Need help identifying .44 S&W Special

[Rossabo]

Hello,

My father inherited a nice .44 S&W Special a long time ago. I have been on the hunt to find more information about it. I'm pretty sure that it's the Triple-Lock/Hand Ejector, but I'm not sure which edition it is. Today I wrote the serial numbers and markings:

Serial number (on bottom of gun)- 13077
On the side it says .44 Smith and Wesson Special Ctg
On top of barrel it says- May 27 94 May 21 95 Aug 4 96 Dec 22 96 Oct 8 01 Dec 3 01 Feb 6 06
And where the cylinders are it says 7022

Here's a picture I took:


I know this is a tricky question, but could somebody also give me a rough estimate of how much its worth? Thanks!

 

[Jim K]

It would be the .44 Hand Ejector, and the serial number indicates it is the First Model, which had the crane lock, giving it the name "Triple Lock". (The other two locking points are at the rear of the cylinder and at the front of the ejector rod.) The third lock proved unnecessary and was expensive, so it was dropped.

The number under the crane is an assembly number; the one on the butt is the serial number.

Value is hard to tell from the picture, but "triple locks" are very desireable to collectors. The grips are not factory, which reduces the value.

Jim

 

[Moonclip]

Can you show us a few more pics if possible? Thanks. Maybe a pic of the triple lock mechanism as well.

 

[Rossabo]

Thanks Jim! I'm glad to know that it's a first model.

Moonclip, I'll have to wait until my father is back home to take more pics. Hopefully he'll be back by tomorrow.

 

[Jim K]

Hi, Rossabo,

If you have the gun, it is easy to open the cylinder and look at the crane for the locking mechanism. If you have any other S&W hand ejector, you can see the difference.

Jim

 

[Rossabo]

Alright, so I finally got to taking pictures. I tried to include as much detail as i could. It cycles normally, and everything seems to be in good working order.

 

[Archie]

Yeah, that's a nice revolver and seeing it fills my heart with lust and covetousness.

 

[Mike Franklin]

Yeah but I don't see the third lock.

 

[Rossabo]

Thanks guys!

I forgot to take a picture from behind the cylinders. Was that where the third lock was?

Also, is there any place that sells the authentic grips for this gun, so if I decide to sell it in the future it will be worth more?

 

[rcmodel]

No.

The Triple-Lock has a spring loaded plunger in the rear face of the barrel lug that fits into a notch & hole in the front of the crane, right below the ejector rod.

http://www.tactical-life.com/online/combat-handguns/smith-wesson-triple-lock/?right=related

The "first" & "second" locks are the cylinder pin that locks into the recoil shield at the rear, and the spring loaded plunger in the front of the barrel lug that locks into the front of the ejector rod housing as still used on all S&W's.

rcmodel

 

[Jim K]

If you click on the fifth picture down to enlarge it, you can see the crane lock just at and below the point where the ejector rod enters the crane; the corresponding locking point is at the bottom of the ejector rod housing.

Incidentally, the site mentioned above perpetuates the story that the .44 Special was a more powerful round than previous cartridges in that caliber. In fact, factory loadings of the .44 Special were always identical to those of the .44 Russian. S&W just wanted people to think the new gun and cartridge were more powerful than the old break-tops. It's called advertising.

Jim

 

[stbryson]

Hello Rossabo,

It looks like you have a decent shooting example of what is, in my opinion, the finest revolver made by Smith & Wesson. I say shooting example, rather than collector grade, because it appears to me that the gun has been refinished. I am not trying to knock down your gun - just trying to give an honest assessment. The reasons I think that your gun has been refinished are (and I am basing my opinion on the photos): the various pins appear to have been polished flat; the hammer, trigger and yoke cam appear to be blued, rather than casehardened; the lettering on the barrel appears to be light; and the sharp edges appear to have been muted by polishing. That said, the mechanicals are the most important to me, and it sounds like yours is in fine working condition.

Correct grips would be service grips with gold medallions, as seen in the third photo below. They can be found but, depending on condition, oftentimes bring $150+. If you are planning to shoot the gun regularly, my advice would be to find grips that are more comfortable. A search on E-Bay would be a good place to find grips.

It is hard to give an accurate value on a gun like yours. As a shooter in good mechanical condition, value in my opinion could range from $600 - $800. My opinion could very well be wrong in either direction, as it all depends on what a buyer is willing to pay.

Shipped to New Orleans, LA in 1913

Shipped to Alexandria, LA in 1916

Shipped to Louisville, KY in 1917


Take care,

 

[Jim K]

FWIW, the immediate tip-offs to a Triple Lock are the two pins in the front of the ejector shroud and the rectangular part protruding from the front of the shroud rather than just a round pin.

Jim

 

[Rossabo]

Thanks, Steve! Sorry I didn't respond sooner, I've been on various vacations this summer and have only recently come back.

Unfortunately, I don't have much (if any) history on my particular gun. All I know is that my great uncle, who I inherited it from, was a gun collector and a hunter (and slightly paranoid). According to my father, he used to have all sorts of guns, including a Thompson! Unfortunately, though, he sold most of his guns in his older years without telling my dad, and all that my dad was able to inherit was this gun, some kind of side-by-side 12 gauge, and a broken semi-automatic rifle. It may very well be a refinished gun. My dad said that my great uncle always carried a revolver on him, and this could have been this gun. Apparently, my great uncle did a lot of crazy things in his day. Who knows what this gun would say if it could talk...

I guess the only way I'll truly know its value is to have a proper appraisal, but I think that 800$ seems like it is how much it would probably be worth. I'm going to keep the gun, since it is the only thing I have left of my great uncle (who I was named after). But it's interesting to see how much its worth and what condition it's really in. I'm pretty inexperienced in firearms, so thanks for helping me see what to look at in an older firearm, and for taking the time to give it a great and reasonable assessment.