Quote:
Originally Posted by bondjamesbond
Second model 73536 no stamping other than sn,shaved cylinder,takes 45 colt but won’t take 45acp in moon clips I don’t have any half moon clips to try
|
That's a very nice 455 2nd Model with original finish in almost completely original configuration.
I believe you mean there are no other non-factory stampings, because I see the S&W 455 cartridge stamp on the barrel.
You have a fairly rare version of the 2nd model that was never shipped overseas to the British, but rather sold within the USA on the commercial market to a regular S&W distributor. Many of these wound up being sold to various state 'Home Guard' units.
The 2nd Models are the 3rd recognized 455 British contract revolver variation known as the “.455 Mark II HE - 2nd Model” (sans extractor barrel shroud and 3rd lock of the 1st, 2nd, and 4th variations), and the cylinder ctr pin hole in the extractor star is reduced .020” with the associated Ext Rod rear tip reduced .020” in diameter from the TL versions, the ".44 HE 1st Model Triple Lock" factory converted to .455, and the ".455 HE 1st Model Triple Lock" produced in .455 (documented in Neal & Jinks Pg. 215-16.) This version was referred to as the MK II revolver by the British and stamped ‘II’ by them, upper left rear side of frame. The 2nd Model continued in the .455 1st Model TL Brit serial range beginning ~#5801 (previously thought to be 5462) to #74755, shipped 1915-17.
Your's is one 1105 2nd Models released for commercial sales in the US, shipped Dec 1917 to Shapleigh Hardware in St. Louis [S&W, N&J pg. 216], at the tail end of production.