Make: Smith & Wesson
Model: .44 Double Action Frontier
Serial Number: 5221
Year of Manufacture: 1886-1913, All frames were made prior to 1899 / Antique
Caliber: .44-40 Winchester
Action Type: Top-Break Double Action Revolver with a Six-Round Fluted Cylinder
Barrel Length: 6"
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a half-moon blade pinned to the top rib. The rear sight is a U notch in the barrel latch.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two piece checkered hard rubber with S&W monograms molded at their tops. There are no chips or cracks. There are a few minor surface lines. Overall, the grips rate in Excellent condition.
Type of Finish: Nickel Plated, Case Color hammer. Blued trigger guard.
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is faint surface discoloration and very faint scattered erosion. There is no heavy or even mild pitting. In this writer's opinion the bore rates 8/10.
Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 75% of its original nickel finish. The plating is generally strong throughout with light intermittent oxidation and pinprick pitting. The plating around the grip frame and side plate has worn to white. There is finish loss on some of the leading edges. The case color on the hammer is somewhat muted. There are scattered scratches and handling marks. Overall, this handgun rates in Fine condition as Antique.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The lock up is solid with faint play. The timing is excellent. We did not fire this handgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This revolver includes a John Taffin Collection Certificate of Authenticity.
Our Assessment: This example from the John Taffin Collection represents an increasingly scarce early production top-break double action revolver from Smith & Wesson chambered in .44-40 Winchester, a cartridge deeply tied to late 19th-century American frontier use and early repeating rifle compatibility. The .44 Double Action Frontier sits in the transitional period of American revolver design, bridging large-frame service revolvers and the more refined double-action systems that would follow. In nickel finish with case-colored hammer and classic hard rubber grips, it reflects the factory’s emphasis on durable working guns that also carried strong visual presence. As an antique-frame production example (all frames manufactured prior to 1899), it carries inherent collectibility beyond configuration alone, further strengthened by its documented association with a recognized advanced collector collection. This particular example was featured on pages 4-8 and 14-15 of John Taffin's Book of Double-Action Sixguns.
Conditionally, this piece presents as a strong surviving example for its age. The retained nickel at approximately 75% remains visually cohesive, with expected high-edge loss and light oxidation consistent with period use rather than neglect. Mechanical integrity is notably sound for a top-break design of this vintage, with proper function, solid lockup, and clean timing still intact. The bore, rated 8/10, remains serviceable with bright lands and only light scattered erosion, reinforcing that the revolver has seen very limited use over the ages. Combined with its provenance and antique status, this example offers appeal both as a historically anchored frontier cartridge revolver and as a display-grade collectible with mechanical credibility, making it a desirable acquisition for advanced S&W or Old West-era assemblages.
