The Russian government was the largest purchaser of Smith & Wesson No.3 revolvers, buying more than 300,000 in total. These purchases began with guns bought directly from S&W, also included guns purchased from Ludwig Loewe in Germany, and by the 1880s, the Tula Arsenal in Russia had tooled up to produce the guns under license. A total of about 35,000 were made there between 1886 and 1893, before they were replaced by the Model 1895 Nagant revolver.