I posted this in another thread where folks were talking about the rarity of the HE 44 triple lock with the 4" barrel. Since no one seemed to have a comment I thought maybe it needed it's own thread.

There's a local guy posting questions about this gun...



Unless I am mistaken, it looks like a 4" triple lock to me.
I asked him for some better photos of the barrel and here's what he posted...




So is this the mythical 4" triple lock unicorn?

It could be, can you get picture showing the crown?

Yes it is.

The roll marks for the barrel won't fit on the top of a four inch barrel, hence they were placed on the side. All other barrel lengths have the roll marks on top. So it's the real deal......

Chad

I'd Offer him 500 and go from there.

If it's all correct a rare bird indeed.
I would also like to see the barrel crown
up close.


Chuck

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They hold no Quarter

Interesting, I too asked for a photo of the crown, but haven't seen one yet. I didn't press him about it because I kinda figured that with the sight so obviously an integral piece with the barrel that a picture of the crown wasn't going to add much.

It has a 5-digit SN that dates it to around 1915.

So what is one like this worth in the condition shown?

I cannot add any technical advice or expertise, but Lord in heaven above, that is one beautiful wheelgun!!!

4' TLs are known to exist. The real "Unicorn" is the 4" 2nd Model .44 Special.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

You can tell it's a unicorn by the big pointy thing on the end of the barrel. :-)

Yes that's a 4" TL. It hasn't been shortened, unless they were able to rebarrel with an authentic 4" TL barrel. You can tell this by the barrel markings. The patent info was to long to place on the top of the barrel, like other lengths, so they put it on the right side. This meant that the caliber was marked on the left side. This is unlike the markings where it was on the right side.

Stocks are obviously wrong so that does effect value.

Here's mine. From just a bit earlier.

The local guy will be glad to hear what you guys have had to say. The open question is still, what's it worth? Anybody got any thoughts on that?

Triple locks are highly sought after. I am not current on pricing but I would make a WAG that you are looking at $1000 to $1500 for one without its original wood. Basically, collector value is based on originality and completeness. The gun looks real nice without having it in hand but the missing stocks will drop value a bunch.

All that said, it is still a triple lock and folks still want one and there are sooooooo many S&W's with wrong stocks that it seems to be the norm more than the exception. To my dying day, I will never understand why so many of these old revolvers have had there stocks removed and replaced with non matching ones?????

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James Redfield
LM #497

I'll venture a guess as to why they don't wear original wood. Its a simple matter of them hurting to shoot. The little sliver service style doesn't do much to help your hand absorb the recoil. So as soon as beefier wood began appearing in the 1930s, the owners changed to them. They weren't kept original to please folks 100 years later, they changed to improve the performance right then.

For those who complain, there really do seem to be N gold medallion grips turning up from time to time. I buy every one I see at the gun shows. That's usually one pair every few years. Same for non-medallions. I don't agree with the diminished value idea. Often the guns have very valuable grips on them that can be resold making the differential fairly small. It sure doesn't make me walk away when I see one for sale. Just do as Dick does, buy every one he sees!

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Dick Burg