I am lucky enough to own this pistol and I am looking for any type of data base of known pistols that still exist and what shape they are in. I know someone here has taken a survey before and hope they are willing to share their results. This is for my information only.
Thank you in advance.
Bill

Hopefully a member has done some record-keeping in the past, but I am not aware of anything on this model. Members of the Smith & Wesson Collectors Association have access to a database for all models of S&W, but I cannot ever seem to get a successful search done ver often. I just tried Straightline and got nothing.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

Thanks for trying

A S&WCA member, who monitors the posts here regularly, uses the handle "Straightline, " and has considerable data on the Straightline models. Perhaps a PM to him might provide info. for you. Ed.

thank you!!

I think the proper handle is "straightline22" and I suggest if you haven't already, do an advanced search on this site for "straightline" for all posts (I got about 70 hits). This will give you quite a few examples.
cb

You're right, cb. I forgot to add the "22" Ed.

I have #128---typical early gun (adjustable trigger/non-rebounding hammer/early sear & sear lever/(presumably) non-heat treated frame/"Olympic"chamber), shipped December 3, 1925. Condition is mid 90's compliments of a prior owner possessed of "acid hands"----and not possessed of enough sense to wipe off the grip straps when he was through playing with it.

Also have #1577---typical later gun (non adjustable trigger/rebounding hammer/later sear & sear lever/(presumably) heat treated frame/standard chamber), shipped March 21, 1930. Condition is new.

Ralph Tremaine

This is serial #26 it left the factory September 2nd 1925.

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George Jamison

rct269 and gjamison,
Thanks for the info. George, your weapon is beautiful. I have #685 without the box. The weapon is high 90's condition with rebounding hammer and standard chamber. I shot the pistol to make sure it worked and with a little cleaning fired flawlessly and very accurate for not being touched in over 60 years or so. the attached pictures are poor and don't do it justice. George, I see your from the finger lakes. We used to stay on Keuka Lake every year when I was a kid.
Thanks again,
bill

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If you want to get picky about it (and we usually do), your gun (#685) is likely a distinct third variation (given the rebounding hammer). According to N&J, the change to a rebounding hammer on what I will call "production" guns occurred between #'s 785 and 942 (in 1928). They go on to note the rebounding hammer was installed on (earlier??) guns still in stock at the time of the change (as well as on guns returned for other service). So, depending on when 685 was shipped (and/or if it was returned for service), it's at least an odd-ball---if not a separate variation.

Ralph Tremaine

Mine will not chamber a 22lr. From what I've been told some of them were chambered in 22 Olympic. I would shoot mine but I'm not forcing a round if it doesn't fit.

I spent all my summer's on Keuka Lake until I hit my 20's. Love to go back but it's very expensive.

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George Jamison

Thanks for the info, Ralph. I wanted to send for a letter but I never did. Odd ball is good for me.
Bill

Yes, it is probably Olympic chamber which I've heard is tight but have to be pushed in. I also spent at least 2 weeks a year there and did nothing but fish and water ski all till I was about 18. Boy was that water cold!!!! Beautiful area

The term "Olympic chamber" is a misnomer, because that which is different from a regular, everyday .22 Long Rifle arm isn't the chamber (per se), but the throat. At the risk of incurring the wrath of those who have forgotten more about all this than I know, the chamber is where the cartridge case sits. The throat is where the bullet sits. The chamber in an Olympic chamber gun is the same as any other .22 Long Rifle firearm. The throat is not.

With the earliest Olympic chamber (in the 3rd Model SS) the throat is VERY short. Let's call it zero. The round must be seated with considerable force That force is hard on the pinkies, and those who used these arms on a regular basis used a "pusher" to seat the round. A "pusher" is a piece of wood shaped to suit the user. When the round is seated, the bullet is well into the rifling. That was too much aggravation for a vocal group of shooters, so S&W lengthened the throat (by about .025")----still in the 3rd Model SS. The round is still difficult to seat---just not as difficult. Interestingly enough, there was no significant difference in accuracy (in my tests). The whiners continued to be heard from. The throat in the Olympic chambered Straight Lines is longer yet----and the round is easier to seat. All that aside, S&W apparently grew weary of the continuing whiners, and lengthened the throat to whatever "standard" is in the later Straight Lines.

Now, whoever it was who said they weren't going to force a round that doesn't fit, is missing a real treat. The Olympic Chamber guns are CONSIDERABLY MORE ACCURATE (smaller groups) than standard guns. And it isn't that the round doesn't fit----it just fits different.

And for those who discover they can easily seat the round in an Olympic chamber gun simply by closing the gun-----don't do that. Worst case, you'll get misfires. Best case, accuracy suffers. (I don't know why accuracy suffers. I'm sure it will be embarrassingly simple when I find out.)

Ralph Tremaine

I read somewhere recently that all the straightline .22's left the factory with Olympic chamber, is that true?

You read that in Jinks' History of Smith & Wesson (and anywhere else his work may have been copied), I don't know why you read it in History (first published in 1977) because he tells us in N&J the order to lengthen the chamber (throat) was given by H. Wesson on January 15, 1926------and N&J was first published in 1966. Maybe he forgot about that.

And as to whether what you read is true or not, there are several comments in this thread which (at least) suggest it is not true----not even close.

Ralph Tremaine

I recall it being suggested that if you finish chambering the round by closing the action, the cartridge is not necessarily fully seated. There has to be a small amount of extra gap between the breech face and the barrel face to allow for variations in case rim thickness. Therefore if so seated, the case base is against the breech, but the case rim is not quite against the barrel face.

So, when the firing pin strikes the case it may or may not drive the case forward against the barrel face. This may cause a misfire due to the case movement, or variation in firing pin strike force (and so inconsistent ignition) which may cause flyers.

While I would like to own one of these unusual S&Ws I'm not going to pay the price for a nice one. Too many other guns I'd like to own more.
There is a Straightline listed on a LGS's website for $1995. Only 2 pictures but looks to be in pretty nice shape. I don't know whether that's a good price or not but if anyone is interested I'll PM the info.
Just passing it along.