Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! Here’s something that tells the real story behind those Wild West show theatrics – one of Annie Oakley’s personal smoothbore Smith & Wesson New Model No. 3 revolvers, shipped directly to “A. Oakley” on June 14, 1895. While most folks remember her as the sharpshooting star of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, this gun reveals the practical side of putting on a safe performance.
The factory letter tells us everything we need to know about why this revolver exists. Smith & Wesson configured it with a 6½-inch smoothbore barrel, German silver bead front sight, and adjustable rear sight with a wide “U” notch – perfect for throwing shot patterns rather than single bullets. By 1895, Oakley was already world famous, having wowed European royalty and earned Sitting Bull’s legendary nickname “Little Miss Sure Shot.”
The smoothbore setup wasn’t about making the shots easier – it was about keeping everyone alive. Exhibition shooters learned the hard way that solid bullets had a nasty habit of traveling much farther than intended. Buffalo Bill himself got a brutal lesson in 1883 when he had to pay for greenhouse damage a block and a half away from his Brooklyn performance. Small shot loads lost energy fast, making indoor performances and crowd safety manageable.
This revolver isn’t just about the Annie Oakley provenance – it represents the evolution of exhibition shooting. Those legendary feats we read about weren’t parlor tricks with blank cartridges. Oakley was putting real projectiles on target, just smart enough to use shot instead of solid bullets when performing for paying customers.
Most of our POTDs utilize images from our friends at Rock Island Auction Company, the premier firearms auction in the United States. Take some time to browse their current auctions – who knows, maybe you’ll find a piece of history to take home!
“A. Oakley Smoothbore Smith & Wesson New Model No. 3 Revolver.” Rock Island Auction, www.rockislandauction.com/detail/4095/82/a-oakley-smoothbore-smith-wesson-new-model-no-3-revolver. Accessed 12 Aug. 2025.
Writer | TheFirearmBlog
Writer | AllOutdoor.com Instagram | sfsgunsmith Old soul, certified gunsmith, published author, avid firearm history learner, and appreciator of old and unique guns.
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