Triple Lock #902 has a 6 1/2" barrel. Note the date of the early letter that came with the revolver when I acquired it in 2012.
Celebrate the Years - Post Your Oldest S&W Hand Ejector
- Thread starter RKmesa
- Start date
Nice grips! Culina's?
No ship date from Roy, but here's my beater Mod 1896 (still works fine).
With it's s/n I imagine its a first year made.
Moved the needle back 9 months from the Mod 1899 posted previously. This one shipped September, 1899. Glad RK Mesa started this thread ; being something of a beater, I never would have bothered dating it.
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Yes, Culina; Claro with nice grain and fiddleback
bmcgilvray
Member
This K Frame Model of 1902 sports a serial number of 50587. I've always assumed it dates to 1904. Does that sound about right to the knowledgeable here on the Forum? I need to letter it. It's so shabby looking, but has a sparkling bore and great mechanics and with very nice matching stocks. Probably wasn't shot or carried that much. I don't usually go for refinishes at all, but have thought about having a nickel redo. I think the surfaces couldn't be adequately rehabilitated and prep'ed for a polish job with out too much metal removal.
Was a $75 gun when I obtained it 10-12 years ago and deserves a berth here in the "Home For Wayward Guns."
Was a $75 gun when I obtained it 10-12 years ago and deserves a berth here in the "Home For Wayward Guns."
bmcgilvray,
Ask Dr Roy for a shipping date.
Ask Dr Roy for a shipping date.
My Triple Lock Target 7 1/2 inch shipped February 1910, 110 years old this month.
What a great gun - I love it!!!
Thanks for sharing,
I have some little 32s that may be earlier, but this is my oldest N frame a 455
and here is a Lady Smith
and here is a Lady Smith
gordonrick
Member
1899 shipped to graduating West Point cadet
This revolver is serial number 1254, shipped June 11 1900, to Leroy Hillman at West Point. He was a West Point 1st class member that graduated June 13 1900. Its original box is very faintly numbered to the gun. The letter states black rubber grips. and does not mention a lanyard swivel.
The first two pictures show the gun with period checkered walnut grips.
The butt swivel goes right through the middle of the serial number, which was common for the time period. In this case, the factory also stamped the serial number on the grip strap, under the grips. The '4' is the only visible butt serial number digit, and it is exactly the same font, and size, as the '4' stamped on the grip strap.
The next picture shows the serial number on the grip strap.
Following his graduation from West Point, Leroy Hillman married the sister of one of his West Point instructors, who had rotated back to West Point after graduating 11 years earlier. He himself was married to one of descendants of John Clark of the Lewis and Clark expedition. This marriage made Leroy Hillman a member of the Clark family, and he was known to many of the later-generation descendants as Uncle Leroy, one of whom remembers seeing the gun after Leroy died in 1918, of the Great Flu Epidemic. These later generations included two West Point graduates. It appears that the gun went through both of these subsequent West Point families, and was finally sold after the widow of the last West Point graduate had passed away.
Anecdotally, one of the descendants of John Clark told me that she remembers, as as young child, playing with the original leather-bound diary of Meriwether Lewis, which contained the notes of the Lewis & Clark expedition. She even took it to school to share with her classmates. At some point, the Government figured out where the diary was, and came and took it away!
Hillmans career is well-documented. After being stationed in Europe as a military advisor in WW1, he returned to the States, and was named Commander of the Rock Island Arenal in 1918. His picture still hangs in their gallery. He was the youngest officer to attain the rank of full Colonel.
Regards, Mike Priwer
This revolver is serial number 1254, shipped June 11 1900, to Leroy Hillman at West Point. He was a West Point 1st class member that graduated June 13 1900. Its original box is very faintly numbered to the gun. The letter states black rubber grips. and does not mention a lanyard swivel.
The first two pictures show the gun with period checkered walnut grips.
The butt swivel goes right through the middle of the serial number, which was common for the time period. In this case, the factory also stamped the serial number on the grip strap, under the grips. The '4' is the only visible butt serial number digit, and it is exactly the same font, and size, as the '4' stamped on the grip strap.
The next picture shows the serial number on the grip strap.
Following his graduation from West Point, Leroy Hillman married the sister of one of his West Point instructors, who had rotated back to West Point after graduating 11 years earlier. He himself was married to one of descendants of John Clark of the Lewis and Clark expedition. This marriage made Leroy Hillman a member of the Clark family, and he was known to many of the later-generation descendants as Uncle Leroy, one of whom remembers seeing the gun after Leroy died in 1918, of the Great Flu Epidemic. These later generations included two West Point graduates. It appears that the gun went through both of these subsequent West Point families, and was finally sold after the widow of the last West Point graduate had passed away.
Anecdotally, one of the descendants of John Clark told me that she remembers, as as young child, playing with the original leather-bound diary of Meriwether Lewis, which contained the notes of the Lewis & Clark expedition. She even took it to school to share with her classmates. At some point, the Government figured out where the diary was, and came and took it away!
Hillmans career is well-documented. After being stationed in Europe as a military advisor in WW1, he returned to the States, and was named Commander of the Rock Island Arenal in 1918. His picture still hangs in their gallery. He was the youngest officer to attain the rank of full Colonel.
Regards, Mike Priwer
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LOVE LOVE LOVESecond Model Target, special barrel length, 45 Colt caliber, shipped in 1916.
Bill
Amen! That would be the coolest concealed carry gun EVER!
This turned out to be pretty easy as I have all my S&W letters in a binder, arranged by ship date. First one up is my .32 S&W Model 1896, shipped November 27, 1901
Since it is nickel and has replacement pearl grips and shipped to New Orleans, I like to think that it was once owned by a pimp as postulated by G.S. Patton.
Second oldest is my Triple Lock Target shipped January 11, 1909, which came to me with a gigantic set of custom made grips. (Perhaps it had been owned by Bill Jordan?)
I have since replaced them with a set of factory grips of appropriate vintage and style.
Since it is nickel and has replacement pearl grips and shipped to New Orleans, I like to think that it was once owned by a pimp as postulated by G.S. Patton.
Second oldest is my Triple Lock Target shipped January 11, 1909, which came to me with a gigantic set of custom made grips. (Perhaps it had been owned by Bill Jordan?)
I have since replaced them with a set of factory grips of appropriate vintage and style.Attachments
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