.455 British Svc Revolver Research Thread

[jmace57]

Removed - my information appeared in an earlier post above.

 

[Tom 3Persons]

5755 - Pics I have so far (it is still in the mail to me).

 

[Hondo44]

Tom,

Thank you.

I look forward to lighter photos once you receive it but it does appear to be unmarked with neither military nor civilian import marks.

At this point I have to conclude it's a category 2. Your #5755 (the highest # known of the 67 duplicates) is one of some of this cat. 2 model sold commercially all in the 5502 - 5857 range, but including a few military issues in that range as well.


All of the 666 TLs from Category 1 were shipped to England as military contract guns. The remainder of the original total of 812 factory converted to .455 were shipped commercially and have known serial #s.


How yours got to Canada is likely similar to the story of #5788 - NO CAL ROLLMARK, 6 1/2", 1 of 5 in a Com'l shipment June 4, 1915 to Hurd & Co, Canada. Might have even been in the same shipment, and a letter would confirm this.

Congrats!!!!

 

[Hondo44]

Is this one of those 64 you describe, serial number 5245, no markings on the barrel, and (presumably) in .455 Webley? It does have an offset serial number on the butt to accommodate for the lanyard ring and it is probable that the original serial number was centrally located and mostly obliterated by the hole drilled for the lanyard ring and by the lanyard ring itself.

However, be advised that this one shipped in March 1912, well before WWI and the contract with the British government.

S&W 1st Model Hand Ejector (Triplelock) Revolver |

No, this one was originally a 44 Spl, and may still be, this is the one the jury is still out on possibly being a 455 conversion, correct?

There are no other 4 digit serial #s beginning with a 5 in the 666 Category 1 revolvers below #5755, so it can't be a duplicate. It could be a duplicate .44 Spl # with a category 2 .455 British #. There's almost 6000 of those.

 

[jeeps]

2nd model 455 British proofed

Mine is ser. 36322 marked 455

 

[Hondo44]

Thank you, I'll add to the study!

 

[jeeps]

On the inside of the frame where cyl. Yoke goes. There is a mark Troys and under that is very small jewelry stampings letters very hard to read. My 1914 Colt New service 455 eley has the same markings under the barrel hidden by the ejector rod. Buying agent for English goverment?? They used buying agents. Ever see these micro marks.

 

[hibbs]

Serial number of this TL is 355.
British proofs,broad arrow head
right side of barrel stamped with 455, pressure #,760
455 stamped on left grip frame, along with conversion date 275 to.45 Colt.
Crown and Gp stamped on each cyl.
cross flags on left side front of frame
No stampings on left side of barrel

Richard

 

[Absalom]

... There is a mark Troys and under that is very small jewelry stampings letters very hard to read. My 1914 Colt New service 455 eley has the same markings under the barrel hidden by the ejector rod. Buying agent for English goverment?? They used buying agents. Ever see these micro marks.

Knowing no specifics, my suspicion would go in the direction of sloppily applied importer marks.

 

[BC38]

I picked this one up a couple of months ago.
SN 39XXX
Barrel stamped with S&W .455 on left side.
Crossed flags stamped on the left side of frame where the barrel screws in and on the rear face of the cylinder.
Flaming bomb stamped on the horn area of the grip on the left side.
No markings on right side other than the S&W logo on the sideplate.
Modified (semi-ramp) front sight
Refinished in hard chrome.
Reamed to accept 45 Colt.

 

[Jack Flash]

Looks like M1917 stocks on that one. Do they have a serial number?

 

[Hondo44]

Serial number of this TL is 355.
British proofs,broad arrow head
right side of barrel stamped with 455, pressure #,760
455 stamped on left grip frame, along with conversion date 275 to.45 Colt.
Crown and Gp stamped on each cyl.
cross flags on left side front of frame
No stampings on left side of barrel

Richard

That's a real stunner.

A variation #2. ".455 HE - 1st Model Triple Lock"

Factory converted and refinished according to the R-S in rectangle (refinish standard) in Feb 1975.

Thank you,

 

[BC38]

Looks like M1917 stocks on that one. Do they have a serial number?

No they are not numbered to the gun or numbered at all for that matter. I suspect they are repro's.

 

[Jack Flash]

No they are not numbered to the gun or numbered at all for that matter. I suspect they are repro's.

Ok.

The reason I asked is that I just bought a .455 Second Model which has M1917 stocks. These stocks do have a serial number in pencil which is in the WWI M1917 range. Of course, anybody could have written that number at any time over the last 100 years.

I will start my own thread about my gun and see if anyone has the M1917 with the same serial number as my stocks. Got to take some pictures first.

 

[BC38]

Ok.

The reason I asked is that I just bought a .455 Second Model which has M1917 stocks. These stocks do have a serial number in pencil which is in the WWI M1917 range. Of course, anybody could have written that number at any time over the last 100 years.

I will start my own thread about my gun and see if anyone has the M1917 with the same serial number as my stocks. Got to take some pictures first.

Gotcha. I look forward to that thread - I have an old commercial 1917 that has been separated from its original stocks too...

 

[TIMETRIPPER]

Jim,
Here's another TL for you list. Serial number 1510. I believe it falls into the second batch.

A previous owner had it lettered, which states it shipped December 1, 1914. No caliber stamp. Only the patent date roll mark atop the barrel plus the numerous British proof stamps.

It has been converted to 45 Colt by shaving the recoil shield and wears a set of earlier flattened top stocks, numbered 4288, as the best that my eyes can discern.

John

 

[Hondo44]

Thank you John.

Correct a 2nd variation TL, ".455 HE - 1st Model".

 

[DCWilson]

With reference to the revolver in posts 265 and 267 above:

Definitely a badly struck importer's mark: LEROY'S / GLASGOW, MT

 

[Tom 3Persons]

More Pics of TL sn 5755 as requested upon arrival

 

[Tom 3Persons]

More Pics of TL sn 5755 as requested upon arrival #2

More Pics of TL sn 5755 as requested. There are no military, caliber, proof or import markings present.

5755 and 8693

5755

5755

5755














Note the lack of bluing on the latch below the ejector rod. Not sure why this is.



8693 (this is on the swing out part of the yoke, right at the hinge point)