Smith & Wesson Model 320 inches. "The History of Smith & Wesson Firearms" By Dean K. Boorman Smith & Wesson Model 320 The Smith & Wesson Model 320 was a revolving rifle produced by Smith & Wesson in the late 19th century. The Smith & Wesson Model 320 is the rarest Smith & Wesson in existence and highly prized by collectors. The Smith & Wesson Model 320 revolving rifle was based heavily on the design of the Smith & Wesson Model 3 pistol. 977 revolving rifles were manufactured between 1879 and 1887. They were serial numbered 1 to 977, with 840 being sold in the
Smith & Wesson returned to his native Springfield, Massachusetts, while Wesson stayed on as plant manager with Volcanic Repeating Arms. As Samuel Colt's patent on the revolver was set to expire in 1856, Wesson began developing a prototype for a cartridge revolver. His research pointed out that a former Colt employee named Rollin White held the patent for a "Bored-through" cylinder, a component he would need for his invention. Wesson reconnected with Smith and the two partners approached White to manufacture a newly designed revolver-and-cartridge combination. Rather than make White a partner in their company, Smith and Wesson paid him a royalty of