Antique Smith and Wesson revolvers represent some of the most highly collectable pieces from one of America’s most historic gun manufacturers. Our inventory includes everything from the Civil War era Smith and Wesson.32 Army #2 revolver to 1st and 2nd model Americans to the D.A. Smith & Wesson Model 1-1/2 second issue 32 caliber rimfire spur trigger revolver. Serial number 105199. Metal parts are smooth and have most of the original nickel finish present o.

1. Smith And Wesson Revolver Serial Number Search
2. Smith Wesson Serial Number Database

The Smith & Wesson Model 10, previously known as the Smith & Wesson .38 Hand Ejector Model of 1899, the Smith & Wesson Military & Police or the Smith & Wesson Victory Model, is a revolver of worldwide popularity. In production since 1899, the Model 10 is a six-shot, .38 Special, double-action revolver with fixed sights. Over its long production run it has been available with barrel lengths of 2 in (51 mm), 3 in (76 mm), 4 in (100 mm), 5 in (130 mm), and 6 in (150 mm). Barrels of 2.5 inches (64 mm) are also known to have been made for special contracts.^[1] Some 6,000,000 of the type have been produced over the years, making it the most popular handgun of the 20th century.^[2]

• 1History
• 2Model 10 Variants
• 4Users

History[edit]

In 1899, the United States Army and Navy placed orders with Smith & Wesson for two to three thousand Model 1899 Hand Ejector revolvers chambered for the M1892 .38 Long Colt U.S. Service Cartridge. With this order, the Hand Ejector Model became known as the .38 Military and Police model.^[3] That same year, in response to reports from military sources serving in the Philippines on the relative ineffectiveness of the new cartridge, Smith & Wesson began offering the Military & Police in a new chambering, .38 S&W Special (a.k.a. .38 Special), a slightly elongated version of the .38 Long Colt cartridge with greater bullet weight (158 grains) and powder charge increased from 18 to 21 grains of gunpowder.^[3]

In 1902 the .38 Military & Police (2nd Model) was introduced, featuring substantial changes.^[1] These included major modification and simplification of the internal lockwork and the addition of a locking underlug on the barrel to engage the previously free-standing ejector rod. Barrel lengths were 4-, 5-, 6-, and 6.5-inches with a rounded butt. Serial numbers for the Military & Police ranged from number 1 in the series to 20,975. Most of the early M&P revolvers chambered in .38 Special appear to have been sold to the civilian market.^[3] By 1904, S&W was offering the .38 M&P with a rounded or square butt, and 4-, 5-, and 6.5-inch barrels.

World War I[edit]

The .38 S&W Military & Police Model of 1905 4th Change, introduced 1915, incorporated a passive hammer block and enlarged service sights that quickly became a standard across the service revolver segment of the industry. The M&P revolver was issued in large numbers during World War I, where it proved itself to be a highly reliable and accurate weapon. Although WWI saw the rise of semi-automatic pistols, revolvers such as the M&P were often the weapon of choice, as they were generally considered more reliable and easier to use than automatic pistols.

After the War, the M&P would become the standard issue police sidearm for the next 70 years. It would also become very popular with civilian shooters, with several new models being made, including the first snubnosed 2-, 2.5- and 3-barrel models being made in 1936.^[1][4]

World War II[edit]

The S&W M&P military revolvers produced from 1942 to 1944 had serial numbers with a 'V' prefix, and were known as the Smith & Wesson Victory Model. It is noteworthy that early Victory Models did not always have the V prefix. During World War II over 570,000 of these pistols were supplied to the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa under the Lend-Lease program, chambered in the British .38/200 caliber already in use in the Enfield No 2 Mk I Revolver and the Webley Mk IV Revolver. Most Victory Models sent to Britain were fitted with 4-inch or 5-inch barrels, although a few early versions had 6-inch barrels.^[5][6]

The Victory Model was used by United States forces during World War II, being chambered in the well-known and popular .38 Special cartridge. The Victory Model was a standard-issue sidearm for United States Navy and Marine Corps aircrews, and was also used by security guards at factories and defense installations throughout the United States during the war.^[7]

