Smith & Wesson New Model #3

lawmann

February 03, 2003 01:35

Hello

I know that these guns were chambered for .44 Russian, .44-40 (although many of these were converted to .44 Russian) and others. Are these guns marked in some way as to the caliber?

Thanks

Jim

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  Iroquois Scout

  February 03, 2003 03:21

  The answer to your question is both yes and no, I know that this is not what you want to hear, but, this is what went on. The revolvers made for the Russian government are not marked as to caliber, I do not have a Turkish Model in .44 Henry Rimfire, but doubt that they are marked as to caliber. Revolvers for the commerical market had Aug. 13, 69. Russian Model added to the barrel address when chambered for the .44 Russian cartridge. My commerical model in .44-40 is marked .44 Winchester Ctg. on the right side of the barrel. Also the .38-40 and .44-40 use the longer 1 9/16 inch cylinder. As you correctly stated, these revolvers for the Winchester cartridges were not very popular and left over revolvers were converted to the much more popular .44 Russian. However, because of the larger frame opening, the company was forced to use the longer 1 9/16 inch cylinder. How they changed the caliber markings Iam not sure. My commerical model in .45 Schofield is marked .45 S&W Ctg. on the right side of the barrel and I would think that the other calibers would be marked in the same way. Remember, .44 Russian was the standard chambering in these Revolvers and at least 9 out of 10 revolvers will be in this caliber.

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  Iroquois Scout

  February 03, 2003 15:50

  Since I answered Lawmann's question this morning I realize that I made a mistake. In my reply I said that the caliber markings were on the right side of the barrel, when in fact they are on the LEFT side of the barrel. It is the mordern revolvers that are marked on the right side. I answered the question off of the top of my head and thought about it all day. When I got a chance this evening I got the revolvers themselves out and sure enough I had it backwards. I apologize for any confusion my answer may have caused. Scout

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  lawmann

  February 03, 2003 22:41

  Thanks Scout
  
  Do you know whether it is POSSIBLE that a .44-40 New Model 3 would have NO caliber designation on the barrel?
  
  Thanks
  
  jim

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  Iroquois Scout

  February 04, 2003 03:57

  Good Morning Jim,
  Yes, I think that it is entirely possible that there are .44-40 revolvers that have no caliber markings. My revolver is marked, but, that does not mean that there are not revolvers that are not marked. One scenario that I can think of is that your revolver was one of those that was converted to .44 Russian and the .44-40 markings removed or never stamped and sometime in the last 120 years someone fitted a .44-40 cylinder to the revolver. Maybe it was never marked, stranger things have happened. These are rather rare revolvers as only 2,072 were ever made. they came in 4 inch, 5 inch and 6 1/2 inch barrel lengths with 6 1/2 inch being standard. The barrel should be marked with the patent dates of 1865, 1869, 1871, 1875 and 1877. One of the things about this revolver and also my S&W Double Action Frontier is that the cylinders will not accept a cartridge loaded with a bullet larger then .427 inch, but, the barrel groove diameter is .432 inch which means that the bullet must be very soft to slug up that much. It looks like all the barrels were made on the same machinery as the barrels for the .44 Russian. Maybe this was one of the reasons that these revolvers were not very popular.

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  lawmann

  February 05, 2003 12:00

  Thanks Iroquois Scout. If it IS a .44-40 and not converted to .44 Russian, how would I know as far as the chambering of these cartridges? (it is not marked) I have never even seen a .44 Russian cartrige. Could a .44 russian be put in a .44-40 or vice versa?
  
  Thanks
  
  Jim

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  wacowt

  February 14, 2003 10:35

  I have a single action .44R, and double actions in both .44R and .44-40 none of which are marked as to caliber.

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  A-37

  February 16, 2003 06:23

  I doubt if a .44 Russian round can be chambered in a .44-40. The .44 Russian chamber has a pronounced shoulder.

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