The Smith & Wesson New Model 3 dominated target competitions in the late 1800s. According to the included letter from Ogan Antiques, Ltd., this revolver was obtained by them from the Calhoun Norton Collection and was originally shipped to the noted American Olympian Walter Winans on August 24, 1899 though no factory letter is present and Rock Island Auction Company cannot substantiate that claim. He was a three time medalist winning the gold in running deer shooting in 1908 (double shot) and the silver in 1912 (team). He also won a gold medal in 1912 for his sculpture "An American Trotter". He is the only American to win a medals in shooting and art. The Standard Catalog (p. 203) confirms that Winans received 22 of these revolvers and given the serial number this is certainly plausible. It has a custom blade target front sight with notches on the rear face and flat notch target rear sight. The barrel has the one line address marked on top of the rib. British proofs are seen on the left side of the barrel in front of the cylinder, in the cylinder flutes, and on the lower right side of the frame just about the front of the trigger guard. Winans was born in St. Petersburg to an American father and later took an oath to the United States at a Consul General and never set foot in the United States and instead resided and later died in England. Thus, the British proofs are correct for a gun once owned by him. The Smith & Wesson trademark is on the right rear of the frame below the hammer. The cylinder is numbered "33850" while the butt and barrel are numbered "024". The latch number is scratched but a "54" is visible. It has mid to late features include a short ejector housing and single finger on the extractor cam. It is fitted with checkered walnut grips. Mechanically the revolver has been custom tuned to position stop with a light trigger pull again indicative of a professional target shooters revolver making the claim again plausible. Research as simple as a factory letter could prove all the difference!

Good. The revolver retains 25% of the original blue finish, the balance is now a gray/brown patina on the exposed surfaces. The grips are good with some minor dings, dents, and scratches and a small chip on the rear edge of the left panel.