Some of these revolvers remained in service well into the 1990s with units of the United States Armed Forces, including the United States Air Force and the Coast Guard. Until the introduction of the Beretta M9 9mm pistol in 1990, U.S. Army helicopter crew members and female military police officers were equipped with .38 caliber Victory Model revolvers. Criminal Investigation Division agents were issued .38 caliber revolvers with two inch barrels. The Victory Model remained in use with Air National Guard tanker and transport crews as late as Operation Desert Storm in 1991, and with United States Navy security personnel until 1995.^[8]

Some Lend-Lease Victory Model revolvers originally chambered for the British .38/200 were returned to the United States and rechambered to fire the more popular and more powerful .38 Special ammunition, and such revolvers are usually so marked on their barrels. Rechambering of .38-200 cylinders to .38 Special results in oversized chambers, which may cause problems. Lee Harvey Oswald was carrying a re-chambered Victory Model when he was apprehended on November 22, 1963.^[9]

The finish on Victory Models was typically a sandblasted and parkerized finish, which is noticeably different from the higher-quality blue or nickel/chrome finishes usually found on commercial M&P/Model 10 revolvers. Other distinguishing features of the Victory Model revolver are the lanyard loop at the bottom of the grip frame, and the use of smooth (rather than checkered) walnut grip panels. However some early models did use a checkered grip, most notably the pre-1942 manufacture.^[10]

Model 10[edit]

After World War II, Smith & Wesson returned to manufacturing the M&P series. Along with cosmetic changes and replacement of the frame fitting grip with the Magna stocks, the spring-loaded hammer block safety gave way to a cam-actuated hammer block that rode in a channel in the side plate (Smith 1968). In 1957, Smith & Wesson adopted the convention of using numeric designations to distinguish their various models of handguns, and the M&P was renamed the Model 10.^[8]

The M&P/Model 10 has been available in both blued steel finish and nickel finish for most of its production run. The model has also been offered throughout the years with both the round butt and square butt grip patterns. Beginning with the Model 10-5 series in the late 1960s, the tapered barrel and its trademark 'half moon' front sight (as shown in the illustrations on this page) were replaced by a straight bull barrel and a sloped milled ramp front sight. Late model Model 10s are capable of handling any .38 Special cartridge produced today up to and including +P+ rounds.^[8]

As of 2012 the Model 10 was available only in a 4-inch barrel model, as was its stainless steel (Inox) counterpart, the Smith & Wesson Model 64.^[11] Some 6,000,000 M&P revolvers have been produced over the years, making it the most popular handgun of the 20th century.^[12]

Model 10 Variants[edit]

.357 Magnum variations[edit]

After a small prototype run of Model 10-6 revolvers in .357 Magnum caliber, Smith & Wesson introduced the Model 13 heavy barrel in carbon steel and then the Model 65 in stainless steel. Both revolvers featured varying barrel weights and lengths—generally three and four inches with and without underlugs (shrouds). Production dates begin in 1974 for the Model 13 and end upon discontinuation in 1999. The Model 65 was in production from 1972-1999.^[1] Both the blued and stainless models were popular with police and FBI, and a variation of the Model 65 was marketed in the Lady Smith line from 1992 to 1999.

.38 S&W variations[edit]

From the Late 1940's to early 1960's Smith & Wesson made a Variation of the Model 10 chambered for .38 S&W called the Model 11^[13] that was sent to British Commonwealth countries to supply their armies^[13] and police forces.^[14] they were also sent to Canada as well.^[15]

Replacement[edit]

The S&W Model 10 revolver was a popular weapon before the semi-automatic pistol replaced the revolver in many police departments, as well as police units and armies.

