Something wonderful my way cometh: A pair of Cimarron S&W No. 3 1st Model Americans in .44 Russian/Special

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

On 7/8/2024 at 7:50 PM, Tuolumne Lawman 6127 said:

Well, the 5" has a new home. 

I'll make sure it is well cared for.   

And if/when I get out to Tombstone for a shoot, I'll pair it with my Colt Buntline and be all Wyatt Earpy as I visit the OK Corral.  

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

Just to bring this story to its conclusion.  

The 5" American is now safely home with me.   I am very happy.   And it looks like with the latest changes to Mass gun laws, I got it just in time.

Anyway, here it is sitting next to it's new best friend...

 

As we all know, legend ascribes the use of a Buntline Special to Wyatt Earp.   As reality tells us, he used a S&W American at the Gunfight at the OK Corral.  I am now happy to say that I have a Buntline and an American in the same caliber!.

Now all I have to go is go back to Tombstone, visit the OK Corral again, and participate in a cowboy shoot in that town, using these guns.   It is a strange dream, but one that will be a lot of fun.

[Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438]

2 hours ago, H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 said:

Just to bring this story to its conclusion.  

The 5" American is now safely home with me.   I am very happy.   And it looks like with the latest changes to Mass gun laws, I got it just in time.

Anyway, here it is sitting next to it's new best friend...

 

As we all know, legend ascribes the use of a Buntline Special to Wyatt Earp.   As reality tells us, he used a S&W American at the Gunfight at the OK Corral.  I am now happy to say that I have a Buntline and an American in the same caliber!.

Now all I have to go is go back to Tombstone, visit the OK Corral again, and participate in a cowboy shoot in that town, using these guns.   It is a strange dream, but one that will be a lot of fun.

HK

I read about the new restrictions on more "assault weapons", but have not seen anything that would further restrict cowboy guns; what did I miss?

LL

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

5 hours ago, Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 said:

HK

I read about the new restrictions on more "assault weapons", but have not seen anything that would further restrict cowboy guns; what did I miss?

LL

 

The gun is not a "Mass Compliant" pistol.   The only legal way around that is take the gun apart, buy the parts, and do a frame transfer to Massachusetts.    One of the provisions is no more frame transfers.  Not sure of the particulars, but I think that a frame is no longer a frame, it's a firearm.  

The way the dealers were talking to me, they are saying ALL semi-auto's are banned, and that now all long guns have the same kind of rules as handguns and have to be on "the list" to be sold.   Of course, there is no list yet, so essentially you can't buy any kind of a rifle or shotgun in the state once this thing goes into effect in early August.   Several dealers have told me they are just planning to close up shop.   Looks like the Armory in Littleton's days are numbered...

I can't see many rifle or shotgun makers sending in 5 guns to the Commonwealth for destructive testing.

And the CMP is gonna have Krags later this month.   

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

The  Train of make America great again will be on a roll soon boys.

( shit will be changing )

 

I hear the train acoming coming around the bend .

 

We ant seen a 

Democ-Rat sence , I can't remember when .

 

[WOLFY]

oh man… finally they have the 5” available and in my fave calibers.

[Tuolumne Lawman 6127]

After prolonged evaluation, I have decided to keep the 8" American, and I sold the 5 inch.  I am using the 8" American and one Anderson .44 Colt 1860 Conversion as my main match pair.  My second 1860 conversion as back up. I really do love the 8", it has such class and the cool factor is off the chart. After all, if a S&W American was good enough for Wyatt Earp at the Gunfight at the OK Corral, it's good enough for this lawman.  His was engraved, and originally had ivory grips when John Clum (mayor of Tombstone and editor of the Tombstone Epitaph) gave it to him.  Wyatt replaced the ivory grips with wood ones, after Clum gave it to him, and before the gunfight happened.

 

I can't tell you how much I love my 8" American (the 5" just didn't grab me)! After the initial adjustment of the first two range session, I think it is the absolute coolest SASS pistol I have ever had.  Paired with one of my Anderson 1860 .44 Colts, I use my .44 Colt loads in both (Russian won't fit in my Andersons, which were made for .44 Colt BHA).  The American and the 1860 conversion are perfect with my 1860 Henry.  The well equipped 1870 lawman in the California Gold fields.

My .44 Colt loads just became my .44 S&W American loads, since if you read my research post, the .44 S&W was sometimes used in the .44 Colt conversions. I got 4 replica 3 piece .44 S&W American boxes from GC1876 on eBay, and over-labled my Cheyenne .44 Russian boxes with .44 S&W labels.

 

Part one of my S&W America was in the JUly Chronicle, Part 2 will hopefully be in the October one.

 

Interesting thread about .44 S&W American that I started on CAS-City;

 

https://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php?topic=69075.0

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

I now have four S&W No. 3 Revolvers of different flavors. 

My 8" American in 44 Special is by far my favorite. 

Second would have to be my S&W No. 3 44 Russian in 44 Russian .

Then the 6.5" 45 Schofield in the S&W No. 3 .

Last but not least the S&W No. 3  5" Schofield in 45 Colt .

But you are right .

That 8" No. 3 American 44 Special,  is a Special gun , Looks & Feels Like Magic in your hands .

Rooster 

[Roy Goode - SASS 114620]

On 7/20/2024 at 8:18 PM, H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 said:

 

The gun is not a "Mass Compliant" pistol.   The only legal way around that is take the gun apart, buy the parts, and do a frame transfer to Massachusetts.    One of the provisions is no more frame transfers.  Not sure of the particulars, but I think that a frame is no longer a frame, it's a firearm.  

The way the dealers were talking to me, they are saying ALL semi-auto's are banned, and that now all long guns have the same kind of rules as handguns and have to be on "the list" to be sold.   Of course, there is no list yet, so essentially you can't buy any kind of a rifle or shotgun in the state once this thing goes into effect in early August.   Several dealers have told me they are just planning to close up shop.   Looks like the Armory in Littleton's days are numbered...

I can't see many rifle or shotgun makers sending in 5 guns to the Commonwealth for destructive testing.

And the CMP is gonna have Krags later this month.   

 

They all do this no for the same law in California.  It's part of why we can't get certain models, except by a PPT for a gun already in the state.  However, our law has exemptions for single action pistols.

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

S&W Number 3's are great guns, and I've got a few of them.

 

1.  Uberti American 8" .45 Colt.

2.  Uberti American 5" .44 Special as discussed above.

3.  Uberti Schofield 8"  .45 Colt

4.  S&W 3rd Model Schofield 8" .45 S&W

5.  S&W New Model 3 8" .38-44
6.  S&W New Model 3 8" .44-40

7.  S&W Model 3 DA 6.5" .44-40

Fun to shoot all around!   I guess I need a Russian and a Uberti New Model 3 in .45. Colt

[Tuolumne Lawman 6127]

This in really interesting.  All the literature says the .44 S&W American is a .440" case and the bulletin .432".  WELL I have a dozen original rounds of .44 S&W of assorted manufacturers, and ALL have bullet of .440" to .449", as wellas the case diameter of .440".  The rebated heel inside the case may be .432".  This means they would be a better performer than I original thought in .44 Colts.  In fact, I have several .44 Colt and .44 S&W that are the same diameter!