New Model N.3 Frontier

The Smith & Wesson New Model No. 3 “Frontier” was introduced in 1885 as a specialized adaptation of the highly successful New Model No. 3 target revolver of 1878. The primary motivation for its release was to capture a segment of the American market that preferred the versatile .44-40 Winchester Center Fire cartridge, which allowed frontiersmen to share ammunition between their sidearms and their lever-action rifles. Production of the Frontier variant was relatively limited compared to the standard model, running from 1885 until 1908, with a total of only 2,072 units manufactured. This scarcity makes it one of the most coveted variations for enthusiasts of the top-break era.

Mechanically, the Frontier is a single-action, six-shot revolver featuring the signature Smith & Wesson top-break design and a 6.5-inch barrel. Unlike the standard New Model No. 3, which was typically chambered in .44 Russian, the Frontier utilized a longer cylinder to accommodate the .44-40 cartridge. 

While the New Model No. 3 series saw extensive military service globally—most famously with the Russian Empire and the Japanese Navy—the Frontier variant did not see official use in major wars, but it was highly regarded in the civil context of the American West. It was famously favored by lawmen and notable figures like Buffalo Bill Cody, who valued the refined Smith & Wesson engineering over the more common Colt.

As already happened for the other previous Smith & Wesson models, along with its shooting accuracy, users deeply appreciated the New Model No. 3 Frontier for its sophisticated simultaneous extraction system, which clears all spent casings instantly when the barrel is tipped down.