• Certain units of the Ireland's Gardaí (Irish Police) had replaced the Model 10 by the SIG Sauer P226 and Walther P99C semi-automatic pistols.
• Victoria Police replaced the K frame model 10 with the M&P in .40 S&W.
• New Zealand Police replaced the revolver with the Glock 17.^[8]
• New South Wales Police Force replaced the Model 10 with the Glock 22, Glock 23 and Glock 27.
• The weapon was used by Norway's Home Guard until 1986 and the Norwegian Police Service until 2008, being replaced by the Heckler & Koch P30
• Portugal police replaced the weapon by the Walther PP, subsequently by the Glock 19.^[8]
• Royal Malaysia Police used Model 10 as standard sidearm from early 1970 alongside Model 15 before it fully replaced by Beretta PX4 and Walther P99. It was used by Police Volunteer Reserve as standard sidearm and also by RELA Corps for training and self-defence purpose for their officers alongside with Smith & Wesson Model 36 2 inch barrel.^[8]
• The Model 10 was formerly the standard issue for many firearms-trained police officers in the United Kingdom and in many forces they were replaced by the Glock 17.^[8]
• The weapon was used by United States Army and United States Marine Corps, only to be replaced by the M1911A1 and the M9 pistols.^[8] Prior to the introduction of the M9 pistol in 1986, the Army issued Model 10s to helicopter crew members and female military police officers. Snub nose versions were used by Criminal Investigation Division (CID) agents.

Users[edit]

Many of the S & W Military & Police revolvers were captured and used by some of the police forces, such as the Austrian Police, during the occupation after World War II. It is incorrect to refer to them as 'the Model 10' as model numbers were not introduced by Smith & Wesson until 1957. Note that, during First World War, copies (slightly undersized) of the Military & Police were produced in Eibar and Guernica (Spain), in 8mm 1892 caliber for the French armies; the Milice man on the right holds such a copy.

The weapon is currently^[when?] used by French cash couriers and banks, Disciplined Services of Hong Kong, Myanmar Police Force officers and other Burmese paramilitary units, Peruvian National Police and other police units.

A few copies of Smith & Wesson Model 10 were produced in Israel by Israel Military Industries (IMI) as the Revolver IMI 9mm. The weapon was chambered in the 9mm Luger caliber, instead of .38 Special, the original caliber.^[16][17] Also, Norinco of China has manufactured the NP50, which is a copy of the Smith & Wesson Model 64, since 2000.

List[edit]

