May I re-present .22 Hand Ejector (Ladysmith) 2nd Model #5356, which was shipped in February 1907. All parts, including the hard rubber stocks, are numbered alike. This is the same gun that Dan M posted a couple of weeks back after he found it at a gun show. I expressed interest in it to Dan, who seems to have noticed it would be tough to convert to .44 Special and decided to let it move along. When he contacted me I jumped at it.
There was some discussion about whether the gun had been refinished. I believe it has definitely been reblued, but by somebody who knew what he was doing. Since the evidence seems to go in two directions, let me review it. First, the case for the gun NOT being a re-blue.
Note that the metal edges at the sideplate to frame seam are not rounded over and that the screw holes are not dished. You can also see that the leading edges of the frame and crane are barely rounded and seem quite sharp.
Note that the rollmarks on the barrel seem sharp and barely buffed, if buffed at all:
But the refinish is given away by the right side of the frame, where the hammer stud end is buffed flat to the surface and the S&W logo is very shallow with no raised edges. Note also that the cylinder stop lug is quite worn, despite showing a fresh blue finish:
Also, look back at the barrel photo which shows the ejector rod knob; note that the beveled face is not in the white, as is typical for unrefinished revolvers, but has been blued.
I guess I should show the serial number. If the stock panels look slightly sprung, they are. While there are no through cracks, the inner surface of one grip is radially cracked from overtightening the grip screw on one occasion. I will just leave the screw snug but not cranked down.
As noted earlier, the same serial number is seen on all parts. Under the barrel it is accompanied by a B for, I suppose, blue. There is also a B stamped next the the serial number on the part of the crane that faces the cylinder. I didn't see a B in other locations, and there is no rework date stamp on the frame under the left stock panel.
Further evidence of the gun's not completely pristine condition came from its action, which was stiff and gritty. I opened it up for cleaning and found that it was a little dirty, though far from filthy. I took everything out, gave it a toothbrush and CLP treatment, and put it back together. I also cleaned up the cylinder assembly, which seemed a little draggy. After cleaning and reassembly, a timing problem I had observed was no longer there. Some dust, lint and carbon had been impeding free movement of the hand and cylinder lock, and with the detritus gone the action functions smoothly. (Though it is of course still horribly stiff, as all small actions must be; I backed the strain screw out half a turn just to reduce the stress on the hammer and trigger assemblies.) The bore and chambers are not as smooth as the exterior of the revolver might make you expect, but they are just a little rough -- not pitted or scored.
This is my second Ladysmith. I lucked into an early first model (S/N 632) at an auction a couple of months back. I suspected it was in better shape than the auction description made it sound, and I was right. (Though it still has some minor issues and the wrong ejector rod.)
I'm not sure I want to keep collecting these because they feel like miniatures to me rather than real tools. But I confess I am fascinated by the complex design that makes the small parts move properly. Fun fact: when you remove the crane (which is held by a pin rather than the front sideplate screw), you will see that the button on the end of the shaft is actually a spring-backed plunger rather than part of a solid piece of steel. When the crane is inserted, the button and spring are what tension the cylinder stop. If you look at the interior photo above, the small indistinct gray patch just in front of the cylinder stop is the plunger on the end of the crane shaft.
And finally, just to give you a sense of scale, here's a pic of the new Ladysmith with a .455 Triple Lock. This looks like a publicity still from Take Your Daughter to Work Day.
Just a couple of final points. The gun has had some repairs. The trigger return spring is a new spring with a shiny and polished outer surface; it looks rusted in the photo above, but it is actually a very shiny plum color. The hand may also be a replacement. I suspect the sideplate screws are not original. I can't imagine century-old screws would look that good, and I believe the sideplate has been off a few times.
The barrel appears to be unringed and the forcing cone seems uncracked.
My thanks to Dan for the transaction. I like this little revolver a great deal.