6.5 " sn 2544. It has the wrong stocks (pre-war Magnas) on it and an altered front sight. I will have to see if my Samber stags will fit her when she gets home. I only have the 2 auction photos.

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Matthew Conrad

I guess you can call that a pre war 44, I would call it a Triple Lock. Maybe pre WWI? That low serial number should be a pretty early one, and IIRC they started shipping in 1907. If that is the original finish, it seems to be in really nice condition. That looks like a really nice revolver!! Nice buy.

I'm sure there will be some folks along who specialize in these, I don't really know much about them.

Best Regards, Les

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

With that SN, Pre-WWI is a fair bet. Very nice.

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I need ammo, not a ride.

Holy cow, Matthew! What a score! You go guy! I'll take the Magnas so you can put some period-correct stocks on it.

Guy

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

Very nice. It dates to the early 19 teens. I believe that would be called a "half target". If I were you, I'd get a letter on it.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Extremely nice gun!
I agree with the above statement about getting this one lettered.
Congrats!

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Paul
SWCA #2864

I'll be happy to handle the transfer for you if you'll have it sent to my house...
What a find! Congrats.

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Randy
Provenance nerd

The Magnas fooled me. After I saw the other posts, I looked for the Triple Lock. Yep, it's there.

Why didn't you just say it was a Triple Lock? Were you waiting to see if someone would notice?

On this board, they'll notice!

Congratulations.

Texas Star,
It is always fun to see the folks find something unexpected.

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Matthew Conrad

My reference says 1909 likely.

A nice TL 44 is on my want list. Nice.

He did say "pre GREAT war", folks. And I was able to figure what "TL" stood for.

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Oh well, what the hell.

Shouldazagged, "GREAT" and "TL" we're not added until after post 9, so he was just teasing us up til then... Which is OK, I'm just happy to see this cool find!!

Best Regards, Les

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

Congrats! Nice find. Must have been a gun show in TN today.

Need to pull the left stock and look for factory markings with magnification.

The front sight is done according to factory protocol. Definitely needs to be lettered. Is their a brand name on the sight in very small font?

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Jim
S&WCA #819

# 1330, a 5" Triple Lock, shipped on July 5, 1910.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

It was sold in an auction house up here in the northeast. It was refinished, but, I don't think by the factory. Even so, a nice buy.

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Don Mundell

Awesome find!! Congrats!!!

Description from auction house posted below. I will be very happy to get it in my hands and check her out. She is not up to high collector standards, but I am as happy as a baby lamb taking a nap in the cool grass on a warm sunny spring morning. I will definitely be getting it lettered if it has not been already. Thank you all for the compliments. Great slueth work to you all.

serial #2544, 44 Special, 6 1/2" barrel with an bright excellent bore which shows only two very tiny spots of light oxidation. The metal surfaces on this nice first model revolver retain about 98% top-quality restored blue finish, with the oddly scattered very light handling mark here or there and honest sharp edge wear with a light cylinder turn ring. Both hammer and trigger exhibit some vibrant color case-hardening with toning to a smoky mottled pewter gray on the right side of trigger and at spur of hammer. The checkered pre-magna style walnut grips rate very good plus with only very light handling marks and some light wear; they are stamp-numbered to another gun but fit very very well. The front sight blade appears to be a factory USRA style which has had a small bead of brass very neatly added during the period of use, the rear slot is unmodified. The gun seems to time well and function very well mechanically with frame, barrel and cylinder all numbered alike. A very attractive example overall that one must really look at twice to realize it is nicely refinished. A very nice 1908, first year of production, triple lock one needn't be afraid to take to the range. (38347-5)

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Matthew Conrad

That's interesting, I thought refinished when I looked at the pictures, but they are so small I couldn't really base that on anything other then a nagging feeling about them.

I would have suspected a factory refinish from those pictures however, maybe late 30s.

In any case, it's an absolutely beautiful gun and I would be very proud to own it myself. A really high quality old refinish doesn't really lessen my enjoyment of any of my old re-blued guns. Heck, my triple lock has been re-finished at least twice and I couldn't love it more.

I saw it and it is a great looking piece.

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Don Mundell

If it letters to before 1910, the original style stocks will be more difficult to find than the (very nice) pre-war Magnas on it - service type, checkered, with flat tops.

It's a very nice TL example, enjoy!

