WHAT IS THIS GUN?

[preachwright]

I have a smith n wesson I cant find a caliber on it. or a mod number. It has 4579 on the butt and on the swing out cyclinder, has 4 screws on one side plus the one that holds the grips on. the only other markings are a bunch of patened dates on top of the ballel. it is a 6 shot double action i got from my brother he said he had it miked n was told it is a 41? cal? It has a bulge in the barrel right behind the front sight. the barrel is a little over 6 in long? any help ?

 

[NFrameFred]

Pictures are almost a must here . . . check and see if there is also a screw in the front of the trigger guard. The information is too sketchy to give you any help - a picture is worth a thousand words, as the old saying goes . . .

 

[Oyeboteb]

Images in this instance would be especially useful.

 

[KEN L]

As the two previous posters suggested.......

 

[peyton]

While waiting for more info, am I wrong in saying S&W never made a revolver without the caliber marked on the barrel?

 

[Sprefix]

Welcome to the forum, but it hasn't exactly been a Kodak moment has it?? As stated earlier, pictures will get you an answer real fast. There is a remarkable amount of knowledge on this forum. Sprefix

 

[Hondo44]

Where is it marked S&W?

All I can tell you so far is that your gun was made before WW II with patent dates on the barrel and it's a hand ejector model. It would not have a Model # until 1957 or after. It was probably a 38 and a very early one from around the turn of the century with that low number. If it has 4 screws on the right side sideplate and one in front of the trigger guard, it's a 5 screw. If no trigger guard screw it's a 4 screw and made prior to the 38 Military and Police model of 1905 (38 Hand Ejector M&P, 3rd Model). So it would be a a Model 1899 or 1902.

If it's truly a 41 caliber with a swing out cylinder, it has been converted to that cartridge and the original caliber marking on the left side of the barrel has been removed or barrel replaced. Take it to a gunshop that has 41 Colt ammo and have them check if it fits your gun.

W/o more detail, pictures are a must.

 

[Texas Star]

Given the available info, if the barrel miked at about .41 or .42, maybe an older .44-40. Even the .44 Magnum bullet is really only .429-inch, as is the .44 Special. But .41 Magnum or .44 Magnum would not have the lettering on the top of the barrel. There's an off chance you have a .38-40. It is a true .40 cal., I think. Very few S&W's are .41 caliber.

You can have a GOOD gunsmith cut off the barrel to about five inches if the gunsmith checks and determines that the barrel wasn't ruined by whatever caused that bulge.

Peyton-

Yes, some calibers were unmarked. I'm told this applied to some .455's, although those I've owned and handled were marked.

 

[preachwright]

Pictures are almost a must here . . . check and see if there is also a screw in the front of the trigger guard. The information is too sketchy to give you any help - a picture is worth a thousand words, as the old saying goes . . .

trying to figure out how to put pics up we are new here. it has the screw on front of the trigger gaurd, it is marked Smith&Wesson on the wood handle and above that stamped in the metal plus in top on the barral

 

[Goony]

trying to figure out how to put pics up we are new here.

See: http://smith-wessonforum.com/forum-office/78728-posting-photos-forum.html

I'll venture to list a few speculations, anyway.

That "4579" serial number could indicate a Model of 1899; or if it's preceded by a "K" or "C" that you've not mentioned, that would date the gun to the late 1940's. But in either case if it's indeed in .41 caliber, it's been bored out to that along the way.

More likely, if the serial number you've given is complete and it's a .41, it's a Spanish (or Belgian, or Asian) counterfeit of a Smith & Wesson.

Posting some photos will permit a rapid sorting out of these possibilities.

 

[Hondo44]

See: http://smith-wessonforum.com/forum-office/78728-posting-photos-forum.html

I'll venture to list a few speculations, anyway.

That "4579" serial number could indicate a Model of 1899; or if it's preceded by a "K" or "C" that you've not mentioned, that would date the gun to the late 1940's. But in either case if it's indeed in .41 caliber, it's been bored out to that along the way.

More likely, if the serial number you've given is complete and it's a .41, it's a Spanish (or Belgian, or Asian) counterfeit of a Smith & Wesson.

Posting some photos will permit a rapid sorting out of these possibilities.

Yeah, something is screwy here. With a 4 digit number and 5 screws it can't be a legitimate S&W K frame. Or as Texas Star said, maybe it's an N frame
which I think would have to make it a Triple Lock.

