28, 1894.
#3914, a 38-40 Winchester was shipped October 25, 1902.
The special order for one unit is probably pretty easy to spot, never mind they can't confirm the caliber. The fellow who drilled the holes knew which bits to use, and it says "38 WINCHESTER CTG" on the numbers matching barrel.
Ralph Tremaine
Ralph makes a good point that somewhere in the late 1800s the factory started stamping the calibers on their large frame revolvers. If that target revolver was shipped somewhere in the 1890s or early 1900s it should have caliber stampings on the barrel? Let us know if your revolver is stamped?
I do not recall caliber roll stamp prior to 1900 shipping date. Not to say they don't exist, just saying I have no records of such.
On the later production, caliber roll marks come in, more consistently, somewhere in the very high 20xxx and into the 30xxx serial number range. This is not including those still produced in the .32-33/.38-44 serial number range ... some of which were shipped after 1898 have the caliber roll stamp.
There really is no set rule that applies here, rather just a culmination of observations. However, caliber roll stamps seems to be just about on keel with 1900 to most all later ship dates.
R.S. "Sal" Raimondi, Sr.
On the later production, caliber roll marks come in, more consistently, somewhere in the very high 20xxx and into the 30xxx serial number range. This is not including those still produced in the .32-33/.38-44 serial number range ... some of which were shipped after 1898 have the caliber roll stamp.
There really is no set rule that applies here, rather just a culmination of observations. However, caliber roll stamps seems to be just about on keel with 1900 to most all later ship dates.
R.S. "Sal" Raimondi, Sr.
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