Model 1917 converted to .44 Special

[Truckman]

I'll add to Gil's information that the only JE Darlows I found all lived in the first half of the 20th Century in England, plus one in Missouri that I would have had to pay to view the article...Also the star on the bottom of the grip frame means it went back at least once to the mothership for unknown reasons...A letter and a deep dive might reveal more......Ben

 

[bubbajoe45]

I only wish the barrel was and inch shorter....

Odd that it was cut to that length - not a bad thing, and especially since it was done well. Wonder if it was a 5" or a 6 1/2" prior? Can yall tell from the patent markings on top? Nice gun!

 

[bubbajoe45]

I like the chopped N frames too. Here's a 1917.

 

[StrawHat]

So those frames were sitting around close to 30 years before they were used up. Once again, though... gun makers don't like to waste anything!

Froggie

Froggie,

The last Winchester Model, aka 32 WCF was sold in the 60s or 70s. It was built 4 or 5 decades earlier!

Kevin

 

[Muley Gil]

So those frames were sitting around close to 30 years before they were used up. Once again, though... gun makers don't like to waste anything!

Froggie

At the end of WW I, the US Government made S&W buy back the unused parts from the 1917 contract. That's why so many 2nd Model .44s were built on 1917 frames. After WW II, a bunch of 1917 frames were found at the factory and S&W used them to build revolvers for the second Brazilian contract.