• Algeria^[18]
• Australia^[19] - Was used by police across the country. Replaced by multiple different semi-automatic pistols between 1990-2010.
• Canada- Various Police Forces.
• China^[8]
• Costa Rica^[8]
• France^[8]
• Hong Kong- Hong Kong Police Force.^[8]
• Iceland- Armed officers of the Icelandic Police, Replaced by the Glock 17. The Icelandic Coast Guard has also used the Model 10 in the past.
• Iran^[20]
• Ireland- Armed units of the Garda Síochána (To be phased out).
• Israel^[8]
• Jamaica
• Japan - Used in some prefectural police headquarters since late 1940s.^[21]
• Jordan
• Kingdom of Laos: Received from US Government during Laotian Civil War.^[22]
• Latvia
• Libya^[23]
• Malaysia^[8]
• Myanmar
• New Zealand^[19]
• Norway - standard firearm of Norwegian Police Service from 1981 until about 2007.
• Peru^[8]
• Philippines^[8]
• Portugal^[8]
• Saudi Arabia^[8]
• Singapore: Used by the Singapore Police Force before switching to the Taurus Model 85 revolvers in 2002 and the Model 85 revolver's are still in service today.
• South Africa^[19]
• South Korea^[8]
• South Vietnam^[24][25]
• Vietnam^[8]
• Thailand^[8]
• Turkey- Emniyet Genel Müdürlüğü (Turkish National Police).^[26] Used between 1951 and the mid 1990s.
• United Kingdom - formerly a police-issue weapon.^[8]
• United States- Various Police Forces, Different prisons who had armed guards, Also used by the US Army.^[8]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^ ^abcdSupica, Jim; Richard Nahas (2001). Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson. Iola Wisconsin: Krause Publications. p. 1068.
2. ^Boorman, Dean K., The History of Smith & Wesson Firearms (2002), p. 46: 'The .38 in Military and Police Model 10 has historically been the mainstay of the Smith & Wesson Company, with some 6,000,000 of this general type produced to date. It has been described as the most successful handgun of all time, and the most popular centerfire revolver of the 20th Century.'
3. ^ ^abcCumpston, Mike (2003-01-16). 'The First M&P'. Gunblast.com. Retrieved 2008-05-02.
4. ^http://sportsmansvintagepress.com/read-free/smith-wesson-hand-guns/sw-terrier/ Smith & Wesson did not succumb to the fad for short-barreled revolvers until 1936, when the firm brought out what was termed the 'S&W .38/32 2″,' later christened the 'Terrier' which was simply the round butt Regulation Police Model with a two-inch barrel.
5. ^Shore, C. (Capt), With British Snipers to the Reich, Paladin Press (1988), p. 55
6. ^Dunlap, Roy, Ordnance Went Up Front, Samworth Press (1948), p. 142
7. ^Ayoob, Massad (15 March 2010). Massad Ayoob's Greatest Handguns of the World. Iola, Wisconsin: Gun Digest Books. p. 71. ISBN978-1-4402-1503-2.
8. ^ ^{abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvw}Supica, Jim; Nahas, Richard (2007). Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson. Iola, Wisconsin: F+W Media, Inc. pp. 141–143, 174, 210–211. ISBN978-0-89689-293-4.
9. ^Martin, Orlando (January 2010). JFK. Analysis of a Shooting: The Ultimate Ballistics Truth Exposed. Dog Ear Publishing. pp. 118–119. ISBN978-1-60844-315-4.
10. ^Hunter, Hunter (2009). 'S&W Victory & Colt Commando Revolvers'. American Rifleman. 157 (6): 36–37. ISSN0003-083X.
11. ^Shideler, Dan (7 August 2011). Gun Digest 2012. Iola, Wisconsin: Gun Digest Books. p. 420. ISBN978-1-4402-1447-9.
12. ^Boorman, Dean K., The History of Smith & Wesson Firearms (2002), p. 46: 'The .38 in Military and Police Model 10 has historically been the mainstay of the Smith & Wesson Company, with some 6,000,000 of this general type produced to date. It has been described as the most successful handgun of all time, and the most popular centerfire revolver of the 20th Century.'
13. ^ ^ab'Wiley Clapp: The .38 S&W—Isn't That Special?'. www.americanrifleman.org. Retrieved 2018-08-09.
14. ^'Info on s&w model 11 needed'. smith-wessonforum.com. Retrieved 2018-08-09.
15. ^'Anybody have a S&W Model 11 revolver?'. forums.gunboards.com. Retrieved 2018-08-09.
16. ^'The Mystery of the IMI 9mm Revolver'. 12 May 2015.
17. ^'Rock Island Auction: I.M.I. (Israeli) - M&P'. www.rockislandauction.com.
18. ^'World Infantry Weapons: Algeria'. 2015. Archived from the original on 24 November 2016.
19. ^ ^abcArnold, David (28 February 2011). Classic Handguns of the 20th Century. Iola, Wisconsin: Gun Digest Books. p. 33. ISBN978-1-4402-2640-3.
20. ^'WWII weapons in the Ayatollah's Iran'. wwiiafterwwii.wordpress.com. 16 October 2016.^{[self-published source]}
21. ^Sugiura, Hisaya (September 2015). 'Pistols of the Japanese police in the postwar era'. Gun Professionals: 72–79.
22. ^Conboy, Kenneth (23 Nov 1989). The War in Laos 1960–75. Men-at-Arms 217. Osprey Publishing. p. 15. ISBN9780850459388.
23. ^'World Infantry Weapons: Libya'. Archived from the original on 5 October 2016.
24. ^'Smith & Wesson .38 / NAM 64-75'. www.nam-valka.cz.
25. ^'Army of the Republic of Vietnam 1955–75'. United States.
26. ^Schwing, Ned (5 November 2005). Standard Catalog of Military Firearms: The Collector's Price and Reference Guide. Iola, Wisconsin: Krause Publications. p. 323. ISBN978-0-87349-902-6.

External links[edit]

• Smith & Wesson Model 10 at the Internet Movie Firearms Database

The Smith & Wesson Model 3 was a single-action, cartridge-firing, top-breakrevolver produced by Smith & Wesson from circa 1870 to 1915, and was recently again offered as a reproduction by Smith & Wesson and Uberti.

