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 a new facility and began experimenting with a new cartridge design more suitable than the .22 Short that it had been using. At the same time, the company's design was being infringed upon by other manufacturers which led to numerous lawsuits filed by Rollin White. In many of these instances part of the restitution came in the form of the offender being forced to stamp "Manufactured for Smith & Wesson" on the revolvers in question. White's vigorous defense of his patent caused a problem for armsmakers in the United States at the time as they could not manufacture cartridge revolvers.