S&w 1891 ?

[oldhenry]

My son recently acquired this pistol. I hope I'm correct in posting it here. I considered the "Single Shot" section & also considered not posting it at all since it is a RF & this is a cast boolit forum.

Anyway, here goes. I think it is a 1891 3rd model aka "Perfection" model, but would welcome any correction or confirmation. It's a .22LR single shot & the bbl. is 10"..... the 4 digit ser.# is 7XXX. It looks as though the frame may have been CC hardened originally.

Thanks,
Henry

__________________________________________________ _____________________
A real sport involves either gasoline or gun powder..........anything else is just a game

[Kraschenbirn]

According to my copy of Jinks' The History of Smith and Wesson, yours is, indeed, a 3rd Model 'Perfected' which was introduced in 1909 and discontinued in 1923 with just over 7000 manufactured (SN 4618 thru SN 11641). Doubtful that yours was originally case-hardened as this model was catalogued only in blue finish.

There was also an 'Olympic' variation of this model with a slightly shortened (approx. 1/16") chamber which allowed the shooter to, essentially, breech-seat the bullet before closing the action. This was a special-order option without any external marking.

Bill

[oldhenry]

Bill,
Thanks for your response confirming what I had suspected. I had a verbal description in a 29th. ed. of "Blue Book of Gun Values" , but nothing compares with Jinks on S&W matters.

Henry