European, Smith & Wesson Double Action, open top revolver .44 Russian/.44 Special $3500
- Category
- Firearms Handguns
- Classification
- No PAL Required
- Action
- Revolver
- Condition
- Excellent
- Manufacturer
- (other)
- Caliber
- 44 Russian
- Sight
- open
- Capacity
- 5
- Hand
- Right Handed or Ambidextrous
Please text anytime 6476871484. Fully functional antique revolver in perfect and ready to shoot condition ,very good single and double action.
Reloadable ammo is available but sold separately
No PAL required.
Tested fired with smokeless powder ammo.
Antique 6” .44 DA/SA Improved Automatic Belgian Revolver Counterfeit Smith & Wesson
Description:
Make: F.D.C. Belgian
Model: 1st Model 44
Year of Manufacture: 1882-1890s
Caliber: .44 Russian/ .44 Special
Action Type: Break action revolver.
Markings: This revolver has “Belgium” on the bottom of the grip frame. The top of the barrel is marked “IMPROVED AUTOMATIC”. The Cylinder face has Belgian proofs.
Barrel Length: 6”
Stock Configuration & Condition: This revolver has two-piece hard rubber grip panels. The panels have flowers at the top. Grips are in very good like new condition. This one has longer 41mm cylinder.
Blued 99% intact.
The bore is bright with strong rifling.
The action is strong and the cylinder lockup is good with no play.
The action functions correctly. The barrel has an extractor operate as they should.
The .44 Double Action First Model was introduced in 1881 and a total of 54,668 revolvers were produced. All frames were manufactured before 1899, making this model an antique.
There were many copies of S&W designs made in Europe. Some were licensed, but most were not. Some were outright forgeries trying to pass themselves off as genuine S&W products but were high-quality copies. There were counterfeits made in Belgium, Spain, and Mexico.
According to The Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson in the 1890s S&W went as far as to bring legal action against one Belgian firm for marketing counterfeits of the S&W design. After a lengthy legal battle, S&W eventually won their case, resulting in 'heavy damages' to the Belgian firm. Not what we usually expect of Belgian gun makers, who are normally known for high quality. This Revolver is one of those counterfeits. This one was produced under military contract in Europe and eventually imported to the U.S.