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),^[2] 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.^[2]

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.^[2]

• 2Schofield Revolver
  • 2.1Versions
• 3Copies
  • 3.3Users
• 4Modern reproductions

Russian Model[edit]

Smith & Wesson produced large numbers of the Model 3, in three distinct models, for the Russian Empire by special order. The first was the 1st Model Russian (the original order design), with the Russian Ordnance Inspector mandating a number of improvements to the design, resulting in the 2nd Model Russian, with a final revision to the Russian design being known as the 3rd Model Russian.^[3]

Smith & Wesson nearly went bankrupt as a result of their Russian Contract production, as the Imperial government assigned a number of engineers and gunsmiths to reverse-engineer the Smith & Wesson design, and then began to produce copies of the revolver—both in their own arsenal at Tula and by contracting other manufacturers in Germany and elsewhere in Europe to manufacture copies of the revolver (a common practice at the time—Webley & Scott's British Bulldog revolver was widely copied, too, by European and American gunsmiths).^[3]

The Russian and European copies of the S&W Model 3 revolver were generally of very high quality, but considerably cheaper than the S&W produced revolvers. This led to the Imperial government cancelling the order for significant quantities of Smith & Wesson–made revolvers (which Smith & Wesson had already produced), and delaying (or refusing) payment for the handguns that had already been delivered.^[4]

Schofield Revolver[edit]

The U.S. Army adopted the .44 S&W American caliber Smith & Wesson Model 3 revolver in 1870, making the Model 3 revolver the first standard-issue cartridge-firing revolver in US service. Most military pistols until that point were black powder cap and ball revolvers, which were (by comparison) slow, complicated, and susceptible to the effects of wet weather.^[3]

In 1875, the US Ordnance Board granted Smith & Wesson a contract to outfit the military with Model 3 revolvers incorporating the design improvements of Major George W. Schofield (known as the 'Schofield revolver'), providing that they could make the revolvers fire the .45 Colt (AKA '.45 Long Colt') ammunition already in use by the US military. Smith & Wesson instead developed their own, slightly shorter .45 caliber round, the .45 Schofield, otherwise known as the .45 S&W.^[5]

When it became obvious in the field that the two cartridges would not work interchangeably in the Schofield (although they both worked in the Colt), the U.S. Government adopted the shorter .45 Schofield cartridge as the standard cartridge. Despite the change, old stocks of the longer .45 Colt rounds in the supply line caused the Army to drop most of the Schofields and continue with the Colt. Major Schofield had patented his locking system and earned a payment on each gun that Smith & Wesson sold, and at the time his older brother, John M. Schofield, was the head of the Army Ordnance Board and the political situation may have been the main issue for the early end of army sales.^[3]

Many of the S&W Model 3 Schofield revolvers saw service in the Indian Wars, and there are reports of them in use as late as the Spanish–American War and Philippine–American War. Like the other Smith & Wesson Model 3s, they were also reportedly popular with lawmen and outlaws in the American West, and were reportedly used by Jesse James, Bob Ford (who used one to kill James),^[6]John Wesley Hardin, Pat Garrett, Theodore Roosevelt, Virgil Earp, Billy the Kid, and many others. The Smith & Wesson No. 3 revolver was famously used by Wyatt Earp during the OK Corral Gunfight with the Clanton Gang.^[2]

While the standard barrel length was 7', many Schofields were purchased as surplus by distributors, and had the barrels shortened to 5', and were refinished in nickel.^[3] After the Spanish–American War of 1898, the US Army sold off all their surplus Schofield revolvers. The surplus Schofield revolvers were reconditioned by wholesalers and gunsmiths (at professional factory-quality level) with a considerable number offered for sale on the commercial market with a 5-inch barrel as well as the standard size barrel of 7 inches.^[3]

Of the most notable purchasers of these reconditioned model 3 Schofield revolvers was Wells Fargo and Company, who purchased the revolvers for use by Wells Fargo Road Agents and had the barrels shortened to a more concealable 5 inches length. These revolvers were then inspected by the Wells Fargo armorer and uniquely stamped 'W.F. & Co' or 'Wells Fargo & Co', along with the original Smith & Wesson serial number re-stamped alongside the Wells Fargo stamping on the flat part of the barrel just forward of the barrel pivot as well as re-stamping any part of each revolver which had not originally been stamped or stamped in a location that would be difficult to view the serial number, when needed.^[3]

