Driftwood Johnson
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Smith and Wesson introduced their first revolver with a cylinder that swung out to the side in 1896. It was known as the 32 Hand Ejector First Model Double Action Revolver, chambered for the then brand new 32 S&W Long cartridge. The frame size of this six shot 32 caliber revolver eventually came to be known as the I frame. This one is a bit finish challenged, it left the factory in 1898.
In 1899 S&W followed up with a larger model chambered for the then brand new 38 Special Cartridge. This nickel plated 38 Military and Police First Model (Model of 1899), left the factory in 1899. This was the first K frame revolver, the iconic size for 38 caliber S&W revolvers for well over 100 years. The Model of 1899 was distinctive because it lacked a locking lug under the barrel for the front of the extractor rod.
In 1902 a locking lug was added under the barrel. By 1905 internal changes had been made to the 38 M&P, and the mechanism is basically unchanged today, still in production as the Model 10. This 38 M&P Target Model left the factory in 1917. It has the standard under barrel lug for latching the front of the extractor rod.
In 1907 Smith and Wesson produced the first large frame Hand Ejector. The frame size was designated as N. A new cartridge was developed for this new revolver, basically a lengthened version of the old 44 Russian cartridge. The model was designated 44 Hand Ejector First Model. It was also known as the New Century. The new cartridge was called 44 Smith and Wesson Special. Today it is usually simply known as the 44 Special.
S&W did something new with this model. Up until this time, the Hand Ejectors had latched the cylinders at the rear, and at the front of the extractor rod with the lug under the barrel. S&W decided to add a 3rd latch to the new 44 caliber Hand Ejector. In addition to latching the cylinder at the rear and at the front of the extractor rod, a third latch was added to the yoke and barrel to securely latch the cylinder there too. So this model soon gained the nickname Triple Lock.
This Triple Lock is a very early one. It left the factory in 1907. The Serial Number is under 200. It is very finish challenged, there is almost no blue left on it at all, except for in the cylinder flutes and a few protected spots on the frame. The rest of the gun is weathered to a 'battleship gray' patina. The stocks, which are original to the gun, have a fair amount of wear on them too. I stumbled across this old Triple Lock recently, and because of the condition I was able to grab it for a terrific price. Mechanically, it functions perfectly.
The caliber marking on this one is unusual. Instead of the normal 44 S&W SPECIAL CTG marking, this one simply says 44 S&W CTG. I have heard a couple of explanations for this. One source tells me that a 44 S&W SPECIAL CTG die had not been made up yet, and the very early Triple Locks were shipped this way. Another source tells me this one may have originally been chambered for 44 Russian, there were a few chambered for that cartridge, and may have later had its chambers lengthened. There is a stamp on the left side of the grip frame indicating that this revolver was sent back to the factory in July of 1917 and some sort of work was done to it at that time. I am betting the first story is correct, there simply was not a 44 Special marking die yet. The only way I will know for sure it to letter the gun, which I may or may not do. The gun does chamber modern 44 Special ammunition, I fired a box of mild reloads through it recently, and it performed like a champ.
The Triple Lock was the first S&W revolver to have a shroud for the extractor rod. The shroud was there to house the mechanism for the third latch. In this photo, the arrow at the right points to a spring plunger mounted in the shroud. This plunger pops into a hole in a hardened insert screwed into the cylinder yoke. The middle arrow points to another spring plunger that engages the front of the extractor rod. The two pins are what keeps the assembly in place. I have not taken the pins out, nor do I intend to, so I do not know if the plungers are all one piece or if they are built up from more than one piece. The arrow on the left is pointing to a 'button' at the front of the plunger mechanism.
This photo shows the hardened insert mounted in the cylinder yoke. There is a small screw on the backside holding it in place. When the cylinder is closed, the lower plunger in the shroud rides up the ramp in the insert. This pushes the plunger back. Since the two plungers are attached to each other, the upper plunger is pushed back too. As the lower plunger clears the hole it pops in the hole in the insert, and both plungers pop forward. The upper plunger engages a spring loaded rod in the front of the extractor rod. This in turn pops another plunger at the rear of the cylinder back to latch the rear of the cylinder to the frame.
Here is another view of the hardened insert screwed into the yoke.
This nickel plated Triple Lock left the factory in 1915.
Here is a view of the third lock mechanism. There is a cut out in the frame to clear the hardened insert when the cylinder is closed. Slightly out of focus, the insert can be seen protruding from the side of the yoke.
Note this Triple Lock has the standard 44 S&W SPECIAL CTG caliber marking.
Here is a view of the hardened insert on the yoke.
This view shows how the hardened insert snugs up in the cut out of the frame when the cylinder is closed.
Nobody really knows why S&W chose to incorporate the third latch for the Triple Lock. It is redundant and totally unnecessary. I have heard it said they did it just to show they could. The catalog price of the Triple Lock in 1908 was $21. Sales were slow, the factory only produced about 2200 Triple Locks per year. Production of the Triple Lock ceased in 1915.
At that time S&W introduced the 44 Hand Ejector Second Model. The third latch was omitted in this model, never to be produced again. The catalog price of the 44 Hand Ejector 2nd Model was $19, the difference largely due to the reduced machining required when the third latch was omitted. Some military sales of Triple Locks had gone to England, and it was felt that the hollow area of the shroud where the ejector rod sat was a magnet for mud.
Here is a view of the front latch of the 44 HE 2nd Model. Similar in operation to the latch on the 38 M&P. In 1926 S&W produced the 44 HE 3rd Model, with a shroud around the extractor rod, but still no third latch.
