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Old 06-18-2013, 12:29 AM
Hondo44 Hondo44 is offline
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Hi Mike,

I don't propose to answer for Lee. But I have similar confusion and have tried to work this out from various sources, mainly Neal and Jinks and discussions from this forum. This is what I come up with and so maybe Lee can critique this at the same time:


The 3 Versions of .455 Mk II chambered Hand Ejectors are:

1. .44 HE 1st Model TL, .455 Mk II chambering (808 factory reconfigured unsold ".44 Spl HE 1st Models" or from parts thereof, original chamberings unknown [666 for the British, the rest for the US commercial market]). These 808 .455 #s range from 1104 to 10417 within the .44 1st Model serial # range of 1 to 15375. Shipped 1914-16.

2. .455 Mk II HE 1st Model, TL. New .455 serial # range 1 to between #5000 and #6000 guns with c. 68* of the 808 S/#s above duplicated with the .44 1st Models .455s. Made 1914-15.

3. .455 Mk II HE 2nd Model continued in the .455 1st Model serial range beginning between #5000 and #6000 to #74755. Made 1915-17.

At the end of the .455 contract 691 additional .44 1st Model .455 TLs were again assembled from parts and again in the .44 1st Model serial # range. Thus creating duplicate numbers of .44 1st Model .455s and .455 2nd Models starting c. #5000 to #6000 and below # 15375 (the last # used for the .44 1st Model serial range). The 691 could also have duplicate numbers to any of the .455 Mk II HE 1st Model, TLs #1 to c. #5000 to #6000.
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Jim
S&WCA #819

Last edited by Hondo44; 06-18-2013 at 09:58 AM. Reason: REVISED PER LEE'S HISTORY ABOVE
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