What Do I have? S&W 1917 455
- Thread starter Mikebiker
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You don't have a 1917 as that was a US Army model in .45 ACP. Yours is a .455, MKII, Hand Ejector. AKA the .455 British Service Revolver. It is the 2nd version of this model. The first being about 5000 triple locks in .455. The triple locks have a shrouded extractor. The 2nd version has an unshrouded extractor due to British complaints about the precision machining of the triple lock. It looks like a Model 1917 because they use the same design. Your gun was made ca. 1916 as I interpolate the SCSW table. Someone like Hondo44 will come along and narrow that down for you and may even be able to tell you what month it was made.
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Nice example to the 2nd type 455
Many of these were modified to fire 45 colts. With a good picture of the rear face of your cylinder we could probably tell you if yours has. They are great old guns. I am lucky enough to have both a triple lock and a 2nd model.
There is a complete thread on these here please join it
.455 British Svc Revolver Research Thread
Many of these were modified to fire 45 colts. With a good picture of the rear face of your cylinder we could probably tell you if yours has. They are great old guns. I am lucky enough to have both a triple lock and a 2nd model.
There is a complete thread on these here please join it
.455 British Svc Revolver Research Thread
Yes. So do I and here they are. The .455 2nd is a commercial model that shipped to Shapleigh Hardware in December 1917.
.455 HE, 2nd Model, Commercial
.455 HE, 1st Model, Triple Lock, British Service Revolver. This gun was converted to .45 Colt by shaving the cylinder face and reaming the cylinder after released from service.
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Mine.
The 2nd type is unconverted
The Triple lock was converted by reaming and partial recess for thicker 45 colt rims and still fires the 455 as they have a wider rim.
The 2nd type is unconverted
The Triple lock was converted by reaming and partial recess for thicker 45 colt rims and still fires the 455 as they have a wider rim.
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MikeBiker, from Hondo44's thread referenced above, serial number 35711 shipped on Jan 6, 1916 and that's only a few hundred units from your 36099 gun. S&W was knocking these out in quantity during that period as they were up into the 50,000 serials by April. So, I think your gun shipped in January 1916.
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Wow, that's a nice one compared to the majority we see!
Yours is a #3 version below:
1. “44 Hand Ejector-1st Model” Triple Lock, 812 (666 military & 146 commercially sold) in the 44 Spl # series factory converted to 455. Serial #s are listed in Neal & Jinks S&W 1857 – 1945, Pgs 204-205. Only marked Smith & Wesson with no cartridge marking.
2. “455 Hand Ejector-1st Model” Triple Lock #1 thru ~#5800* (previously thought to be 5461, and several higher #s in this range shipped commercial)
3. “455 Hand Ejector-2nd Model” ~#5801 (previously thought to be 5462) thru 74755.
4. “44 Hand Ejector-1st Model” Triple Lock 691 assembled at the end of the British contract but sold on the commercial market 1916-17, built from remaining TL frames and numbered in the 44 Spl # series ~ 12,000 – 14,XXX range. (Although some are known to have been shipped to or wound up in England).
Go to my post #223 for the database info, page 5 to get an idea of when yours likely shipped:
.455 British Svc Revolver Research Thread
Yours is a #3 version below:
1. “44 Hand Ejector-1st Model” Triple Lock, 812 (666 military & 146 commercially sold) in the 44 Spl # series factory converted to 455. Serial #s are listed in Neal & Jinks S&W 1857 – 1945, Pgs 204-205. Only marked Smith & Wesson with no cartridge marking.
2. “455 Hand Ejector-1st Model” Triple Lock #1 thru ~#5800* (previously thought to be 5461, and several higher #s in this range shipped commercial)
3. “455 Hand Ejector-2nd Model” ~#5801 (previously thought to be 5462) thru 74755.
4. “44 Hand Ejector-1st Model” Triple Lock 691 assembled at the end of the British contract but sold on the commercial market 1916-17, built from remaining TL frames and numbered in the 44 Spl # series ~ 12,000 – 14,XXX range. (Although some are known to have been shipped to or wound up in England).