But that is another story.
Smith and Wesson introduced their first revolver with a cylinder that swung out to the side in 1896. It was known as the 32 Hand Ejector First Model Double Action Revolver, chambered for the then brand new 32 S&W Long cartridge. The frame size of this six shot 32 caliber revolver eventually came to be known as the I frame. This one is a bit finish challenged, it left the factory in 1898.
In 1899 S&W followed up with a larger model chambered for the then brand new 38 Special Cartridge. This nickel plated 38 Military and Police First Model (Model of 1899), left the factory in 1899. This was the first K frame revolver, the iconic size for 38 caliber S&W revolvers for well over 100 years. The Model of 1899 was distinctive because it lacked a locking lug under the barrel for the front of the extractor rod.
In 1902 a locking lug was added under the barrel. By 1905 internal changes had been made to the 38 M&P, and the mechanism is basically unchanged today, still in production as the Model 10. This 38 M&P Target Model left the factory in 1917. It has the standard under barrel lug for latching the front of the extractor rod.
In 1907 Smith and Wesson produced the first large frame Hand Ejector. The frame size was designated as N. A new cartridge was developed for this new revolver, basically a lengthened version of the old 44 Russian cartridge. The model was designated 44 Hand Ejector First Model. It was also known as the New Century. The new cartridge was called 44 Smith and Wesson Special. Today it is usually simply known as the 44 Special.
S&W did something new with this model. Up until this time, the Hand Ejectors had latched the cylinders at the rear, and at the front of the extractor rod with the lug under the barrel. S&W decided to add a 3rd latch to the new 44 caliber Hand Ejector. In addition to latching the cylinder at the rear and at the front of the extractor rod, a third latch was added to the yoke and barrel to securely latch the cylinder there too. So this model soon gained the nickname Triple Lock.
This Triple Lock is a very early one. It left the factory in 1907. The Serial Number is under 200. It is very finish challenged, there is almost no blue left on it at all, except for in the cylinder flutes and a few protected spots on the frame. The rest of the gun is weathered to a 'battleship gray' patina. The stocks, which are original to the gun, have a fair amount of wear on them too. I stumbled across this old Triple Lock recently, and because of the condition I was able to grab it for a terrific price. Mechanically, it functions perfectly.
The caliber marking on this one is unusual. Instead of the normal 44 S&W SPECIAL CTG marking, this one simply says 44 S&W CTG. I have heard a couple of explanations for this. One source tells me that a 44 S&W SPECIAL CTG die had not been made up yet, and the very early Triple Locks were shipped this way. Another source tells me this one may have originally been chambered for 44 Russian, there were a few chambered for that cartridge, and may have later had its chambers lengthened. There is a stamp on the left side of the grip frame indicating that this revolver was sent back to the factory in July of 1917 and some sort of work was done to it at that time. I am betting the first story is correct, there simply was not a 44 Special marking die yet. The only way I will know for sure it to letter the gun, which I may or may not do. The gun does chamber modern 44 Special ammunition, I fired a box of mild reloads through it recently, and it performed like a champ.
The Triple Lock was the first S&W revolver to have a shroud for the extractor rod. The shroud was there to house the mechanism for the third latch. In this photo, the arrow at the right points to a spring plunger mounted in the shroud. This plunger pops into a hole in a hardened insert screwed into the cylinder yoke. The middle arrow points to another spring plunger that engages the front of the extractor rod. The two pins are what keeps the assembly in place. I have not taken the pins out, nor do I intend to, so I do not know if the plungers are all one piece or if they are built up from more than one piece. The arrow on the left is pointing to a 'button' at the front of the plunger mechanism.
This photo shows the hardened insert mounted in the cylinder yoke. There is a small screw on the backside holding it in place. When the cylinder is closed, the lower plunger in the shroud rides up the ramp in the insert. This pushes the plunger back. Since the two plungers are attached to each other, the upper plunger is pushed back too. As the lower plunger clears the hole it pops in the hole in the insert, and both plungers pop forward. The upper plunger engages a spring loaded rod in the front of the extractor rod. This in turn pops another plunger at the rear of the cylinder back to latch the rear of the cylinder to the frame.
Here is another view of the hardened insert screwed into the yoke.
This nickel plated Triple Lock left the factory in 1915.
Here is a view of the third lock mechanism. There is a cut out in the frame to clear the hardened insert when the cylinder is closed. Slightly out of focus, the insert can be seen protruding from the side of the yoke.
Note this Triple Lock has the standard 44 S&W SPECIAL CTG caliber marking.
Here is a view of the hardened insert on the yoke.
This view shows how the hardened insert snugs up in the cut out of the frame when the cylinder is closed.
Nobody really knows why S&W chose to incorporate the third latch for the Triple Lock. It is redundant and totally unnecessary. I have heard it said they did it just to show they could. The catalog price of the Triple Lock in 1908 was $21. Sales were slow, the factory only produced about 2200 Triple Locks per year. Production of the Triple Lock ceased in 1915.
At that time S&W introduced the 44 Hand Ejector Second Model. The third latch was omitted in this model, never to be produced again. The catalog price of the 44 Hand Ejector 2nd Model was $19, the difference largely due to the reduced machining required when the third latch was omitted. Some military sales of Triple Locks had gone to England, and it was felt that the hollow area of the shroud where the ejector rod sat was a magnet for mud.
Here is a view of the front latch of the 44 HE 2nd Model. Similar in operation to the latch on the 38 M&P. In 1926 S&W produced the 44 HE 3rd Model, with a shroud around the extractor rod, but still no third latch.
But that is another story.