The Wells Fargo Schofield revolvers became so popular with collectors from the 1970s onwards that the unique Wells Fargo markings were being 'counterfeited' or 'faked' by unscrupulous sellers to enhance the value of other similar versions that had not been genuinely owned by Wells Fargo & Co. There are more 'fake' Wells Fargo marked Schofield revolvers than genuine ones in existence and, accordingly, a collector interested in purchasing a 'Wells Fargo' Schofield revolver would be well advised to have a pre-purchase inspection and verification performed by an expert who specializes in this model.^[3]

Lieutenant Colonel Schofield shot himself on December 17, 1882, with a S&W Schofield revolver after suffering a bout of mental illness, stress and isolation.^[7]

An engraved, gold-plated New Model Number 3 with pearl grips was presented to sharpshooter Annie Oakley in the 1890s by her husband Frank Butler. The revolver was one of three embellished guns that were cased for Oakley as a presentation group.^[8]

Versions[edit]

First Model Schofield[edit]

The First Model Schofield has a latch configuration that is rather pointed at the top and has a circle around the screw head at the bottom.

Second Model Schofield[edit]

The Second Model latch has a large raised circle at the top of the latch.

One of General Schofield's revisions and improvements to the predecessor Model 3 Revolvers included mounting the spring-loaded barrel catch on the frame as opposed to the standard Smith & Wesson Model 3 which has the latch mounted on the barrel. In the previous engineering, the posts of the frame would wear out after heavy usage. Schofield's improvement called for heat treated, replaceable components at this sensitive 'wear' area of the catch and latch. The serial number range also will give an indication of whether it is First or Second Model, with the serial numbers changing from the First Model to the Second Model at a little over 3,000.^[4]

New Model Number 3[edit]

In 1877, S&W discontinued production of its other Model 3s such as the American, Russian, and Schofield—in favor a new improved design called the New Model Number Three. This new model has a longer cylinder allowing it to fire longer cartridges. Standard chambering was .44 Russian, although other calibers were offered on special order or in related models such as the .44-40 Frontier Model, the .32-44 & .38-44 Target Models, and the very rare .38-40 Winchester Model.^[4]

Australian Model[edit]

In 1880 the South Australia Police, who were then interested in re-arming with up-to-date weapons, noted a display of New Model Number Three revolvers at the Australian Exposition in Melbourne. At the direction of Police Commissioner Peterswald an order was placed through S&W's New York agent for 250 nickel revolvers in .44 Russian with a seven-inch barrel length. The order, which included extension shoulder stocks, ammunition, and reloading kits, arrived at Adelaide in March 1882. The revolvers and stocks were thereupon marked with a government broad arrow punch mark, and were called revolver-carbines. They were issued to mounted police, known as troopers, who at that period also policed the Northern Territory. Both the South Australia and Western Australia police made further small purchases during 1886-88, none of which was marked with the broad arrow. For some thirty years the revolver-carbine was the front line weapon of the mounted police of S.A., W.A., and N.T. Nearly all serial numbers are known, and are listed in the book Service Arms of the South Australian Police.^[9] The S.A. revolvers were sold as surplus in 1953 to the Western Arms Corporation of Los Angeles.

Smith & Wesson .44 Double Action First Model[edit]

The Smith & Wesson .44 Double Action Frontier Revolver was made from 1881 to 1913. This revolver could be fired in both single- and double action, and used the typical S&W top-break ejection system. Chambered primarily in .44 Russian, as well as .44 S&W American and .44-40 it incorporated the company's familiar curved grip frame, with hard rubber or checkered walnut grips. It was available in blue and nickel-plated finishes, with 4, 5, 6, 6½ and 8 inch barrels (the 5' being the most common).^[10]

Copies[edit]

The popular Model 3 was copied in many countries. Most common were the versions made in Spain, Mexico and Belgium; but companies such as Ludwig Loewe & Company of Germany and the Tula Arsenal in Russia played a hand in the counterfeit game, too. Copies have been found in Turkey and Pakistan as well, made by local manufacturers.^[3]

11mm Orbea Hermanos y Cia. M1884 Sistema ONÁ ('S&W Model 7')[edit]

In 1884 the Spanish government made a decree stating that any invention not copyrighted by their copyright office was not under their protection. One victim of this was Smith & Wesson, whose lucrative contract to produce Model 3 revolvers for the Spanish Army was quickly cancelled. Its work given to local gunsmiths in Eibar by different firms without any standardization of parts.^[3]

