"Hand Ejector" name usage ????

[Buzz Yooper]

I know that the "hand ejector" name was to differentiate from the Break Top automatic ejector type pistols, but When did S&W stop using that descriptive for its revolvers?

Thanks,

Ernie S.

 

[murphydog]

I think all pre-WW II swing-out revolvers had Hand Ejector as part of their model names. Unless S & W dropped it, the current model 10-14 would still have it as part of its name.

I think after model numbers were assigned few would have referred to guns that were originally made before WW II with the term.

 

[Tom K]

If only there was someone on this forum who was familiar with that term....

 

[S42N8]

If only there was someone on this forum who was familiar with that term....

Shmaybe if there were ?

 

[29-1]

Probably when Lee started using it for his forum handle!

 

[glowe]

As far as I can determine, the company only used the term on the Model 1903 Hand Ejector. I can find and do not recall ever finding any other S&W models outside of collectors books, using that term on anything else . Of course I only have literature up to the 1950s. The first use was the Model 1896. It appears in the 1900 catalog and is named .32 Hand Ejector, Model 1896. My 1952 catalog still calls the I frames 32 Hand Ejector.

Roper and McHenry's 1958 book only uses the Hand Ejector term for the I frame 32, so it was not until Roy's book from 1966 did the term get general usage for almost all solid frame Smith & Wesson revolvers.

 

[PeteC]

For what it's worth... my somewhat distressed 1960~61 S&W Handgun Catalog does not use that name, EXCEPT for the Model 30. Same thing in the 1970 catalog.

 

[handejector]

Both the 22 Ladysmith and the Triple Lock were called Hand Ejectors in S&W paper at various times.
The early 1900s catalogs make it obvious that all the solid frame, swing out cylinder guns are considered Hand Ejectors.


The Pirates Catalog-

Before a catalog was printed that included the Triple Lock, they printed an insert for existing catalogs---

The price list from the same catalog---

 

[PeteC]

That's awesome to see those little bits of history, even if it is only in pics!

I also noticed they mention "removing one or more exploded shells..."

 

[glowe]

Lee, thanks for the correction. What year were your papers issued? I have a gap between 1903 and 1912. By 1912, the 44 was called "44 Military", and the 22 HE hung on until 1920 when it was dropped.

I wanted to add a couple pages from the 1903 catalog, one for top-break automatic extractors to HE ejectors just to confuse the issue even further.

 

[VaTom]

SCSW 4th Edition breaks down their Chapters this way.

"Chapter 5-Named Model Hand Ejectors-1896 to 1957"
"Chapter 6-Numbered Model Revolvers 1957-Present"

So seems the use of "hand ejector" in the model description went away in 1957.

 

[glowe]

Tom, most basic information about S&Ws were originally found in Neal & Jinks book. Jim and Nahas used a lot of the description information in their book from prior work. Even with the on and off use of Hand Ejector, K frames never were characterized using that term until Roy's book.

Until model number designation starting in 1957, all those other terms were the best way to identify each model. When model numbers came it simplified the naming a great deal. No need for anything but the number.

 

[JSR III]

I know that the "hand ejector" name was to differentiate from the Break Top automatic ejector type pistols, but When did S&W stop using that descriptive for its revolvers?

Since we are discussing S&W terminology, prior to hand ejectors the S&W revolvers were referred to as Top Breaks not Break Tops.

The top breaks used an automatic extraction method whereas the hand ejectors required the shooter to grab the rod and manually eject the spent cases from the cylinder.

 

[kwill1911]

Before Neal & Jinks there was the McHenry and Roper book on S&W Hand Guns. I no longer have a copy but perhaps someone who does could share how they used the term.

 

[glowe]

Before Neal & Jinks there was the McHenry and Roper book on S&W Hand Guns. I no longer have a copy but perhaps someone who does could share how they used the term.

In a prior post I stated the following:

Roper and McHenry's 1958 book only uses the Hand Ejector term for the I frame 32, so it was not until Roy's book from 1966 did the term get general usage for almost all solid frame Smith & Wesson revolvers.

As Lee pointed there was one other model that consistently used hand ejector and it was the 22 Hand Ejector, and Roper called it the same. Lee also noted the N frames and S&W did use the term off and on for the large frame revolvers. McHenry and Roper did not call the N frames Hand Ejectors. They called the 44 a "Military Model", the 38/44 an Outdoorsman, and of course the Magnum.

 

[kwill1911]

Sorry, I missed that.

 

[H Richard]

I understand that when speaking of the "Type" of handgun (not necessarily the model), the term Hand Ejector was used as early as 1896 when it was introduced, to identify the difference from the Break Tops.