Four inch Triplelock - refinished?

[bubbajoe45]

Hello bubbajoe45,

I probably can't add much to the information already provided, but I will pass on a few thoughts.

I would say the gun has been refinished, but not by the factory. I say this because in the photos, various pins (rebound slide stud, the two pins in the shroud) look to be polished flat. Still a nice looking refinish.

Thanks.

I can't tell from the photos, but does your gun have the three line patent information on the right side of the barrel? I believe that all of the four inch Triple Locks had the barrels so marked. If yours does not, they might have been polished off (I can't tell from Pontiaker's photo if his has the barrel markings, either).

Nope, no patent info; maybe polished away?

I don't think you overpaid at $1100 for your Triple Lock, even if it has been refinished. The four inchers are not that common.

thanks, reassurance on that is always welcome.

Regarding serial numbers/dates, it is pretty much impossible to pinpoint Triple Lock shipping dates without a factory letter. As an example, I have two four inch Triple Locks (both nickle). One, 13670, shipped on December 10, 1917. The other, 14465, shipped on November 17, 1916.

Well, I sent off the form and check, so we'll see. I'll post the results once I get 'em.

Here is a photo of 13670:

Take care,

Nice! looks all original? thanks for your input.

 

[bubbajoe45]

Got the letter!

. . . it came on my Birthday! How sweet is that! Anyway, looks like Nickel finish shipped in 1916 to NYC. Says ". . . may have been installed when the revolver was refinished", which makes the assumption it was, but I guess no record of a Factory refinish? How do you guys read this?

 

[moosedog]

Thats a very interesting letter on a rather interesting and rare gun. Did you mention in the request that it may have been refinished?
Interesting thread, thanks.

 

[bubbajoe45]

Thats a very interesting letter on a rather interesting and rare gun. Did you mention in the request that it may have been refinished?
Interesting thread, thanks.

No, but I did mention this thread to Mr. Jinks.

 

[Onomea]

I read it that Mr. jinks thinks that when the gun was refinished outside the factory, the new grips may have been installed by whatever shop did the refinish.

My reasoning is that if it were a factory refinish, the butt would have the telltale star, and the grip frame would have the date. But, since it is such a nice refinish, maybe whoever did it was a high-end sort of place, and, like the factory, put on new grips when they did a refinish.

I asume you know that those pre-war magna's are worth a bunch? North of $400 I'd say.

That's a very nice gun. I'm jealous! Congrats!

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

Early this year I bought this TL at a pawnshop. It was factory re-nickeled, but at least it letters as being shipped as a nickel gun. If you look close in the rather blurry picture of the ejector housing, you can see the re-finish star, which is also on the lower left side of the gripframe, along with the date of re-finish.
Even though the factory did the work, they still polished the hammer stud flat (presumably to get rid of some pitting in that area).

One other place to look for the serial number, which I can clearly see in one of your pics, is on the back of the third lock's latchplate.

This one is 5321 and shipped Oct 1 1913.

 

[bubbajoe45]

I read it that Mr. jinks thinks that when the gun was refinished outside the factory, the new grips may have been installed by whatever shop did the refinish.

My reasoning is that if it were a factory refinish, the butt would have the telltale star, and the grip frame would have the date. But, since it is such a nice refinish, maybe whoever did it was a high-end sort of place, and, like the factory, put on new grips when they did a refinish.

I asume you know that those pre-war magna's are worth a bunch? North of $400 I'd say.

That's a very nice gun. I'm jealous! Congrats!

Maybe so. I knew they had significant value but wasn't sure what ballpark - cool. thanks.