Go to my post #223 for the database info, page 5 to get an idea of when yours likely shipped:
.455 British Svc Revolver Research Thread
Absalom
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
The gun appears to be all-original and has standard Enfield acceptance stamps and the crossed-pennant proof, plus the opposing-broad-arrows mark for a gun “sold out of service”, but apparently no post-service British commercial proofing.
Fiocci makes ammo for these. They're fun, very low recoil shooters.
Old Corp
Member
The Brits sure do love to stamp up a nice gun though. 
Whenever I see one of these stamped-up BSR's, I get this mental picture of a 250 lb., mustached Beef Eater with a punch and 5 lb. sledge. 
dsf
Member
I have serial #64344 that made it as far as Shapleighs in St Louis in 1917 and as a result carries no British proofs. It's still in 455 which makes me wonder - was there a US market for this caliber at one time? As evidenced by all the rechambering to 45 Colt it must have faded quickly, or remained as a much less popular option.
Is there any differentiation made (and by "differentiation" I mean $$$
) between a 455 that stayed stateside rather than being sledgehammered up by our Britics friends?
Is there any differentiation made (and by "differentiation" I mean $$$
) between a 455 that stayed stateside rather than being sledgehammered up by our Britics friends?
The guns shipped to Shapleigh in December 1917 are commercial versions and are relatively rare. If they haven't been modified to .45 Colt and are in excellent condition, they should bring low 4 digits. Here is my .455 HE with period holster that shipped to Shapleigh in December 1917.
dsf
Member
^
Good to know, thank you.
No holster, but my 455 is in the same condition. I think I got good pricing because of a "no one likes" assumption of the 455 caliber.
Good to know, thank you.
No holster, but my 455 is in the same condition. I think I got good pricing because of a "no one likes" assumption of the 455 caliber.
The guns shipped to Shapleigh in December 1917 are commercial versions and are relatively rare. If they haven't been modified to .45 Colt and are in excellent condition, they should bring low 4 digits. Here is my .455 HE with period holster that shipped to Shapleigh in December 1917.
Many of those were purchased by the US home guard and of course didn't see any battle time or much use at all except target practice. Couldn't have been much ammo around for them; some from Colt and Dominion in Canada I suppose.
Jim, somehow I get this picture from your comments of a home guard carrying a holstered .455 with one bullet in his shirt pocket, a la Barney Fife.
You just got the same schoolin' that I did when I first posted this one and called it the same thing!
It and the 1917 are contemporaries and very similar, but not the same.
Fine looking specimen you've got there. Yours looks a lot more original and pristine than mine. I really like the looks of the grips on yours - mine has repro smooth non-dished service stocks. But they are OK for a shooter. Mine has 0% original finish since it has been hard chromed. It also has had the front sight converted to a semi-ramp profile, and has had its cylinder bored deeper to accept 45 Colt ammo.
Even though the .455 ammo is a lot harder to get, and the finish isn't as durable, I'd rather have yours than mine. Not that I'm complaining about what I got, 'cause its a fine shooter. Just not an original collectible like yours.
It and the 1917 are contemporaries and very similar, but not the same.
Fine looking specimen you've got there. Yours looks a lot more original and pristine than mine. I really like the looks of the grips on yours - mine has repro smooth non-dished service stocks. But they are OK for a shooter. Mine has 0% original finish since it has been hard chromed. It also has had the front sight converted to a semi-ramp profile, and has had its cylinder bored deeper to accept 45 Colt ammo.
Even though the .455 ammo is a lot harder to get, and the finish isn't as durable, I'd rather have yours than mine. Not that I'm complaining about what I got, 'cause its a fine shooter. Just not an original collectible like yours.
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BC38, that's a purty revolver!
Baltimoreed11754
Member
Thanks! It shoots as good as it looks too.
Somebody started with a really nice one to make it, and they did a good job on it. The rollmarks are so crisp you'd think it was an original finish if you didn't know better.
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