 

[beagleye]

While waiting for more info, am I wrong in saying S&W never made a revolver without the caliber marked on the barrel?

I believe a few 2nd model N frames in 45 colt went unmarked.

 

[DCWilson]

Preachwright, when the cylinder is closed can the ejector rod be seen from either side of the gun? Or does the ejector rod close into a solid steel shroud under the barrel so it can be viewed only from the left side of the gun?

If there is a solid shroud, does the yoke of the gun (the moving part that holds the cylinder) have a wedge-shaped flag that forces a locking pin back into the shroud as the cylinder assembly closes?

If you have a solid shroud and a yoke assembly with a wedge, the gun is a model familiarly called a Triple Lock, and you may have one of the rare specimens that came in a caliber other than .44 Special or .455.

Does the gun have a fixed sight (channel grooved into the top of the frame) or an adjustable sight (with screws near the rear sight blade to adjust for windage and elevation)?

 

[Hondo44]

An N frame TL could be chambered in 38-40 and not marked since it's one of the more obscure chamberings. The bore/bullet actually measures .401". Close enough that it could be mis-measured or mis-stated as a .41 cal.

 

[preachwright]

my unknown gun..

Preachwright, when the cylinder is closed can the ejector rod be seen from either side of the gun? Or does the ejector rod close into a solid steel shroud under the barrel so it can be viewed only from the left side of the gun?

If there is a solid shroud, does the yoke of the gun (the moving part that holds the cylinder) have a wedge-shaped flag that forces a locking pin back into the shroud as the cylinder assembly closes?

If you have a solid shroud and a yoke assembly with a wedge, the gun is a model familiarly called a Triple Lock, and you may have one of the rare specimens that came in a caliber other than .44 Special or .455.

Does the gun have a fixed sight (channel grooved into the top of the frame) or an adjustable sight (with screws near the rear sight blade to adjust for windage and elevation)?

yes it locks into a shroud like u are calling a Triple lock. It has the wedge on the yoke assembly. and the friont sight is fixed and the rear sight is made into the top of the gun..I can e mail some picts still have not been able top *** the ones i have. but it does have 5 screws with the 1 in front of the trigger guard..I am sorry for not watching this forum closer I pastor a church and run a bussiness also and dont take much down time my email add is [email protected] I can e mail anyone picts any time THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!

 

[Muley Gil]

yes it locks into a shroud like u are calling a Triple lock. It has the wedge on the yoke assembly. and the friont sight is fixed and the rear sight is made into the top of the gun..I can e mail some picts still have not been able top *** the ones i have. but it does have 5 screws with the 1 in front of the trigger guard..I am sorry for not watching this forum closer I pastor a church and run a bussiness also and dont take much down time my email add is [email protected] I can e mail anyone picts any time THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!

Look for an e-mail from [email protected], titled Message from Muley Gil, S&W Forum. I'll post your pics for you.

 

[Muley Gil]

Here are the pictures preachwright sent me. It is a reblued S&W Triplelock with a bulged barrel. Can't tell the caliber though. I've e-mailed the OP and asked for a picture of the open cylinder, hoping to look at the chambers.

The grips look correct.

 

[Oyeboteb]

Ahhhh...Barrel Texts were likely removed in the re-Finishing process.

Still...it IS a 'New Century' or 'Triple Lock', and, well...that's something in it's own right, even if bulged and re-finished.

While I am definitly not in the Front of the Class on these, I do recall them to have been available in a range of Chamberings and or Callibres, even if some of them are seldom seen...so, if not in the more or less usual .44 Special, and not in the seldom seen .45 Colt, then, could be the seldom-enough seen of .44 WCF/.44-40, or, maybe, even .38 WCF/ .38-40 ( if that latter one was even an option de jur? ) I s'pose.

 

[Muley Gil]

"...even .38 WCF/ .38-40 ( if that latter one was even an option de jur? ) I s'pose."

S&W did build at least one 6 1/2" Triple Lock in .38-40.

 

[handejector]

Till you have hard evidence to the contrary, always go with the obvious.
It is most likely a 455.

It looks like the cyl has been shaved for 45 Colt or 45 ACP, but most likely for 45 ACP since the rear gap is rather large- like a 1917.