44 triple lock at LGS

[Hondo44]

Lack of cartridge markings on hand ejectors is relatively rare. The first case was the first Model HE, the model 1896 32 Long; one model, one cartridge.

The 455 BSR is more well known, still roughly only as high as maybe 10%. But it was for one customer the English military, with a single purpose, WW I. The users were only given ammo that fit the gun, 455 MkI and II. Although primarily intended for the newer and shorter Mk II, the chambers are actually cut longer to also accommodate the older and longer MkI for a wartime supply contingency.

It's only a problem in its 2nd life as a surplus firearm.


Before the S&W hand ejectors, guns that fired only one cartridge were much more prevalent, leading to more guns of yesteryear w/o cartridge markings.

 

[pasound]

Ok, here's some better pics of the revolver and the markings. Best I can get from my Canon at work. Both sides of the grip from have an "N". Looks like an eagle head on the yoke cutout on the frame, just lightly pressed. I'm thinking an earlier owner had it re-nickled and set up for target grips, including removing the "bumps" and the lanyard mount. Still looks like a factory job.

 

[pasound]

An aside on the Hand Ejector. Today, after I shot the picures, I showed it to the Museum Curator. He's an expert on antique weapons. This is the third old Smith of mine, one that he's never seen before. I showed him the Hand Ejector, with the caveat of "Jim, this is older than you." (He's 83) He laughed. Then I unwrapped the 1924 in front of him, and watched his eyes get big, and he actually said "Ohhhh". He'd never seen one before. He was the only one of my co-workers who accepted the invite to dry-fire it. It has six snap caps in it, and fully cleaned and lubed. He tried three DA pulls, handed it back, and said, "I never felt a better action". This, coming from a man, an historian, who possibly owns 1,000 guns. He was invited years ago to verify a Devil Anse Hatfield Winchester rifle on "Sons of Guns". It wasn't one of Devil Anse's. My favorite weapons historian. But I think I surprised him today.

 

[Hondo44]

Of the two Ns on the sides of the grip frame, only the N on the right side refers to the nickel finish.

A very nicely done re-nickel.

The flattened tip of the rebound spring stud in front of the top of the left side grip and the lack of a factory rework date on the left side grip frame is a strong indicator practically a guarantee that the re-nickel job was not factory done.

Although there's a slim chance it could have been done by the factory in the period after about the mid 1980's when we no longer see date stamping from the factory, and before S&W quit accepting guns from before 1957 for repair/refinishing.

I would get an authentication letter then seek factory records for work on that gun from the S&W Historical Foundation.

 

[pasound]

Hondo44, and all you wonderful other posters (and experts), I love this learning process. I agree it was re-nickled, done very well. Yes, this one needs a letter. Under any circumstances, I never imaginged owning a 98-year-old Smith that still looks and feels like a new, just broken in, revolver. Cleaned and lubed, the action is very nice.

I decided I am going to shoot it, but never with jacketed bullets. It was built when 44 round nose lead was the only ammo. Have 500 Missouri button-nose SWC's, very similar to old 44 lead round nose in profile. Going to work up some "back then" factory loads and see how it shoots.

 

[Todd1917]

Looking forward to your update. Would love one but I refuse to invest in another caliber. Maybe I'll find a decent shooter in .455 or one rebated to .45colt someday.

I share your caliber-inflation reluctance.

It's caused me to pass on a great many firearms and carries somewhat over to magazine-inflation reluctance as well.

 

[Muley Gil]

I share your caliber-inflation reluctance.

It's caused me to pass on a great many firearms and carries somewhat over to magazine-inflation reluctance as well.

Not me! Reloading dies and shell holders don't take up much space and if it's a caliber that you won't shoot much, you seldom need more than 200 rounds of brass.

 

[pasound]

This antique Smith is my 9th 44 revolver. I had three Charter Arms, and two Ruger Redhawks. Sadly have none of them now. But now I have two Vaqueros, a GP100, and now this Hand Ejector. Interestingly, it's nearly 50 years since I found a Smith 44 I wanted. Have 44 reloading dies since 1980, and recipes for hand loads since then, too.

