Walter Roper's 44 Double Action First Model

[Oldmanwesson]

Okay, my head is beginning to hurt... according to Roy, Roper was sales manager as late as 1929, so I'm sure even if he was no longer employed there, he had friends and "influence" even after leaving. The frame is stamped 4-30 with a diamond mark and a "B" (I think). So, we're thinking this may be a custom job, built on a 44-40 frame with a barrel from stock, probably a late-model New Model SA (they did come in 8 inch), with the serial number added at the time of assembly? This would mean that there are two 44DA's out there with this number. The one Roy found in the ledgers is obviously not the same as mine. Here are some more pictures.

 

[BMur]

Agreed

I agree,
The 44 Frontier DA all overlapped with the 1st model 44 DA Russians. So lots of duplicate serial numbers but most would be Short frame (44 Russians) vs Long Frame(44 WCF Frontiers).
So technically a different model.

The manufacture of the late long frame 44 Russian DA in high serial number range likely used a lot of the leftover 44 Frontier long frames as well. They must have been renumbered also. Your gun provides proof that suggests a lot of the Frontier frames were used where needed to sell the product.

The Russian caliber was much more popular on the DA frame. It’s also “ extremely common” to confuse the two models.

Murph

 

[Oldmanwesson]

Thank you all for your input and theories. It's an unusual piece by any means. I'm itching to take it to the range...

 

[Oldmanwesson]

I couldn't resist... Took the 44 DA with the 8-inch barrel to the range today. The long barrel puts more weight "up front" and makes it kick back less than my 5-inch one. Takes a bit of getting used to... What a blast! Literally...

 

[JSR III]

Since a major part of this discussion is about Walter Roper, I thought that I would add a small tidbit of information that I recently discovered (again) while cleaning out my "room".

Since one of my other hobbies is ham radio, I apparently came across and collected a QSL card from none other than Walter Roper. For those unfamiliar, a QSL card is a post card that ham radio operators send to each other to acknowledge a radio contact between the two stations. Walter roper held the call sign, W1ADZ.

Just a little more info about the man, the myth, the legend.....

James
W1JSR

 

[Club Gun Fan]

In the late 1980's the Maintenance Department was tasked with taking all the old stamps to the forge where they were crushed. No, none got out into the public, because there were two Smith & Wesson Security Guards escorting the tools throughout the process.

 

[JSR III]

because there were two Smith & Wesson Security Guards escorting the tools throughout the process

I knew there had to be a reason why you had a S&W Security guard outfit!!!!