The Orbea HermanosModelo 1884 Sistema ONÁ (Basqueoná > 'good') or 'S&W Model 7' revolver was made from 1884 until the 1920s. It is notable for its grip medallion, which is an 'OH' interlaced like the Smith & Wesson 'S&W'.^[3]

An interesting footnote is that Smith & Wesson immediately copyrighted all of their other designs in Spain from then on. That is why their firearms have MARCA REGISTRADA and the date of the Spanish patent on their barrels.^[11]

Liege copies[edit]

There were a number of unauthorized Belgian copies made in .44 Russian and .44-40 Winchester as Single and Double Action revolvers. These copies, mostly manufactured in Liege, were marked as if to deceive a buyer into thinking that they were a revolver produced by Smith & Wesson. Many of the finer details such as the location of the Smith & Wesson factory were incorrectly stamped on the revolvers ('New York' and 'VK' being the two most common).^[3]

Smith & Wesson brought lawsuits against two gunmakers in Liege, which they originally lost, but won on appeal.^[3]

Users[edit]

Italy[edit]

The prime contractor for the Italian military was Orbea, which chambered their revolvers for the Italian 10.4mm cartridge. These Spanish-made revolvers were used during World War I, and according to online sources were the preferred handgun of elite Arditi troops.

Philippines[edit]

Many Spanish firearms were captured by the Liberation Army during the Revolution, among them Model 1884 revolvers. Some were brought by defectors from the Spanish military. These handguns also saw service, later, in the Philippine-American War.

Romania[edit]

Revolvers for the Romanian military were chambered for the .44 Russian cartridge, and were made by Trocaola, Aranzabal y Cía. These Spanish-made revolvers were used during World War I.

Spain[edit]

Spain used these revolvers, which were chambered for the .44 Russian cartridge, during the Philippine Revolution, the Spanish–American War, the Rif War, and the Spanish Civil War.

United Kingdom[edit]

The M1884 was later briefly made chambered in .455 Webley for British government contracts in 1915 and 1916. It was designated by the British Army as the 'Pistol, Old Pattern', due to its old design. They were dubbed 'Spanish Webleys' by troops even though they were copies of the S&W Model 3. Orbea Hermanos y Cia., Garate, Anitua y Cia., and Trocaola, Aranzabal y Cia. were contracted to make 30,000 revolvers among them. Orbea Hermanos was the major contractor and the other two were sub-contractors. Rexach & Urgoite was later contracted in 1916 to make 500 pistols but all failed proofing and the lot was refused.

Finish and quality control was varied throughout the run of production. The fact that they were making service pistols and revolvers for France and Italy at the same time was definitely a factor.

As there was no standardization of design or parts between manufacturers, each manufacturer's model was considered a different gun altogether. The Garate, Anitua y Cia. model was designated the Pistol, Old Pattern, No.1 Mk.I,^[12][13] the Trocaola, Aranzabal y Cia. model was designated the Pistol, Old Pattern, No.2 Mk.I, and the Orbea Hermanos model was designated the Pistol, Old Pattern, No.3 Mk.I.

The weapons were given to the Royal Ulster Constabulary after the war. The RUC later sold them off to the New South Wales Police Force, who made snub-nosed revolvers out of them and issued them as backup pistols. A cut-down snub-nosed .455 'Old Pattern' Revolver was carried by one of Michael Collins' bodyguards.

Modern reproductions[edit]

Modern reproductions of the Smith & Wesson model 3 Revolver are made by a number of companies, including (most notably) Smith & Wesson themselves, as well as the Italian arms-makers Uberti and Armi San Marco.^[14]

Smith & Wesson[edit]

Smith & Wesson manufactured a modern reproduction of the original Model 3 Revolvers from 2000 to 2003. Despite being touted as a 'true' reproduction, there are significant differences between the modern version and the original. Side-by-side comparison of an original with the pre-production gun showed that the new version is slightly more stout than the original around the barrel and top strap, though not as much as on the Navy Arms guns. Changes in the internal lock mechanism were also made.^[15]

The 'reproduction' S&W Model 3 firing pin is frame-mounted instead of being an integral part of the hammer, a modern safety feature – with a transfer bar as a practical safety catch in a revolver – preventing accidental discharge if dropped.^[15]

