New Century 44spl triple lock

[RSinOR]

A somewhat recently acquired triple lock. All I was looking for
was a decent shooter that had "character" and boy this one
has a lot of that.

6 1/2" barrel, very nice bore, factory nickel that has had a
re nickel job at some point in it's lifetime, and a not a very
good job at that. They even re nickeled the trigger and hammer Very agressive polishing.

Looks like the cylinder has been replaced, but I'm not absolutely sure about that because it does not have a serial number. All of the other serial numbers are in the correct places.

The grips have definitely been replaced. Not sure who made
them. No marks on the underside to give any clue as to origin.

Left the factory 11-7-1911 Shipped to Hartley, Stalckhauer & Fay NYC
Part of a large 44HE order, various barrel lengths and finishes.

 

[StrawHat]

Let's see an image of the back of the cylinder.

The stocks, they may be reworked factory. But, the screw and escutcheons are in an odd spot. Has the spring been modified to require the repositioning of the screw? Those appear to have thumb rests on either side.

The front sight is altered, also.

I like altered revolvers, especially sights. It means whoever owned that piece was interested in hitting, not just throwing lead.

Kevin

 

[cgt4570]

It won't cost much to have the hammer and trigger chemically stripped and re-case colored. That would improve the look a bunch.
As for the modified front sight (unless it's one of the rare ones that left the factory as a 'half target'), not a lot you can do there.
I have a blue 7.5" target TL. I have a somewhat similar set with better execution that also has factory deep dish gold medallions. Their medallions and escutcheons are in the factory locations. Checkering is factory style with the diamond.
Any TL is a great TL!
That's a solid attempt to make decent looking target stocks with factory medallions.

 

[Adam Baker]

I have one that is in 45 long colt caliber. Serial # 1055.
It was sent to England at some point as it has Enfield arsenal proof marks.
I'll get a pic up when I get home.

 

[A10]

I really like that revolver! I'd be torn between restoration or just leaving it as the owner modified it. It's very clear this gun was intended to be used!

 

[RSinOR]

Triple Lock

Let's see an image of the back of the cylinder.

The stocks, they may be reworked factory. But, the screw and escutcheons are in an odd spot. Has the spring been modified to require the repositioning of the screw? Those appear to have thumb rests on either side.

The front sight is altered, also.

I like altered revolvers, especially sights. It means whoever owned that piece was interested in hitting, not just throwing lead.

Kevin

The condition of the cylinder looks appropriate to the finish/age
on the rest of the revolver. Is it possible the factory just forgot
to stamp a serial number on it?

Doesn't look like the mainspring has been altered but the
grip screw location sure is odd. Can't tell if the grips originally
had thumb rests or not and have been sanded down. They fit
the frame very well and are quite comfortable.

I wonder what these sold for in 1911?

 

[tennexplorer]

I would suggest lettering this one as the pin in the front sight base is in the proper location for the factory target sight. It may be one of the half targets.

 

[A10]

Pretty cool seeing that it was originally a nickel gun

 

[rct269]

"Housepuss" wondered what these sold for in 1911. As I recall, the fixed sight guns sold for $21.

That was too much for the marketplace, and led to the announcement of the .44 HE 2nd. The omission of the the 3rd lock and the ejector rod shroud allowed for the price to be reduced to $19. I can't say they sold like hotcakes at that price, but they stayed in production until 1937-----and my target version was one of what had to be a close-out sale in 1940 of 39 guns (all targets) to a New York City distributor at a price of $17 each, which couldn't have been more than a dollar or two over the cost to make the guns.

Ralph Tremaine

 

[StrawHat]

Okay, I was not thinking when I mentioned reworked factory stocks, or at least did not fully explain myself.

In 1911, when the revolver left the factory, it wore service stocks. So, unless the owner was a very good woodworker, the stocks that are on it now, were modified from much later target stocks.

Kevin

 

[Kansasgunner]

Great old 44! I like this old Triple Lock a lot.

 

[Hondo44]

The stocks cannot be modified factory grips because of the wrong screw location. The medallions, screw and escutcheons were likely scavenged from the original service stocks, they are the correct vintage for a 1911 built TL.

The front sight pin is not factory because it's off center and smaller diameter than a factory pin. Fixed sight guns have front sights forged integral with the barrel. And I know of no half target TLs ever being made. Factory target guns had the integral 1/2 round front side blade milled off, a slot milled in the base and a target blade pinned in place. But they had to be much taller to work with the rear target sight.

 

[Hondo44]

I haven't heard of a serial number accidentally not stamped at the factory but anything is possible. If it was a factory replacement it would have the matching serial number stamped on it. If it was a used cylinder from another gun it would have that gun's number. One remote possibility is the cyl was sold from the parts department a long time ago and installed by a gunsmith or owner.

 

[The Gila Bender]

"All I was looking for was a decent shooter that had "character" and boy this one has a lot of that."

Me too! TL #13823 shipped to El Paso in November 1916. It was very grungy and gritty but cleaned up nicely and, after a trip to Nelson Ford and fitted with set of period correct stocks, is an accurate shooter and crowd pleaser.

Before, during, and after cleanup. All it needed was a thorough CLA (clean, lube, and adjustment) and a good home.