44 triple lock at LGS

[pasound]

Today I stopped in my LGS to grab a few plastic boxes for my reloading. Looked over their used guns, and I see what I think is (maybe) a pre 1940 44 triple lock. Silly me, I left my phone in my car, and I was on a schedule to get a shopping trip done. Going back tomorrow to take a good look, and some pics.

Here's a generic pic of what I think I saw, and yes the one in the store was very good nickel, 6" (I think) and I could see the front of the cylinder. There were no burn marks from shooting. May be unfired, or meticlously cleaned. Don't know until tomorrow, like I said.

 

[Baltimoreed11754]

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.

 

[ColbyBruce]

Aren't all triple locks pre 1940?

 

[steelslaver]

I think pre 1920. I think the last frames were used to make up 455 for the British in the beginning off WWI.

Right now every member near W Virginian is looking for that gun shop

PS, my wife is used to me wrecking schedules when I am visiting pawn or gun shops. When out of town on her business she has called and said I am ready for you to pick me up and hearing the reply I got to finish filling out this form for a gun first.

I wait for her while when she looks at clothes, she waits for me while I look at guns and tool. That was cleared up before any talk about a marriage.

 

[raljr1]

Right now every member near W Virginian is looking for that gun shop



.

Spent a few minutes myself looking on google maps for shops in WVAand looking for websites....

Robert

 

[ACORN]

What part of WV are you at neighbor?
Just curious

 

[Hondo44]

The latest shipped .44 TL documented here in the forum was shipped in 1937. So yes, they're all pre 1940.

 

[steelslaver]

Wow, that one must have hid n the vault

 

[mojave30cal]

Uh oh....cats out of the bag.

 

[pasound]

Ok it's not a triple lock. It's a Hand Ejector. And the serial number (matching on butt, cylinder, barrel, and grips) is 209xx. My Supica Standard Catalog says that the not lettered serials of this series were from 20800 to 22000 in 1924. --==SHOCK==-- I'm guessing early-mid 1924 for mine? 98 years old, and seemingly almost-never-used!!!

I brought it home. Better pictures after Monday, when I can use our work SLR, instead of my phone.

And I fibbed a bit on where it was, because if I had said "Cabelas Library" (local store here in my town), somebody would have tracked it down before I got back to handle it. Sorry, but I had to be selfish for a bit. Cabelas employees said they had not posted pictures, and they are not sure why.

Before I gave them my Cabelas card, we looked under the grips for the telltale stamp. There is an "N" there. It's factory nickel. And no star anywhere. Never been back for service. In my mind, a nearly new-old-stock. Sadly, no box or tools.

 

[pasound]

ACORN, I'm in Charleston.

 

[LostintheOzone]

Nobody wants those old revolvers and generally pass on even asking to look at them. I bet 50 people saw that revolver and never knew what it was, or cared.

I have to be honest. I wouldn't have known myself, except I would have known it was an early model hand ejector. In that condition I would have offered $1200 not knowing the model. Probably worth twice that easily in that condition, but again, I don't know the street price on these. Probably a good thing.

That's a really great find.

 

[Heinz]

Sweet. Nice find.

 

[.455_Hunter]

Why...

No RDS cut, no poly-frame, no flat-face Apex striker kit?

;-)

Great find!

 

[LostintheOzone]

Why...

No RDS cut, no poly-frame, no flat-face Apex striker kit?

;-)

Great find!

You can't stand in the way of progress.

 

[LostintheOzone]

Why...

No RDS cut, no poly-frame, no flat-face Apex striker kit?

;-)

Great find!

You can't stand in the way of progress. Only dream of the days gone by.

 

[pasound]

Just by the "grabbing it weight", it's the heaviest revolver I own. Amazing how good all-steel feels. But the grips are too small for the weight and caliber. I may archive the grips and get some shooters for it before I try it out... if I try it out.

Two + decades ago I had a 25 convertable. I don't remember it ever felt this heavy. Then again, the 25 had huge target grips.

 

[Modified]

Before I gave them my Cabelas card, we looked under the grips for the telltale stamp. There is an "N" there. It's factory nickel. And no star anywhere. Never been back for service. In my mind, a nearly new-old-stock. Sadly, no box or tools.

Very nice gun, but it is certainly refinished.

The pivot pin has been polished flat. Guessing that the refinish was sometime post war due to the 4th screw being replaced (should be domed, being flat was a post war adaptation to accommodate the now standard Magna grips).


Putting some target grips on there will absolutely make it better for shooting (and it of course will be a great shooter). Those little service grips may look good, but even D.B. Wesson admitted they weren't great for shooting when asked about them. The gun just had to have a certain look though...

In any case, one of the nice things about grips is that you can swap them back and forth as you like. So there's nothing wrong with a gun like that wearing whatever you like shooting it with, as long at the originals are tucked away safely.

Speaking of which, is there a Serial Number penciled onto the back of your stocks?

 

[StrawHat]

Another option is to use a grip adapter with the Service Stocks. Here is a photo of such a combination on a Model 1917. If you would like to see it on a New Century, let me know. They are easily moved.

Kevin

 

[pasound]

Modified: Speaking of which, is there a Serial Number penciled onto the back of your stocks?

I took the stocks off this morning, and looking, there is no penciled number under them. So, I was mistaken in my earlier post that the stocks matched. The stocks are very dark underneath (lube stain?) and one has a bit of mildew, so those are not staying on the gun.

I looked again at the markings on the inside edges of the frame, and there is an "N" on the right side, and "E4" and a second "N" on the left side. All markings are close to the stock pin. It does have the hole for a lanyard loop, and the lock pin is still there. The lanyard hole has no wear, so it may have never had a loop. I also noticed the flat 4th screw head. All barrel stampings, patent dates, caliber markings, and the small S&W logo are sharp and clear. There are a few tiny pits on the edges of the grip frame sides, I feel they are easily cleared up with some TLC and bronze wool. Do two "N" marks indicate a factory refinish?

I will pull the side plate this afternoon.