There is no transfer bar on the firing pin but a blocking bar on the hammer, should it slip off the thumb when cocking the pistol. A heavier cylinder was fitted into the stronger frame. Unlike the Uberti reproductions that have a longer-than-original cylinder and frame the S&W was made to only accommodate the shorter original Schofield rounds.^[15]

Uberti/Armi San Marco[edit]

The Uberti version, imported by Navy Arms and Cimarron Firearms, has external dimensions generally similar to the original 2nd Model Schofield, but the barrel and topstrap are considerably thicker, for additional strength. These replica Model 3 revolvers have lengthened cylinders to accommodate .45 Colt and .44-40 cartridges. Although there were some problems with the locking latch angles in early versions, these were generally corrected or the revolvers were replaced. European reproduction Model 3 revolvers have changes made to their lockwork to meet import regulations.^[16] A Uberti produced reproduction was also marketed as the Beretta Laramie.

Cultural significance[edit]

Clint Eastwood's 1992 film Unforgiven features a character called the 'Schofield Kid' (Jaimz Woolvett), named after the Model 3, his weapon of choice.^[6] In the 2007 film 3:10 to Yuma, Charlie Prince (Ben Foster) carries two Smith & Wesson Schofield Model 3 revolvers.^[6]

Smith And Wesson Revolver Serial Number Search

References[edit]

1. ^McNab, Chris (2009). Firearms. Queen Street House, 4th Queen Street, Bath BA1 1HE, UK: Parragon. p. 62. ISBN978-1-4075-1607-3.
2. ^ ^abcdBoorman, Dean K. (2002). The History of Smith & Wesson Firearms. Guilford, Conn.: Globe Pequot Press. pp. 31–33, 37. ISBN978-1-58574-721-4.
3. ^ ^{abcdefghijklm}Supica, Jim; Nahas, Richard (3 January 2007). Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson. Iola, Wisconsin: F+W Media, Inc. pp. 88–103. ISBN0-89689-293-X.
4. ^ ^abcLawman, Tuolumne 'Smith & Wesson's #3, Colt's Biggest Rival in the Old West'Archived 2008-02-28 at the Wayback Machine Sam Hane's Western History
5. ^Kinard, Jeff (2004). Pistols: An Illustrated History of Their Impact. ABC-CLIO. pp. 129–135. ISBN978-1-85109-470-7.
6. ^ ^abcAgnew, Jeremy (1 November 2012). The Old West in Fact and Film: History Versus Hollywood. McFarland. p. 150. ISBN978-0-7864-9311-1.
7. ^'REVOLVER - SMITH & WESSON REVOLVER MODEL 3 SCHOFIELD FIRST MODEL SINGLE ACTION .45 SN# 1532'. Springfield Armory Museum.
8. ^Autry National Center (12 January 2012). 'Annie Oakley's Pistols'.
9. ^Service Arms of the South Australian Police : 1838 to 1988, the first 150 years by Max Slee : (Antique & Historical Arms Assoc., of South Australia, Adelaide, 1988) ISBN0-7316-4078-0:
10. ^https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2013/4/23/smith-wesson-44-double-action-first-model/
11. ^Lee, Jerry (29 January 2016). 2016 Standard Catalog of Firearms: The Collector's Price and Reference Guide. 'F+W Media, Inc.'. p. 1034. ISBN978-1-4402-4441-4.
12. ^Taylerson-Chamberlain, W. H. J. and A. W. F. Revolvers of the British Services, 1854-1944, pp. 57-59.
13. ^Maze, Robert J. Howdah to High Power – A Century of British Breechloading Service Pistols (1867-1967), pp. 93-94
14. ^Taffin, John (2006). The Gun Digest Book of the .44. Iola, Wisconsin: Gun Digest Books. p. 37. ISBN0-89689-416-9.
15. ^ ^abcSupica, Jim; Nahas, Richard (3 June 2016). Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson. Iola, Wisconsin: 'F+W Media, Inc.'. p. 438. ISBN978-1-4402-4563-3.
16. ^'Uberti Top Break: No. 3 New Model Russian, No. 3 2nd Model'. A. Uberti. Archived from the original on February 1, 2010. Retrieved April 23, 2010.

Smith Wesson Serial Number Database