Beginnning on January 15th, 1907, and continuing until March 28th of that year, the U.S. Army convened a board of five officers to conduct tests of various .45 caliber automatic pistols and revolvers. One of the revolvers included in these tests was an entry from Smith & Wesson that, in its commercial incarnation, would introduce the .44 Smith & Wesson Special and would itself become known as "The Triple Lock".

The findings of the board were reported to Brigadier General William Crozier, Chief of Ordnance, and were published as an appendix to "The Report of the Chief of Ordnance to the Secretary of War" in August of 1907.

From the report:
"All of the above weapons were caliber .45, firing ammunition having a muzzle velocity of approximately 800 feet per second and a weight of bullet of 230 grains."

And
"The distinguishing characteristics of the Smith & Wesson double-action revolver are as follows:
1. There is a sliding block safety device for holding the hamer on rebound.
2. A front cylinder lock maintains the barrel and cylinder in alignment.
3. The cylinder latch operates forward.
4. The barrel is pinned to the frame to prevent rotation.
5. The grip and trigger-guard are too small.
6. The soulder of the frame, against which the hand rests, is vertical and narrow.
7. The cylinder may be revolved by manipulating the trigger and without cocking the hammer.
8. The cylinder rotates to the left and swings out to the left.
9. The barrel of the weapon tested was 6-1/2 inches in length."


The attached PDF contains the results of the Army's testing of the Smith & Wesson revolver, of which there would seem to have been at least two: one with a 6-1/2 inch barrel (mentioned in No.9 above), and one with a 5-1/2 inch barrel, mentioned at the end of the test results.

TL

Attached Files

Testing of Smith & Wesson Double-Action Revolver - 1907.pdf (1.88 MB, 727 views)