S&W Triple Lock

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    Bob A

    Bob A

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    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Nov 11, 2009
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    Early triple lock in .455 Webley. 3-digit S/N.
    The third lock is at the crane/frame junction.
    I've read that they were discontinued because of the 3rd lock being subject to jamming from dirt etc, and conversely discontinued because of the extra cost in machining and fitting. There are those who have said that the triple-lock Hand Ejector was the finest revolver ever made. Well, talk is cheap, but these revolvers are not. (Still considerably less than any Python, however, and considerably more rare).
     

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    Bob A

    Bob A

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    Biggfoot44 said:
    And the Other reason , it cost $2 more with the 3rd lock .
    Click to expand...

    $52 in today's dollars. 4900 were made in .455 for the Brits, who were caught short for handguns in 1914. That 2 bucks saved them a quarter of a million 2020 dollars on the contract.

    Any old excuse to keep the Exchequer willing to pay the bill.

    Colt also cranked out a pile of New Service revolvers in the caliber. Triple-lock wins out for the cool factor.

    Those top-break Webleys have gotten under my skin. Seemed like a good excuse to go a little sideways on the Smith. Of course, Elmer Keith helped too.

    Gun has a number of Brit proofs, broad arrow, Nitro proof, every chamber has a proof mark too. No import marks, which is nice. Lend a hand to our cousins across the pond to settle the Kaiser's hash. Too bad the Germans managed to bankrupt the Empire with two world wars. There may always be an England, but it will never again be what it once was.
     
    mawkie

    mawkie

    C&R Whisperer
    Sep 28, 2007
    4,355
    Catonsville
    Synchronicity at work as the Smith in .455 has been on the bucket list along with their Model 1917 for a long time now. Was checking out the wares on GB the other night. Def. high on cool factor, more so if you're lucky enough to find one individually marked. Saw a couple come to auction recently that were linked to British officers and they were crazy cool.
     
    Bob A

    Bob A

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    mawkie said:
    Synchronicity at work as the Smith in .455 has been on the bucket list along with their Model 1917 for a long time now. Was checking out the wares on GB the other night. Def. high on cool factor, more so if you're lucky enough to find one individually marked. Saw a couple come to auction recently that were linked to British officers and they were crazy cool.
    Click to expand...

    I'm surprised you hadn't seen it. I was thankfully the only bidder - which surprised me, and made me worry a bit. While it's no safe queen, some loss of bluing/finish blems seems to be the only real flaw.
     
    Biggfoot44

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    33,249
    One of the ones that got away was a Canadian TL, with properly done 1920s conversion to .45 Colt . The price was decent at the time , but I couldn't swing it .

    And for Devil's Advocate , the 3rd Model .44 HE was the " Best " . No 3rd lock , buy Ejector rod housing . AND starting 1927/28 , Heat Treated cylinders were actually stronger than the TL .
     
    Bob A

    Bob A

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    Biggfoot44 said:
    And for Devil's Advocate , the 3rd Model .44 HE was the " Best " . No 3rd lock , buy Ejector rod housing . AND starting 1927/28 , Heat Treated cylinders were actually stronger than the TL .
    Click to expand...

    Bummer. I got a 3rd model HE in 44spl, but it's an early serial number, placing it in 1926, probably. How annoying is that?

    I suppose I should trade both of them for something nice, like a glock. Still, they do have a certain charm.

    BTW, where can I find info regarding heat treatments and other more esoteric stuff?
     
    Biggfoot44

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    33,249
    The s/n range for heat treatment is in Std Catalog of Smith & Wesson , but you can also search the S&W Collectors Forum where it is a regular topic .
     
    Bob A

    Bob A

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    Biggfoot44 said:
    The s/n range for heat treatment is in Std Catalog of Smith & Wesson , but you can also search the S&W Collectors Forum where it is a regular topic .
    Click to expand...

    I'm unable to find it in my Std Cat, with a 1996 copyright date. Old eyes? Newer version? Anyway, thanks for the reference to the Collector's Forum. I need to poke around over there. It's always good to find out that you don't know what you don't know, but there's a place where you can find out.

    (MDS is definitely one of those places).
     
    Bob A

    Bob A

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    Fiocchi is making it. At this time it's running about 70 cpr. I think it was cheaper before the Ammocopalypse. Comparable to 45LC, I suppose.
     
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