 

[Baltimoreed11754]

Greasegun mags, 1911 mags and Thompson mags are enough to keep up with.

 

[Todd1917]

Not me! Reloading dies and shell holders don't take up much space and if it's a caliber that you won't shoot much, you seldom need more than 200 rounds of brass.

Sound reasoning but for me, organization is my undoing.

Well, lack thereof in any case.

 

[pasound]

I have two set of dies, one Lee, one RCBS, a Lee factory crimp, enough Federal and CCI LPP's, enough Starline and yet-to-be-used Magtech 44spl for brass, and enough Berry's and Missouri, plated and coated cast bullets, to last a lifetime. Not enough powder (Universal, Unique). Always looking for more. I intend on having fun with my 4 44's. Two Ruger SA's, one Ruger DA, and my new favorite, the Smith.

 

[Xfuzz]

This old lizard turns 100 this year.
Went back to the Mothership in '46 for a re-do.
Surprised what this one sold for...
Attention Required! | Cloudflare

 

[pasound]

Found these Altamont "old style" targets on fleabay. Odd that they are skinnier than the Altamonts I got for my K-frame M&P 38 and my K-22 Target. I like the look of the rosewood. The S&W medallions are the same size as the old small logo of the era. Interesting.

 

[pasound]

I got the letter for my .44 HE. It is factory nickeled, and is a year older than I thought, shipped as a one gun order on September 12, 1923, so it turns 99 in two months. The frame inside the yoke has the Springfield Armory "S2" mark and eagle stamp, so it is a leftover .45 HE frame proofed for WWI, and the cylinder is heat treated, as the treating started with #16600 (mine is #20943). No mention was made of the lanyard ring, so even though it has the hole, it likely never had the ring, and the hole was never plugged. It was shipped with gold medallion checkered square butt grips, which I have, and they are not numbered, but now I think they are still original.

The letter is very much worth it. Thank you, Don Mundell!

(Also posted in "Is the letter worth it?" thread.)

 

[Hondo44]

Congrats!

I'm sure it didn't come from the factory w/o the lanyard swivel. The swivel was most likely removed (as is typical) for a different set of grips, probably target grips extending below the butt of the grip frame.

Since the grips lettered to the gun they must have been ordered special (since they were last used as standard grips ~1920), which can coincide with a one gun order as confirmed in the letter.

 

[pasound]

When I bought it, it included gold medallion, diamond center grips. Seems they are the originals. The letter never mentioned a lanyard, and I trust that the information is complete. It's not impossible that some left the factory with 1917 frames and no lanyards in lanyard-drilled frames. Also not impossible that some early special orders did not have plugs in the frame. From all my research over the years, 100 years ago, S&W built a lot of one-off made-to-order guns with the parts they had. My .44 HE was built on a .45 HE military frame, left over from WWI. The letter proved it was factory nickel. My gun was built from parts, some possibly as far back as 1917. For me, that makes it more valuable, and a better shooter (should I go shoot it), since it was heat treated, as well.

 

[handejector]

When I bought it, it included gold medallion, diamond center grips. Seems they are the originals. The letter never mentioned a lanyard, and I trust that the information is complete. It's not impossible that some left the factory with 1917 frames and no lanyards in lanyard-drilled frames. Also not impossible that some early special orders did not have plugs in the frame. From all my research over the years, 100 years ago, S&W built a lot of one-off made-to-order guns with the parts they had. My .44 HE was built on a .45 HE military frame, left over from WWI. The letter proved it was factory nickel. My gun was built from parts, some possibly as far back as 1917. For me, that makes it more valuable, and a better shooter (should I go shoot it), since it was heat treated, as well.

Contact Don Mundell, Club Gun Fan, and ask him about the grips and the swivel. As I said earlier, S&W never shipped a gun with an empty swivel hole as far as I know. If they did, why would the swivel pin be there? No use installing or giving away a useless pin!
The historians use templates for letters and fill in the data for a gun. In this case, I think Don just failed to change the grips from "Gold" medallion to "Non" medallion. It is almost a certainty that your gun shipped with non medallion grips.