I thought I was the only one with the 'enlarging' thumbnail issue. It comes and goes. I notify admin.
WWI British Triple Lock and accruments
- Thread starter moosedog
- Start date
I thought I was the only one with the 'enlarging' thumbnail issue. It comes and goes. I notify admin.
Moosedog,
That's an awesome acquisition! It's the 2nd of 3 types of British Service revolver variations in 455 Mk II.
Most commonly known as the ".455 Mk II Hand Ejector - 1st Model Triple Lock".
Thx Tom,
That not only worked but it started it working by left clicking as well.
That not only worked but it started it working by left clicking as well.
Texas Star
US Veteran
I DID post in the Admin. forum. One mod just asked which browser I use. Never got back to me.
I tried the Open in New Window bit. Works fairly well, but doesn't really fix the issue. Open in New Tab didn't work at all.
I see now that the sword is in rough condition. Evidently, they took care of the gun, but not the sword.
The brown service scabbard was for field use. Swords on ceremonial duty have nickeled scabbards. Currently, Pooley Sword is probably best, founded by workers at the defunct Wilkinson Sword.
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Thanks for sharing those, and the story.
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I suspect it was mis-engraved, or mis-read from his printed last name - note the correct upper and lower case "S" and "s" in Sussex. Doesn't take away from the overall package with the other information present.
Absolutely stunning!
The Britannica that I referred to earlier also has upper and lower case "s" used in some spellings, instead of an "f". I have no idea what the rule for usage was. Probably something along the lines of today using an "f" in "buff" but a "gh in "tough" - it doesn't make any sense, it's just the way it is.
opoefc
US Veteran
Moosedog.If you need help in researching the gun in the British records, contact David Penn, through the Imperial War Museum in London. David is an honorary member of the S&WCA and now retired Curator of Exhibits at the Museum. I have a similar .455 T-Lock, ser. # 800 of the 5K British Contract 1st Model .455 HEs made. David informed me that my gun is the best marked British military T-Lock he had seen , as it met all the requirements of the regulations on correct marking of unit small arms, a duty of the unit armorer, which was often times overlooked during war time. The gun is stamped on the butt of the walnut grips with "53 S RFC 29" meaning " 53rd Squadron Royal Flying Corps, rack # 29" The 53rd Squadron flew Sopwith Camel fighter planes in the Mesopotamia campaign in support of the Bengal Lancers and Lawrence of Arabia's Arab Legion fighting the Turks. Many historic S&Ws wound up in the US after the British gun laws required their forfeiture to Police for destruction, or removal from Britain. The mark on the upper left side of the frame of your gun is the Crown Ownership mark applied at, I believe, the Enfield Lock proof house. The crossed flag stamp indicates the gun was "sold from stores," in some references but is a proof mark in most references. If the stocks are original and numbered to the gun, then they escaped the regulation required markings on their butt. Ed.
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Texas Star
US Veteran
Ed-
As officers purchased their own arms, he would have bought it for service use. It wouldn't have been sold to his family after his death. Just returned to them, with his other property...
And RFC = Royal Flying Corps. I'm sure you just had a momentary lapse when you wrote, "Squadron" instead of
"Corps." The RFC became the Royal Air Force in 1918. I think this was the first major nation to create an independent air force.
I knew a British university prof. who died recently and who told me many things about the UK. She mentioned that many English towns have WWI memorials and that the annual remembrance day ceremonies are taken very seriously. You can see this in the face of the Queen as she lays wreaths at the Cenotaph in London. Her Majesty is joined in this by other members of the Royal family.
As officers purchased their own arms, he would have bought it for service use. It wouldn't have been sold to his family after his death. Just returned to them, with his other property...
And RFC = Royal Flying Corps. I'm sure you just had a momentary lapse when you wrote, "Squadron" instead of
"Corps." The RFC became the Royal Air Force in 1918. I think this was the first major nation to create an independent air force.
I knew a British university prof. who died recently and who told me many things about the UK. She mentioned that many English towns have WWI memorials and that the annual remembrance day ceremonies are taken very seriously. You can see this in the face of the Queen as she lays wreaths at the Cenotaph in London. Her Majesty is joined in this by other members of the Royal family.
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Texas Star
US Veteran
Note the lead ammo. This was normal in .455 until 1939, Germany having complained the previous year about lead bullets. This led to adoption of the MK VI .455 round in 1939, the year when WW II began.
I think .38-200 ammo was changed to a 178 grain jacketed bullet in 1938. That was by then the official preferred issue load. But many .455's served in WWII.
I think .38-200 ammo was changed to a 178 grain jacketed bullet in 1938. That was by then the official preferred issue load. But many .455's served in WWII.
Moosedog, that is one of the nicest collections I've seen. Please post any new info.
Jack Flash
Member
By coincidence, the picture below looks like it has the same column of marks as those on the revolver in this thread:
Broad Arrow ... the firearm was accepted into British military service
Crown over A2 over E ... it was accepted by "Inspector A2" at the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield Lock.
The column is also high on the frame near the rear of the cylinder. That must be where they put them early in the war. Later on they were applied on the same side but down near the stocks.
The crossed pennants are a British proof mark. The "Sold Out of Military Stores" marking is actually two Broad Arrow marks, point to point. Again, see the picture below. It has this mark next to the aforementioned column.
URL to the entire thread I referenced, posted by Juan455TL:
http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-ha...ndfathers-triple-lock.html?highlight=asterisk
My guess is that the revolver and sword made it back to the Captain's family in England after he died. If they were indeed his personal property, that seems only natural. Obviously his family lovingly cared for his sidearms for over a century.
Broad Arrow ... the firearm was accepted into British military service
Crown over A2 over E ... it was accepted by "Inspector A2" at the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield Lock.
The column is also high on the frame near the rear of the cylinder. That must be where they put them early in the war. Later on they were applied on the same side but down near the stocks.
The crossed pennants are a British proof mark. The "Sold Out of Military Stores" marking is actually two Broad Arrow marks, point to point. Again, see the picture below. It has this mark next to the aforementioned column.
URL to the entire thread I referenced, posted by Juan455TL:
http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-ha...ndfathers-triple-lock.html?highlight=asterisk
My guess is that the revolver and sword made it back to the Captain's family in England after he died. If they were indeed his personal property, that seems only natural. Obviously his family lovingly cared for his sidearms for over a century.
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OP
Thanks to all for the comments and helpful information. I should have noted that the grips are indeed original, numbered to the gun.
jebstuart
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Outstanding group. Anyone would be proud to own it.
Congrats.
Congrats.
rhmc24
Absent Comrade
My British Triple Lock - converted to .45 Colt, may not have been military, doesn't have the
usual mess of proof stamps all over it altho lower right of frame has 'Not English Make'.
usual mess of proof stamps all over it altho lower right of frame has 'Not English Make'.
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