.455 British Svc Revolver Research Thread

[richard taylor]

Unfortunately no serial number on the grips

 

[StrawHat]

Unfortunately no serial number on the grips

During this time the numbers were pencilled on the wood. Over time, the pencil fades making hard to read. Sometimes, viewing from various angles helps. I have photographed the stock and. Lown up the images to cind numbers.

Sometimes they are irretrievable.

Kevin

 

[Hondo44]

Unfortunately no serial number on the grips

Yes, replacements, they don't fit like the originals would when I look closer at the photos either. But they do match in condition very well.

 

[racoonbeast]

I know that it is an older thread and has been going for a while, but I might as well throw mine in. Mine is serial number 12770. It is marked 455 on the barrel. It has no marks on it at all that were not marks put there by S&W during its manufacture. I am told that it is one of the last shipment sent to Shapliegh Hardware in St. Louis MO.

It is in excellent shape. It might even be non-fired. I know that it spent over fifty of the past years in a private collection in Texas. Before that, I do not know.

 

[470Evans]

My only one is a 2nd Model Hand Ejector #6753x with .455 marked on the barrel. The only proof mark present is the crown over 30 Canadian acceptance mark on the butt.

 

[mrcvs]

I know that it is an older thread and has been going for a while, but I might as well throw mine in. Mine is serial number 12770. It is marked 455 on the barrel. It has no marks on it at all that were not marks put there by S&W during its manufacture. I am told that it is one of the last shipment sent to Shapliegh Hardware in St. Louis MO.

It is in excellent shape. It might even be non-fired. I know that it spent over fifty of the past years in a private collection in Texas. Before that, I do not know.

Your Triple Lock revolver sold in November of 2019.

Scarce Smith & Wesson Commercial First Model 455 Hand Ejector Revolver

It was from a large collection owned by a New Hampshire legislator.

Obituary | Richard "Stretch" Kennedy | Crosby & Neal Funeral Homes and Cremation Services

 

[racoonbeast]

Your Triple Lock revolver sold in November of 2019.

Scarce Smith & Wesson Commercial First Model 455 Hand Ejector Revolver

It was from a large collection owned by a New Hampshire legislator.

Obituary | Richard "Stretch" Kennedy | Crosby & Neal Funeral Homes and Cremation Services

Wow. Thanks for the info. I got the Texas collector story from the guy that I bought it from. Goes to show you. All stories about guns might not be true

Again, thanks for the info. I live in NH and will research this guy. I have never heard of him, but I don't normally pay attention to that stuff. I bought the thing last year, so maybe it was a Texas collector that bought it at this auction and died. My seller might have been told that it came from a fifty year collection, or something. Who knows?

 

[racoonbeast]

I guess while I am on a roll, I might as well show pics of my Second Model HE in .455. It is in nice shape. Serial #67399.

There are two non-factory marks on it. I have shown them in the pics.

 

[Hondo44]

470Evans and racoonbeast,

Thank you for two beautiful examples!

Canadian military shipments of 14,500 .455 2nd Models were as follows:

-1500 Shipped after Aug. 1915
-850 Shipped thru December 24th, 1915
-150 Shipped thru March 31st, 1916
-6000 Shipped thru July 22nd, 1916
-6000 Shipped February 10, 1917

 

[Hondo44]

I know that it is an older thread and has been going for a while, but I might as well throw mine in. Mine is serial number 12770. It is marked 455 on the barrel. It has no marks on it at all that were not marks put there by S&W during its manufacture. I am told that it is one of the last shipment sent to Shapliegh Hardware in St. Louis MO.

That's a gorgeous Category 4 TL!

4. "44 HE - 1st Model", 'Triple Lock', same as the 1st category, but not likely factory converted .44s, just unused frames assembled into .455s:

"As the Brit contracts were finishing up in April, 1916, [H of S&W pg. 203] S&W found enough [HE 1st Model TL frames, possibly already numbered as .44s, and .455 barrels and cyls] to build 691 .44 HE 1st Model [per Roy Jinks in various letters] Triple Lock frames [for building .455s*]. These guns are numbered in the .44 Spl serial number series. I have no idea why they were not just numbered in the .455 series. Perhaps it was .455 barrels and cylinders that the factory found, and they simply turned again to existing 44 HE 1st Model TL frames to use them up. They were sold commercially." Lee Jarrett

*Example #12496 – cal marked, British ordinance marks for acceptance into military; old TL inventory made 1914, shipped to commercial dealers in England, this one to Bigelow & Co, London, order of 300 revolvers, 12/6/16.

 

[4speed]

Here is my 2nd Model. Serial #65,305.
On left side of barrel: Smith & Wesson .455.
British Army broad arrow and Enfield proofed.
On right side marked E149.
It wears a 1917 cylinder for chambering .45 AR/ACP. The original cylinder was milled for .45 ACP.
Ken


attachment.php?attachmentid=489161&...nt.php?attachmentid=489162&stc=1&d=1609432445

interesting, I have E487, does anyone know what this is?
for the research list mine is also a 2nd model
number 36554 with 455 roll mark on barrel
converted to 45 colt

 

[Folsom21]

S/N - 5433
.455 TL 61/2" bbl.
455 760 6 tons (right side bbl.)
EL FAIYUM YI - L.R.D.G. ABBASSIEH CAIRO 1942 (on backstrap)
lanyard ring is beside the s/n

 

[22hipower]

S/N - 5433
.455 TL 61/2" bbl.
455 760 6 tons (right side bbl.)
EL FAIYUM YI - L.R.D.G. ABBASSIEH CAIRO 1942 (on backstrap)
lanyard ring is beside the s/n

Cool, we'd love to see some pictures.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

 

[Folsom21]

I am new to the Forum but I will try to get some pics up. This revolver is a bit rough and the cylinder has been shaved to accept .45 lc I think. There is some data available on the strap markings and it is interesting, I think this sidearm could tell some stories.

