crsides
US Veteran, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Not a bad FrankenSmith in my opinion
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S&W in 44-40 with 3-3/4" barrel - "Frankensmith" **UPDATED PHOTOS 2/4/19**
- Thread starter THREEDFLYER
- Start date
Texas Star
US Veteran
In the meantime, take comfort in Lt. Col. Vincent Fosbery, VC having said that the Colt .44-40 was the best "stopper" among handguns that he saw used along India's NW Frontier during British colonial days.
Afghans and Pathans took a lot of killing to realize that they were dead as did Moros during our occupation of the Philippines.
Yes, this hero (Victoria Cross) was also the Fosbery of Webley-Fosbery automatic revolver fame. But he developed that design after retiring from the Army, I believe.
Alas, I don't know if he saw the .45 Colt caliber in use, but both it and .44-40 were popular enough that some arm depots in India stocked the cartridges for officers, who bought their own handguns until 1915. From 1915-1920, that was an option. I think that after 1920, they had to carry issue revolvers on duty, due in part to the awful gun law of 1920. The government was trying to reduce the number of handguns in private hands.
If memory serves, I saw Fosbery's quote on the .44 in John Parsons's, The Peacemaker and iits Rivals.
Afghans and Pathans took a lot of killing to realize that they were dead as did Moros during our occupation of the Philippines.
Yes, this hero (Victoria Cross) was also the Fosbery of Webley-Fosbery automatic revolver fame. But he developed that design after retiring from the Army, I believe.
Alas, I don't know if he saw the .45 Colt caliber in use, but both it and .44-40 were popular enough that some arm depots in India stocked the cartridges for officers, who bought their own handguns until 1915. From 1915-1920, that was an option. I think that after 1920, they had to carry issue revolvers on duty, due in part to the awful gun law of 1920. The government was trying to reduce the number of handguns in private hands.
If memory serves, I saw Fosbery's quote on the .44 in John Parsons's, The Peacemaker and iits Rivals.
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RMFnLA
Member
The recessed chambers are a good clue; only done on magnums (& .22, of course) to the best of my knowledge.
Still, sounds like an interesting piece; hope to see some pictures!
Still, sounds like an interesting piece; hope to see some pictures!
Is this a tapered barrel, like a M28 or is it a bull barrel like the M29 and M57? Is the cylinder short (M28 length) or does it fill the cylinder window like a M29 or M57?
Green Frog
Member
I see keith44spl is here. I'll be waiting for his commentary on this gun. I'd be welling to bet a plugged peso that he's fooled around a bit with a 44-40 N-frame a time or two over the years. 
Froggie
Froggie
OP
***UPDATED - SEE POST #1***
The caliber stamping on the side of the barrel does NOT look like factory to me.
Skeetr57
Member
Back in the early 1970's I had a Colt 1917, and at a gun show bought a .44-40 barrel and cylinder for a New Service. I swapped out the barrel and cylinder with no problems, and shot the gun a bit with factory equivalent reloads with smokeless powder. The reloads shot low, but grouped well. I had a box of black powder reloads that came with a rolling block single shot that I had traded for, so I tried them in the converted gun, and they shot to the point of aim, and accurately. That just proved what I had read, that BP loads had more recoil than smokeless loads of the same velocity. After playing with the gun for a while, I sold or traded it, and also got rid of the .44-40 barrel and cylinder. As I recall, I paid about $25 for the New Service and $20 for the barrel and cylinder. Wish I had them back and could sell them again today!
OP
Regardless - I think it will be a nicely modified S&W for my accumulation of "FrankenSmith's" and I bet it will be a shooter!
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Bacon
Member
Those photos prove the cylinder is recessed. Have you tried a 44 Mag cartridge in it? If so, how did it fit?
OP
I still don't have it in my possesion, but the chambers look tapered to me, like a 44-40 round would be.
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"What really stumps me is where did the 4" barrel in 44-40 come from?? I have never seen a modern S&W in this chambering with a 4" barrel."
Since it is a bull barrel with the half-lug, the easy way would have been to remove the .44 Magnum rollmark and replace it with .44-40. A truly long way around would have been to rebore a .41 Magnum barrel to .44 but that would have been silly. Agree the new rollmark is close to but not quite factory appearing.
Since it is a bull barrel with the half-lug, the easy way would have been to remove the .44 Magnum rollmark and replace it with .44-40. A truly long way around would have been to rebore a .41 Magnum barrel to .44 but that would have been silly. Agree the new rollmark is close to but not quite factory appearing.
OP
The caliber marking on the barrel is close, but no cigar as being S&W stamped.
The top of the rib has been smoothed off to match the top of the M28 frame.
It's a pretty decent job in my opinion.
Will do the cartridge test with a .44 Mag and .44-40 and report back.
The top of the rib has been smoothed off to match the top of the M28 frame.
It's a pretty decent job in my opinion.
Will do the cartridge test with a .44 Mag and .44-40 and report back.
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S&WIowegan
US Veteran
The gun reminds me of Hamilton Bowen's work except for the 44-40 mark which is poor quality compared to my Bowens. Bowen had a sub-contractor who did barrel re-boring for him, primarily converting Heavy Dutys to 45 Colt which Ham. thought they should have been originally. Reboring a Model 28 barrel to 44-40 shouldn't be too much of a challenge. Bowen could do the cylinder re-chamber. Bowen is also quite fond of lanyard rings.
Although Bowen no longer works on Smiths, he does still take phone calls from people seeking provenance. If Tom gets the gun he can certainly call Bowen.
Neat gun!
Although Bowen no longer works on Smiths, he does still take phone calls from people seeking provenance. If Tom gets the gun he can certainly call Bowen.
Neat gun!
OP
Thank you for the observation and suggestion regarding Bowen, I will certainly give him a call. I have not removed the stocks from the gun, but will do so soon to see if there are any markings/dates/names etc. on the grip frame.
It makes perfect sense that the original M28 barrel could have been rebored and remarked and the cylinder chambers reamed to 44-40.
Given the N serial number date of mfgr, shouldn't the frame have a model number stamped on it, if it left the factory out the front door? It would not surprise me if there is no record of this frame ever having been shipped at the factory. Also, the target hammer and trigger would not be standard for a 28
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Art Doc
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
I recall a commemorative model made way back when that was a 44-40 with a 6.5" barrel. Bet it's been cut to 4" from one of these. No other source for a properly stamped 44-40 barrel. Could have been a Model 29 barrel polished and stamped over but not sure if that can be done so cleanly. Somebody dropped a buttload of money on this project.
Cylinder is the 357 drum reamed out.
Cylinder is the 357 drum reamed out.
S&WsRsweet
Member
Sure ranks high on the cool factor I'm a sucker for the whole rifle cartridge in a handgun thing plus I like saying 44/40 or 32/20 .Makes me want to put on a cowboy hat and buy me a horse saddle up and well honestly I fell off a horse once and he stepped on my buttocks I took it as a sign. Heck if a man can't dream sitting in his lazy boy where can he .