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

# 691 shipped 1910... The barrel is marked 44 S&W ctg. no special in the rollmark.. Matthew's has the word special added...
JIM...................

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SWCA # L-1911

3576 shipped in June 1909 just to muddy it up for ya. Great looking TL!

Those magnas wouldn't happen to number to a 1940 shipped RM would they?

Before I say anything else here I should note that part of why I made this reply is because I think you bought yourself a heck of a gun Matthew, a treasure really. I love it, and I think you did exceptionally well in buying it. Much of my interest here is that if I was in a gun buying state financially, I might have fought you a little bit for it at auction


If I might pull on your experience a little, what led you to believe it wasn't a factory refinish when you saw it in person?

In this case I look at the pictures and what I see is; case coloring on the hammer/trigger, a third lock that is not blued, nice wear in all the right spots, and a beautiful bright blue that doesn't seem to be something anyone really puts on guns in the post war period.

I'd personally look at these pictures and think that it was likely a pre-war factory refinish, and maybe get myself a little excited and say that when they refinished it they put some upgraded stocks on there for good measure.

Of course pictures don't usually really show you what is there, and you are undoubtedly experienced enough that when you say you don't think it's factory I would count myself lucky to know why.

It's one of the funny things about buying guns these days for many of us who have to do it online, without being fortunate enough to handle the gun in person. I personally decided a while back that when I bought a gun online that even if it wasn't exactly what I thought it was, that I should still be happy with it for whatever price I paid. Still, I've been burned a couple times (my own fault really), yet learned something each time by comparing the pictures to the actual gun.

I think as time moves forward I always want to be picking up valuable tidbits of knowledge about original finish vs factory refinish, vs non factory refinish (high grade as this one is to the obvious almost destructive reblues that are all too common). I look at this and I see a wonderful opportunity to learn something new.

And 3976 left on February 23, 1909---to muddy it up a bit more.

Then we have 10688 out the door on October 9, 1915.

All of which goes to show you can go blind if you pay too much attention to all these dates and numbers.

Ralph Tremaine

I will let you know when I take them off for inspection as soon as I get it in my paws. Hopefully by the end of the week.

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Matthew Conrad

X2

Sixgun, I must admit that I am glad that you did not This is the second of my grail guns that I have been able to obtain. Patience has been preached to me by many. I think it is good advice. Thank you for the compliments.

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Matthew Conrad

Mine is 1375, it shipped in 1912. According to the letter.

What is the usual ship time expected with auction houses. This TL is taking forever to get home. They told me to expect it next Wed. Over two weeks for shipping.

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Matthew Conrad

Step One: Formulate a scientific wild guess as to the number of lots purchased by absentee bidders---and then add 20%.

Step Two: Do another one as to how long it takes to package one item---and then add 20%.

Step Three: Multiply One by Two---and add 20% (coffee breaks).

Step Four: Factor in a little or a lot for UPS/FedEx drivers who tell their dispatchers they can't find the recipient's address----and to call the recipient for instructions. That actually happened to me last week----and added five days to the delivery time. Another time, a nice young lady, and new UPS driver took to putting our packages in plastic bags, and tying them to our gate (6/10 of a mile from our house)----right on the main road----right out in front of God and everybody----did it 3-4 times over a couple of weeks. My somewhat snarky phone calls proved to be ineffective toward solving this problem. It turned out she was afraid she wouldn't be able to turn around---once she got to wherever this mysterious road went. A letter to their president worked better. I told him they could turn around in one of their 747's----without any ground support equipment---should the need arise. Now---needless to say, you're not supposed to ask how the UPS drivers which came before her have managed to turn around for as long as UPS has had drivers.

And then add 20%.

Ralph Tremaine

The FedEx driver comes to the front door. My UPS driver also ties packages in a plastic bag to my gate. My driveway is about 200 yards long.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Amoskeag is notoriously slow.

Sent from my SM-S975L using Tapatalk

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Regards,
Bruce

When I bought 2 22/32 HFT's from them, I went up and picked them up in person. I don't like waiting either.

Very cool gun. I am guessing that Don felt it was not a factory refinish because there were no markings on the grip frame.

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James Redfield
LM #497

I envy you your new acquisition. My project TL s/n 17XX shipped 1910 --

My guesstimate would be late 1908 to early 1909.

In my database the ship dates are all over the place in the range before and after yours.

Mine with #421 shipped February 17, 1908