Original Item: Only One available. This is an amazing find! Every young "Wild West" fans dream: A real Cowboy Six-shooter! This is a very nice frontier-used Smith & Wesson Russian Second Model No. 3 revolver in .44 Russian, identical to the Russian Contract models, except for the markings. It looks to have seen long service, and then was cleaned, buffed, etched, and nickel plated sometime in the late 19th century. We can definitely see past peppering under the plating. It also comes with a lovely set of well broken in walnut grips. The S&W Model No. 3 was introduced in 1869 as the U.S. Army's principal sidearm, which they used until 1873.

This fine example features the standard long 8" barrel of the 2nd Model, with a cylinder capacity of 6 shots, and functions in single-action only. It has the longer ejector housing under the barrel of the 2nd model, and there is a screw on the top above the cylinder, which is correct. The top of the barrel bears all the S. & W. patent dates up to 1869, however the cleaning before plating has removed the end of them. We can still see some traces, and based on the overall length, we are fairly certain there is no reissue marking, and originally it read:

While designed for the Russians, after they reverse engineered the design, Smith & Wesson turned to the commercial market and other Governments to sell the revolver to. The serial number on this example is 19774, found on the bottom of the grip, and stamped onto the inside of right wooden grip scale. Assembly number 460 / Z is marked on rear-face of cylinder, barrel latch, barrel extension (faint), and on the right grip frame under the grip scales. That makes this a great "ALL MATCHING" example, with no major parts swapped out over the years.

This is a Top-break revolver, making loading extremely easy and frankly a much better system than the side loading Colts and Mervin & Hulbert revolvers. This was the same model revolver that the famous Lawman Wyatt Earp used in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral on October 26th 1881.

Unlike many examples that we see, this revolver cycles very well, with crisp indexing and a solid cylinder lockup. There is a bit of wobble, but we did not notice any of the finicky behavior we often see with revolvers of this age. The revolver breaks open correctly with strong ejection, though we have not tested it on actual cartridges. The bore on the barrel is in very good condition, showing a bright finish with crisp lands and grooves. We can even still see some of the cutting marks in the grooves! There is some past fouling and oxidation, now cleaned away, but this is rally an exceptional bore for a black powder era frontier used revolver.

The exterior condition, as mentioned before, is a lovely nickel plated finish, applied over past oxidation peppering, which was cleaned away. It really looks sharp, and the nickel plating is very well retained. The walnut grips are in good shape as well, with wear around the edges, as to be expected. There are some small chunks missing, but they really present very well.

A very nice frontier used example, later refinished and ready for display! Perfect for any Americana collector!

Specifications: 
Years of Manufacture: circa 1872
Caliber: .44 Russian
Ammunition Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 8 inches
Overall Length: 13 1/2 inches
Action: Single Action
Feed System: 6 Shot Revolver

More on the "Russian Model" No. 3:
Almost as soon as Smith & Wesson’s Model No. 3 American, the first practical big-bore metallic cartridge revolver, was introduced in 1870, a sample was presented to Russian military attaché Gen. Alexander Gorloff. By May 1, 1871, the first of many large contracts for the Russian military were being filled. The single action handgun also began going through several modifications—most of these alterations were those requested by Russian military officers at the factory. A major change they required was a newer, more powerful cartridge than its .44 American round. S&W developed the .44 S&W Russian, resulting in the retooling to fit the Russian ammunition for the Russian contracts as well as for commercial sales. Thus, the First Model Russian looked virtually identical to its American predecessor.

History of the Smith & Wesson Model No. 3
The Smith & Wesson Model 3 was a single-action, cartridge-firing, top-break revolver produced by Smith & Wesson from circa 1870 to 1915.

It was produced in several variations and sub-variations, including both the "Russian Model", so named because it was supplied to the military of the Russian Empire (41,000 No. 3's were ordered in .44 caliber by the Imperial Russian Army in 1871), and the "Schofield" model, named after Major George W. Schofield, who made his own modifications to the Model 3 to meet his perceptions of the Cavalry's needs. Smith & Wesson incorporated these modifications into an 1875 design they named after the Major, planning to obtain significant military contracts for the new revolver.

The S&W Model 3 was originally chambered for the .44 S&W American and .44 Russian cartridges, and typically did not have the cartridge information stamped on the gun (as is standard practice for most commercial firearms). Model 3 revolvers were later produced in an assortment of calibers, including .44 Henry Rimfire, .44-40, .32-44, .38-44, and .45 Schofield. The design would influence the smaller S&W .38 Single Action that is retroactively referred to as the Model 2.