Old S&W 44

K.L.

I recently inherited an older looking Smith & Wesson 44.

It is marked as follows along the top of the barrel:

"Smith & Wesson Springfield Mass. U.S.A. Pat'd Jan. 17 & 24 65
July 11 65 Aug. 24 69 July 23 71 Dec. 2 79 May 11 & 25 1880"

It has the S&W trademark on the grip (which appears to be brass). The only other marking is the serial number on three separate places:
32395.

Any information about this S&W would be appreciated.

Ampersand

A photo would help although somebody may recognize the desrcition. If the last patent date is 1880 it must a Model 3 or something along those lines. Does the gun break open on a hinge or does the cylinder swing out to the side of the frame? If it is oldr than the late 1890s it should break open. Are you sure about the caliber? Is it marked ".44" in some way?

If it is a Model 3 that number would probably be from 1874. A New Model 3 (don't ask me the difference except maybe markings) would date from 1896-1912 with that serial number.

&

K.L.

I have photos but have been unable to figure out how to post them.

The gun breaks open on a hinge.

There is no marking with respect to caliber, but I had a 45 shell casing that was just a hair too big, so I am assuming it is a 44.

K.L.

It looks exactly like that -- except the handle is different. While I had thought the gripp was brass, it appears from some descriptions I've seen that it is a hard rubber grip.

How did you post the picture (if I could figure that out, I'd be able to show you a pic).

It looks identical to the third gun shown on this page:
http://www.ocyoung.com/SmithWesson.htm

One thing doesn't make sense, however. The description there says that only 15k of these were made, but mine has a serial number in the 32k range.

woodsrunner

http://www.villagephotos.com/

Go to that site and follow the directions to upload your pictures, it's free.

Then after you've done that they will give you 3 url's for that picture.

Come back here. When you post there are icons at the top of this screen, next to where it says "FORMAT:". Click the square yellow one that has what look like mountains on it. Type the url for easyboards between the brackets. You should have a picture posted at that point.

Woods

"To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them."
George Mason
and you should get this. A barely newer S&W 44.

Iroquois Scout

K.L.,
The revolver that you are asking about is the Smith & Wesson Double Action First Model Revolver in caliber .44 Russian. This was the standard chambering in this revolver and that is why there is no caliber marked on the revolver. The standard barrel length was 6-1/2 inches. These revolvers were made from 1881 to 1913 and there were 53,590 made in caliber .44 Russian, with another 15,340 being produced in caliber .44-40 and .38-40. Both variations of this revolver were numbered in separate serial number ranges. The serial number on your revolver, 32395, fits very nicely into this series. The only differences in the variations of this model revolver is that the standard chambering of .44 Russian has a cylinder 1-7/16 inches long and no caliber marking, while those revolvers chambered in .44-40 and .38-40 have a cylinder 1-9/16 inches long and the caliber marked on the left side of the barrel.

Hope that this is of some help to you. Scout

allechalley

I'm a novice at old S&W top breaks, but is there any chance this old girl is a military Schofield .45? ( Schofield is shorter than .45 long Colt)

Iroquois Scout

The serial number alone would tell you that this is not a Schofield. The Schofields were also numbered in a separate serial number range,but, there were only about 9,000 ever made and they were only made in the year 1875.

K.L.

Test

<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-5/210195/SW44.jpg&quot; width=438 height=328>

K.L.

Test



http://image1ex.villagephotos.com/2800577.jpg

K.L.

Thanks for the help with picture posting, Woods. And thanks for the identification, Scout. Here are two additional pictures of the S&W I inherited.