Product Description
ENGRAVED & LETTERED Antique SMITH & WESSON No. 3 “AMERICAN” SA HOLSTER RIG
.44 S&W “AMERICAN” Caliber with WALNUT GRIP
Here we present an antique Smith & Wesson No. 3 American Second Model Single Action Revolver manufactured circa 1872-73 with a production run between 1872 and 1874. Smith & Wesson introduced this new cartridge revolver in 1870 that would become the basis for at least five other models, and that would remain in production in one form or another for four decades. The Model No. 3 First Model, which eventually received the moniker “American” sometime in 1872 after a major contract was signed to provide revolvers of the No. 3 pattern to the Russian military, was the prototypical large frame Smith & Wesson handgun of the old west period. The revolver was chambered for the .44 S&W American cartridge, which was simply called the .44-100 when it was first introduced, but which had to be differentiated from the “Russian” variant of the .44 cartridge after that contract was signed.
The gun was a single action revolver with a six-shot cylinder and a ribbed, 8-inch round barrel. The revolver incorporated several firsts for the company, as it was the first centerfire revolver that Smith & Wesson produced. It was also the first .44 caliber handgun, the first large frame handgun, and most importantly, the first gun to feature a tip down barrel with simultaneous extraction. The revolver was originally designed for the 1870 United States Ordnance Board handgun trials and performed well enough that a contract for 1,000 guns were received by the company in December of 1870, with the deliveries made in March of 1871. These “martial” No. 3 Americans appear to be fairly evenly distributed within the serial range of 8,000 to 32,800. As mentioned above, one of the features that made the No. 3 so appealing was the “simultaneous’ extraction system. By lifting a latch on the top of the frame the action of the revolver was opened and as the barrel was tipped down, a star extractor withdrew the cartridges from the cylinder and expelled the empty cases. It was then an easy matter to replace any spent rounds, close the action and be ready to use the revolver again. By comparison, Colt’s competing design, the Model 1873 Single Action Army, required a slow system of manual extraction of each spent case one at a time, with an equally slow loading process. The simultaneous extraction system would be so successful and popular that a number of Smith & Wesson models in multiple frame sizes and calibers would utilize it, well into the 20th century. The first 1,500 or so of the #3 American revolvers were manufactured with a tiny “oil hole” in the bottom of the barrel web, just in front of the frame hinge and ratchet system. This allowed for the ratchet mechanism to be lubricated. It was discovered that this feature wasn’t needed and was eliminated somewhere between serial numbers 1450 and 1537. In all, Smith & Wesson would produce about 8,000 Model No. 3 “American” First Model revolvers between 1870 and 1872, when this refined version the “Second Model American” would replace it.
This revolver is very interesting in that all frames of the No. 3 models were made by 1898 (even though production was from 1870-1912) therefore allowing this model revolver as a whole to be classified as an antique by ATF standards. In 1877, S&W discontinued production of the earlier Model 3s such as the American, Russian, and Schofield in favor a new improved design called the “New Model” Number Three. The “New Model” has a longer cylinder allowing it to fire longer cartridges. Standard chambering was the .44 Russian, although other calibers were offered on special order. Smith & Wesson revolvers, then as now, are some of the finest in the world. Excellently machined, well-proportioned and accurate. It is no wonder why so many records of the era were set with this revolver. Notable shooters and owners of the original No. 3 include Buffalo Bill Cody, Ira Anson Paine, F.E. Bennett, Annie Oakley, Frank Butler, General George Custer and Theodore Roosevelt.
The factory letter indicates this revolver was manufactured in February of 1873 and shipped to M.W. Robinson in New York City with a nickel finish, wood grips, and no engraving. Many of these revolvers, whether S&W or Colt, were engraved by the dealer firms that were buying them for resale and this engraving reflects a New York style typical of the time.
The overall condition is very good. Profuse and excellent scroll engraving with much of the original nickel finish remaining. The action is strong. The bore is slightly dim and there is a dark ring toward the middle; good rifling with mild spotting. The grips show use with some minor chips and a split on the bottom of the left panel. The vintage cartridge belt and hand tooled holster looks the part and remains in good condition for its age. The belt measures approximately 32 inches from the nearest belt hole and 36 inches from the furthest. A beautiful piece of American craftsmanship and history!
Own the original! This is a legitimate antique and not a reproduction.
Barrel is 8 inches.
Caliber: .44 S&W American
Overall condition as seen in photos.
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$4500
#244253