Someone was asking me when S&W started using ejector rod shrouds. Such as on a 38-44 or a registerd magnum. I'm thinking mid 1930's. ??

Welcome to the Forum.

About 1906-1908, on the New Century aka Triple Lock revolver. The most popular caliber was the .44 S&W Special. This was the first N frame.

The British government bought Triple Locks in .455 and then asked S&W to drop the barrel shroud feature. It wasn't reintroduced until the 3rd Model Hand Ejector .44 Special aka Model of 1926 aka Wolf & Klar. W&K was a large gun shop/jewelry store in Fort Worth, Texas and they had had requests for the old Triple Lock revolvers. The 1926 had the ejector rod shrould, but not the third lock that was located on the yoke. The first shipment of 1926 .44s occurred on January 27th, 1927.

The .38/44 Heavy Duty came about in 1930, followed by the target version known as the .38/44 Outdoorsman. These guns were followed by the Registered Magnum in 1935.

The first K frame with an ejector rod shroud was the .357 Combat Magnum, introduced in 1955.

I THINK the first J frame with an ejector rod shroud was the M60 Ladysmith in 1989.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Welcome to the forum. I think Muley Gil has answered the question.

A check of my best recollection and the SCSW gives the following information for the first 4 S&W's "using under barrel shrouds":

1. The .44 Hand Ejector 1st Model also referred to as a "Triple Lock", "New Century", or .44 Military Model of 1908. Manufactured circa 1907-1915. Second models did NOT have an ejector shroud. Correct as per Muley Gil's excellent observation - the third model did reintroduce the ejector shroud.
2. The .38/44 Heavy Duty Prewar. Manufactured circa 1930-1941. The target sighted version, The Outdoorsman Prewar circa 1931-1941.
3. The Registered Magnum. Manufactured circa 1935-1939.
4. Prewar .357 Magnum Non-Registered. Manufactured circa 1935-1941.

John
Scoundrel and Ne'er-Do-Well in Training

"Second and Third models did NOT have an ejector shroud."

The 3rd model HE .44 reintroduced the ejector rod shroud.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Muley Gil,
Thanks for pointing out my mistake. I stand corrected that the third model of The .44 Hand Ejector did reintroduce the ejector shroud. It was the "triple lock" that got dropped for the second and third models.
Thanks,
John

Thanks guys. There is always lots of good info here.

*
I may be really wrong here, but you limit the years of those models too much, and the Outdoorsman 38/44 is considered a different model than the HD, even though I admit a lot of overlap existed. The HD continued in to the model marked years (crudely 1966 IIRC, but don't quote me) as the M20, and the .357 Magnum (registered and not) has more or less continued since.

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NHI, 10-8.

^^^^^
See above post by Doug M
Doug M,
Thanks for pointing out those finer points. I was trying to keep it too simple which is sometimes hard to do with S&W history. You are correct about the Outdoorsman. I will correct, or further define my post, so as to not confuse anyone coming across this thread.
Thanks,
John

Don't bother. I was picking nits anyway, and when you fix it my response will look more stupid and even more petty.

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NHI, 10-8.

I believe the 1st shrouded barrel, also full lug J frame was the M 36-6 CS Target limited production of 615 from 1989. Because I ran out and bought the 1st one I could find:

Factory supplied Hogue grip on round butt.


Followed closely by the 60-4 stainless version in 1990, also limited production which became regular production in 1992. Bought this one too:

Round butt with Uncle Mike's rubber grips that I did not like:


But from the standpoint of just a shrouded barrel, not a full lug barrel, that would be the 60-18 with 'two piece' 5" barrel from 2005.

But the only classic one piece barrel with shroud not having a full lug is the Model 63 with 3" shrouded barrel introduced in April 2010. I just bought the barrel from Smith to install on an earlier gun w/o lock and MIM parts.

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Jim
S&WCA #819