 

[Hondo44]

S/N - 5433
.455 TL 61/2" bbl.
455 760 6 tons (right side bbl.)
EL FAIYUM YI - L.R.D.G. ABBASSIEH CAIRO 1942 (on backstrap)
lanyard ring is beside the s/n

Congrats and thanks. It's a Type 2 TL shipped Jan 1915.

 

[StrawHat]

Cool, we'd love to see some pictures.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

Not only yes, but HELL YES!!!

Kevin

 

[mrcvs]

Serial number 3604, no caliber markings on barrel, in .455 Webley. Shipped 30 Dec 1914 to Union Metallic Cartridge Co, purchasing agent for the British government.

 

[mrcvs]

Results so far. A small sample but trends are already beginning to show up. Those not caliber marked shown as such in caps:

Cal stamping of British contract and commercial .455s categorized by the following production models:

0. "Rare misc. early commercial production 44 TL 1st models chambered in .455."
Including a pre Brit Contract special order TL subset of 25 standard .44 1st Model TLs in the .44 serial # range chambered in .455 with 5" barrels, shipped Nov. 1, 1912. Thx to Jim Fisher for bringing these to our attention and sharing documentation! See #5751 below.
A Scarce 5 Inch Triple lock shipped to Canada in April of 1915

5642 – NOT CAL STAMPED shipped April 1915
5724 - NOT CAL STAMPED 455 shipped April 28,1915, from Canada
5751 - cal is 455 Eley, shipped in 1912 sold in a commercial order of 25, 5" guns to H. Robitsek, Canada
5788 - NOT CAL STAMPED; Canadian 6 1/2" barrel shipped June 4, 1915 in an order of 5 to Hurd & Co.


1. "44 Hand Ejector-1st Model Triple Lock", 812 (military & commercially sold) in the 44 Spl # series factory converted to 455.


2. "455 Hand Ejector-1st Model Triple Lock" #1 thru #5461.

358 – NOT CAL MARKED
1203 – NOT CAL MARKED
2147 - NOT CAL STAMPED, serial # not drilled thru for Lanyard, from Canada
3147 - stamped on right hand side of barrel
3863 – NOT CAL STAMPED
4324 - NOT CAL STAMPED
5105 - NOT CAL STAMPED


3. A. "455 Hand Ejector-2nd Model" #5462 thru 74755.

7766 – NO CAL STAMP. Alan [murphydog]
10663 - NO CAL MARKING, shipped to Winch for ammo testing
12448 – NO CAL MARK on barrel
12508 – NO FACTORY CAL MARK, converted to45 ACP/RR, stamped ".45AP"
15543 – NO CAL MARK
17320 - marked 455 left side
26007 – NO CAL STAMP
29515 - left side barrel is marked SMITH & WESSON .455., shipped in December of 1915
29954 - stamped 455, British acceptance stamps and, I think, Australian unit stamp.
31138 – stamped left hand side
31739 - marked 455 left side
35711 - roll marked .455 on L side of bbl, shipped on Jan 6, 1916
37923 - roll marked on left side of barrel
40096 - marked .455
43067 - marked .455. on left side of the barrel
45484 - roll marked on left side of barrel
52908 - shipped April 1916 455 STAMPED. All three went to England.
53468 - marked .455 on LS of barrel.
56603 - marked .455 left side
57387 - NO MARKINGS shipped to Rem for Great Britain
58547 - 455 stamped. shipped May 1916 "
59045 - 455 stamped. shipped May 1916 "
61801 – NOT CAL MARKED
62941 - Marked 455 LHS
63279 - Smith and Wesson .455. on left side
66573 - marked SMITH & WESSON .455.
66860 - 455 marking, shipped to Shapleigh Hardware Dec 1917
67691 - stamped .455 (this gun was one of the guns shipped to Shapleigh Hardware in December 1917)
73778 - original .455. rollmark left side


3. B. "44 Hand Ejector-1st Model Triple Lock" 691 assembled at the end of the British contract but sold on the commercial market 1916-17, numbered in the 44 Spl # series ~ 12 – 14,XXX range.

12493 - Left side of barrel marked Smith & Wesson 455
12618 - stamped .455 (British proofs)
12742 – stamped, likely one of the 691 "Spare Parts" TL's produced in 1916 and possibly one of 325 shipped to Shapleigh Hardware on December 29, 1917.

Hondo44,

Can you post all results you have to date in a new post to update this thread?

 

[StrawHat]

Hondo44,

Can you post all results you have to date in a new post to update this thread?

I believe post 223 on page 5 of this thread is the most current update.

Granted an odd place fir it but there it is. I wiuld like the tabulation to be in post 1, much easier to find.

Kevin

 

[Hondo44]

Hi Kevin, great idea. I'll update and post the most current updates in first post from now on!