Smith & Wesson Model 3

The **Smith & Wesson Model 3** is a single-action, cartridge-firing, top-break revolver produced by Smith & Wesson (S&W) from around 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. 3s 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. S&W incorporated these modifications into an 1875 design they named after the major, planning to obtain significant military contracts for the new revolver.

The 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 influenced the smaller S&W .38 Single Action that is retroactively referred to as the Model 2.

## Schofield revolver

The U.S. Army adopted the .44 S&W American caliber Model 3 revolver in 1870, making it the first standard-issue, cartridge-firing revolver in U.S. 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.

In 1875, the U.S. Ordnance Board granted S&W a contract to outfit the military with Model 3 revolvers incorporating the design improvements of Major George W. Schofield (the so-called "Schofield revolvers"), providing that they could make the revolvers fire the .45 Colt (or ".45 Long Colt") ammunition already in use by the US military. S&W instead developed their own, slightly shorter .45 caliber round, the .45 Schofield, otherwise known as the .45 S&W.

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 S&W sold; and at the time, his older brother, John M. Schofield, was the head of the Army Ordnance Board, so this conflict-of-interest may have been the main reason for the adoption of the .45 Schofield.

Many of the Model 3 Schofield revolvers served in the Indian Wars, with reports of them in use as late as the Spanish–American War and Philippine–American War. Like the other 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), John Wesley Hardin, Pat Garrett, Theodore Roosevelt, Virgil Earp, Billy the Kid, and many others. The S&W No. 3 revolver was famously used by Wyatt Earp during the gunfight at the O.K. Corral with the Clanton Gang.

While the standard barrel length was 7 inches, many Schofields were purchased as surplus by distributors, and had the barrels shortened to 5 in, and were refinished in nickel. After the Spanish–American War of 1898, the US Army sold off all their surplus Schofield revolvers, which 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-in barrel, as well as the standard size barrel of 7 in.

Of the most notable purchasers of these reconditioned Model 3 Schofield revolvers was Wells Fargo and Company, which purchased the revolvers for use by Wells Fargo road agents, and had the barrels shortened to a more concealable 5-in 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 restamped alongside the Wells Fargo stamping on the flat part of the barrel just forward of the barrel pivot, as well as restamping any part of each revolver that had not originally been stamped or stamped in a location that would be difficult to view the serial number, when needed.

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. More "fake" Wells Fargo-marked Schofield revolvers than genuine ones are in existence, and accordingly, a collector interested in purchasing a "Wells Fargo" Schofield revolver would be well advised to have a prepurchase inspection and verification performed by an expert who specializes in this model.

Lieutenant Colonel Schofield shot himself on December 17, 1882, with a Schofield revolver after suffering a bout of mental illness, stress, and isolation.

An engraved, gold-plated New Model No. 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.

### Versions

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.

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 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 gives 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.

#### New Model No. 3

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 No. 3. This new model was originally offered in the same frame and cylinder lengths as the original No: 3 but soon, Smith and Wesson offered a "Frontier" version with a longer frame and cylinder, allowing it to fire the longer WCF (44-40) cartridges. Standard chambering was .44 Russian (barrels were often stamped 44 S&W and was Smith and Wesson's attempt to re-brand the 44 Russian cartridge), although other calibers were available on special order or in related models such as the .44-40 Frontier model, the .32-44 and .38-44 Target models, and the very rare .38-40 Winchester model.

#### Australian Model

In 1880, the South Australia Police, which were then interested in rearming with up-to-date weapons, noted a display of New Model No. 3 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 7-in 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 30 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*. The S.A. revolvers were sold as surplus in 1953 to the Western Arms Corporation of Los Angeles.

#### 1st Model .44 Double Action

Often improperly referred to as a "New Model 3 Double Action", the 1st Model .44 Double Action is not a Model 3 production or variation, but rather a stand-alone model.

## Notable Users

* Daniel Murray
* Arthur Smith