Make: Smith & Wesson

Model: Model 320 Revolving Rifle

Serial Number: 896

Year of Manufacture: 1879-1887 / Antique - Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson

Caliber: .320 S&W Rifle

Action Type: Single Action, 6-Shot Top-Break Revolving Rifle with Automatic Extraction

Markings: The top of the barrel rib is marked with the Smith & Wesson Springfield, Massachusetts address and patent dates. The bottom of the grip frame is marked with the serial number "896". The rear face of the cylinder and underside of the barrel latch are also marked "896", matching the frame. The grip panels have molded S&W monograms and the inside of the right grip is marked "896". All Matching.

Barrel Length: 16", two-piece nonseparable barrel. The joint is visible just forward of the cylinder, as is correct for the Model 320.

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a Lyman blade mounted pinned to the rib. The rear sight is the correct L-shaped, two-blade, flip-up V-notch sight mounted to the rear portion of the barrel rib. The Model 320 was originally offered with interchangeable slip-on front sights and a removable tang peep sight. No separate tang peep of front sights are included. The front sight is a fixed replacement. The tang sight filler screw is present.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The rifle is fitted with two-piece checkered red-mottled hard rubber grip panels with molded S&W monograms and a matching checkered hard rubber forearm. The grips and forearm show light handling wear with well-defined checkering. There are no chips or cracks.

The included detachable shoulder stock is smooth walnut with metal mounting hardware and a checkered hard rubber buttplate. The stock has scattered light scratches and compression marks. There are no chips or cracks. The mounting hardware has scattered oxidation and finish wear. The hard rubber buttplate shows minimal wear with well-defined checkering. Overall, the furniture rates in Fine Plus - Excellent condition as Antique.

Type of Finish: Blue with Case-Hardened hammer and trigger guard.

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no notable erosion down the length of the bore. There is minor oxidation inside the muzzle. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 8-9/10.

Overall Condition: This revolving rifle retains about 85% of its original blue and case-hardened finish. There is light operational and handling wear with scattered light scratches and finish thinning. There is light intermittent oxidation and freckling. There is no notable pitting. The markings remain generally clear. The screw heads show light use and retain serviceable slots. Overall, this revolving rifle rates in Excellent condition as Antique.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this firearm. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be required to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: Includes its detachable walnut shoulder stock.

Our Assessment: Smith & Wesson's Model 320 Revolving Rifle is one of the company's most distinctive and scarce 19th-century arms. Manufactured from 1879 to 1887, it was built around a New Model No. 3-pattern top-break action and chambered for the proprietary .320 S&W Rifle cartridge, a cartridge introduced specifically for this model. Production totaled only 977 rifles. Of those, 514 were made with 18" barrels, 239 with 16" barrels, and 224 with 20" barrels. The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson assigns a 10% premium to the scarcer 16" and 20" configurations, making this 16" example one of the more desirable factory variants.

The Model 320 combined a six-shot revolving action with a long two-piece barrel, hard rubber forearm, automatic extraction, and detachable shoulder stock, creating an unusual bridge between Smith & Wesson's famous top-break revolvers and a conventional shoulder arm. Serial number 896 falls late in the Model 320's 1-977 serial range, and the matching frame, cylinder, and barrel-latch numbers are particularly desirable. This rifle also retains its correct two-blade rear sight, slip-on blade front sight, mottled hard rubber furniture, and detachable shoulder stock.

With only 239 examples originally manufactured in the 16" configuration, this is a scarce variation of an already rare Smith & Wesson. Its matching numbered components, proprietary chambering, detachable stock, unusual revolving-rifle design, and desirable short-barrel configuration give it considerable interest for the advanced Smith & Wesson or 19th-century American arms collector.