|
|
06-12-2017, 10:32 PM
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Massachusetts, USA
Posts: 794
Likes: 0
Liked 968 Times in 219 Posts
|
|
Unusual No.2 Old Army
Howdy
I came across this No. 2 Old Army at a silent auction table two weeks ago. Anything look unusual?
I stopped and looked twice at the 'ejector rod' under the barrel. I wondered why it had been cut down to a narrower diameter.
It has been sleeved for 22 Long Rifle! I already have two of them, regular 32 RF, but I couldn't resist this one, so I bid on it. I won the bid and took it home last week. 'Serious' collectors won't be interested in it, because it has been modified, but I have often wanted to fire one of these.
The lock up is tight and everything functions just as it should. To make things even better, I found some CCI CB Longs which have a muzzle velocity of only 710 fps. I took it to the range yesterday, with a few different types of 22s. First I fired the CB longs out of a K-22 to get a feeling for how much power they had. It was like firing a BB gun. Then I shot some CCI Shorts out of the K-22 and they had considerably more recoil. So I loaded up the No. 2 with the CB Longs and fired them.
Great fun. The gun has obviously been refinished at some point. No idea when it was modified, but the sleeved barrel is like new, as our the sleeves in the chambers. So it was very accurate, even with the tiny sights.
I didn't overdo it, only fired a few cylinders full, but what fun. No idea when it was made, Roy said he is out of town for a few weeks.
The SN is 33XX. I'm guessing it's a pretty early one.
|
The Following 17 Users Like Post:
|
-db-, bcowern, Bobbysixkiller, Breakaway500, dave1918a2, DCWilson, Dennis, desi2358, digi-shots, ExcitableBoy, jleiper, K Frame Keith, LedFowl, mrcvs, opoefc, red9, wolffgun |
06-13-2017, 01:45 AM
|
US Veteran SWCA Founding Member Absent Comrade
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: San Diego, CA. USA
Posts: 10,532
Likes: 3,529
Liked 6,883 Times in 2,796 Posts
|
|
This must have been a labor of love by a very skilled craftsman ! You could have bought several .22RF revolvers for what it would have cost you to have this made. Great gun ! Ed.
|
06-13-2017, 05:32 AM
|
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Massachusetts USA
Posts: 9,596
Likes: 3,711
Liked 8,951 Times in 3,558 Posts
|
|
You might try searching the Ship Date Request section of the S&WCA forum. Many times if you use the right keyword it will bring up tens of listings showing shipping dates of the model that you are interested in. Again as we all know, guns with one digit difference can ship months or even years apart but usually that is not the case and you can hopefully get a rough time frame.
I would have also been all over that gun. As Roy Jinks has often stated, sometimes the modifications made to these guns are more fascinating than the hundreds or thousands of original models.
__________________
James Redfield
LM #497
|
06-13-2017, 06:58 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Trenton, Fl
Posts: 516
Likes: 4
Liked 1,250 Times in 299 Posts
|
|
While I would never do that to an original antique, I'd rather own that gun than an unmodified one. Nice!
|
06-13-2017, 02:00 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Canada
Posts: 123
Likes: 1,420
Liked 163 Times in 48 Posts
|
|
Hard to tell from the posted photos, but why do you think it has been refinished?
Last edited by bcowern; 06-13-2017 at 03:02 PM.
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
06-13-2017, 05:09 PM
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 3,842
Likes: 3,260
Liked 7,111 Times in 1,896 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by bcowern
Hard to tell from the posted photos, but why do you think it has been refinished?
|
Right! At least from the posted photographs, it doesn't appear refinished to me.
|
06-13-2017, 08:55 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Pike County PA
Posts: 1,046
Likes: 1,758
Liked 2,027 Times in 645 Posts
|
|
That thing is COOL!
|
06-13-2017, 10:50 PM
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Massachusetts, USA
Posts: 794
Likes: 0
Liked 968 Times in 219 Posts
|
|
Howdy Again
A few things tell me it has been refinished. The grips are original, they bear the same SN as the gun, however they are clearly refinished, much too old to be that shiny given the wear to the gun blue. Yes, refinished grips does not necessarily mean a refinished gun, but it is an indicator.
Not pictured is the SN on the butt of the gun. A little bit difficult to read because of the metal having been polished prior to refinish.
On the side plate is a barely readable inscription: "E.H.TODD" in a nicely executed flowing script. Difficult to read because it was partially polished away before the refinish.
One other thing: the catalog stated it has been refinished. Granted, an excellent job, not showing any softened edges or dished holes, but still a refinish. The wear visible to the blue in my photos is wear to the very professionally done reblue.
Don't get me wrong, the modification to 22 LR plus the reblue knocked the value down considerably, which I benefited from.
P.S. When I took the grips off it was evident the main spring is not original. If it is, it has been polished and is very shiny bare metal.
Again, not complaining, I like the gun just fine and am glad I was able to buy it.
Last edited by Driftwood Johnson; 06-13-2017 at 10:52 PM.
|
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
|
|
06-15-2017, 02:06 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Indiana
Posts: 62
Likes: 267
Liked 190 Times in 27 Posts
|
|
Nice gun. Very interesting. Some years ago I bought a Model No. 3, second model .44 Russian top break. It was all original except that it was converted to .22 RF ! I removed the sleeves in the cylinder and barrel and restored it back to original, except for the modification to the firing pin and recoil shield. Everybody who looks at it scratches their head, until I tell them the story behind it.
|
06-17-2017, 11:17 AM
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Monterey Ca
Posts: 82
Likes: 2
Liked 14 Times in 10 Posts
|
|
nice gun I have had a couple that were sleeved It appears to be a two pin according to my study the highest serial number for a two pin 3346I would guess shipped Feb of 62 The ejector modified for the 22. If you have not filled out the survey for your other two number @s would appreciate for the data base
|
06-17-2017, 01:10 PM
|
US Veteran SWCA Founding Member Absent Comrade
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: San Diego, CA. USA
Posts: 10,532
Likes: 3,529
Liked 6,883 Times in 2,796 Posts
|
|
Ron, I'm pretty sure it's a 3 pin gun. I can see the third pin in the first photo, however with a 4 digit serial number in the 3300 range, it's a very low # 3 pin. Ed.
|
06-17-2017, 03:56 PM
|
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Massachusetts USA
Posts: 9,596
Likes: 3,711
Liked 8,951 Times in 3,558 Posts
|
|
From the photos it is definitely a 3 pin.
__________________
James Redfield
LM #497
|
06-17-2017, 06:49 PM
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Massachusetts, USA
Posts: 794
Likes: 0
Liked 968 Times in 219 Posts
|
|
It is a Three Pin.
|
|
Posting Rules
|
|
|
|
|