Smith & Wesson .44 Double Action, First Model revolver with desirable long 6” barrel. This model was S&W’s first big bore double action revolver and was introduced in 1881. They were manufactured with barrel lengths from 4” to 6 ½” with the most common length encountered being 5 inch. One of its earliest users was famed outlaw John Wesley Hardin. Being a top break design with the ability fire by simply pulling the trigger with no need to manually cock the hammer and then to extract all six fired cases instantaneously earned it a solid reputation for a fast firing and fast ejecting/reloading firearm! Being a large frame revolver firing a powerful cartridge, the .44 Russian round, this revolver was a popular holster gun on the western frontier. Most found today show hard wear from years of rugged use. This example with serial number 33695 shows usage, as one would expect, but retains a fine overall appearance. It has exactly the appearance collectors seek out who want a historically original firearm that has actually “been there and done that,” without being abused or altered. This is a great example of a frontier firearm that retains great history locked in it solid steel construction. Overall the metal shows a deep aged blue patina with no serious rust or pitting visible. The Smith & Wesson address markings and patent dates are all sharp and clear on the top of the barrel as is the S&W logo on the right side of the frame. The correct hard rubber checkered grips with S&W logo at the top fit perfectly and are not chipped or cracked. Both grip panels show handling and holster wear commensurate with the rest of the revolver. The action is fine with a strong and correctly functioning ejector, the bore is surprisingly fairly bright with fine rifling throughout and importantly, the serial numbers match on all the major parts. This is a mid-production example that was probably produced about 1890. A very important early handgun in the evolution of the double action S&W line, this big .44 caliber revolver is an important addition to any S&W, general firearms or old west collection. A most attractive , unaltered example.