Good morning all,
I've never been accused of being overly refined; this of course transcends all areas of activity, including handguns. I've not had the resources nor patience for collecting, and generally maintain a small but capable stable of shooting/working revolvers. Having owned a few Triple-Locks and other such gems, I've always shot and carried them.
This relatively new acquisition might fall under the collector's category, so naturally I had to take it out and shoot it. I periodically day work at a ranch whose ramrod is dozer happy. They're currently in the process of clearing about 200 acres for more pasture. This practice makes me sick to my stomach, but I am powerless to prevent it. So, I went out to one of the groves tagged for the eminent clearing and selected a small tree about nine inches in total diameter. After selecting a position about sixty yards off I decided it might be fruitful to see how many rounds it would take before this tree fell over. I had four hundred rounds of assorted loads, ranging from 200rnfp, 240jsp, and 240gr 429421, with Unique, and 2400 as the propellants. No hot rods, but I certainly wasn't babying anything.
The pistol in question is a 1930s built Wolf & Klar .44spl, featuring the H. P. D. 251 engraved on the backstrap.
This is one of those pistols that make you wish they could talk; both its appearance and mechanical function point to a life of significant, but healthy use. With everything nice and tight, and rifling crisp, shooting commenced. I made it to 256 rounds before the tree toppled and fell.
As I mentioned, I did not baby it in the least, although perhaps I should have. I found POA with the 240 Keiths at 60 yards, the rest needing various adjustments. It made it through the ordeal no worse for wear and I managed to recover quite a bit of lead for the pot.
I experienced no malfunctions, although I did long for the security and familiarity or a Tyler T. Unfortunately I do not have an extry with which to equip this new N frame, but perhaps I can rectify this in the next six months to ten years given their current turn-around time. It was a sincere pleasure to shoot, and I am beyond any doubt I might have had regarding its age or mechanical capabilities.
I've not decided whether or not I will keep it. I doubt I will trust it to daily rigorous use without a complete overhaul by a Smith pro just to be on the ultra safe side, although the pistol has done absolutely nothing to make me believe this is necessary. I am a sucker for fixed sighted N frames, and one especially admirable feature of this one is the pre-war elk grips that came with it. I snapped a Tyler T on there from another pistol for the picture's sake.
However, if the expense is not worth the possibly unnecessary overhaul it may end up in the trading/sell stable. Strange though it is, I struggle to keep guns that I am unwilling to use to their fullest extent. Time will tell with this one. Regardless of all that, it was a mechanically flawless pleasure.
A Potent Pre-War
Looks like a great day afield!
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