OT .455 Smith&Wesson

[brno602]

I have a mint and I mean mint S&W in .455 and 80 pcs of new brass and Lee dies, the sizing die is marked 45 colt?
This gun has been in the family for years I wish the old guy's were still around so I could ask where it came from it has Canadian x prof marks or decomissioned marks on it and a nice holster too, but really I just want to shoot it
I looked at some on the net that are not in as good of shape maybe 70% and they are asking $1300.00 I would never sell it! as I got it when my big brother passed away That's what we did yesterday was divided up the gun collection I hated doing that but it had to be done
I will slug the bore my guess at looking how a .452 jacketed bullet sit's in it it will be .454 or bigger like the old colt's the case is a bit shorter than a . 45 auto Rimmed with a thin rim.
Anyone reaload for this old cal? any help would be great.
I will try my hand at getting some pic's up of the gun and holster.
I got the Brass from a English guy at work free!!!

[Rimfire McNutjob]

There was an article in Handloader last year (maybe it was a column, not a full article) on this round and then there was a follow-up letter and clarification in a later Handloader. There were moulds suggested as well. I'll see if I can find which issues they were in and if there's any excerpts online.

[pdentrem]

A close friend has his grandfather's S&W in .455 Webley. I can ask what the loads are as I can not remember and you can still get ammo from F.....ci?

[2ndovc]

Been reloding .455 for years. I use cast .454s with great results and a light dose of Unique.
I'll have to go look at my notes for the right load.

Fun round and the S&Ws are way more accurate that the Webleys.

jb

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

Do you know exactly which model it is? There were a bunch of different models that S&W normally chambered for 44 Special, but some were chambered for 455 Mark II.

The first was the 44 Handejector First Model, also known as the New Century, but mostly known as the Triple Lock. If you have a Triple Lock, $1300 is not out of line for value, as a matter of fact at today's prices it is cheap. Depending on condition of course. You can tell the Triple Lock because it is the only revolver Smith ever made that secures the ejector rod not only at the front and the rear, but at the crane too. The Triple Lock is probably the most prized of all the modern S&W 44s.

Here is a photo of a Triple Lock .



Here is a photo of the detail of the third latch. You can see the spring loaded plunger in the cut out of the frame, and the little matching part that mated with it on the crane. As I said, the New Century was the only gun S&W ever made with this feature.



Here is a photo of my 44 Handejector 2nd Model. This one had a 44 Special barrel and cylinder put on at some point, but it too probably left the factory chambered for 455. Notice the lack of a shroud around the ejector rod. S&W did away with that, as well as the triple lock mechanism on the 2nd Model. They substituted an under barrel lug for the front of the ejector rod. They never again put the third latch in any of their revolvers.



Here is a detail of the Canadian Broad Arrow on my 2nd Model. The Canadian Broad Arrow is just like the British Broad Arrow, but it is inside a C for Canada. This one probably was shipped to Canada some time during WWI. A lot of these guns were converted to 44 Special when they found their way back into the USA because the 455 cartridge was not very common here. Still isn't.



Lastly, here is a photo of my 44 Handejector 3rd Model. This one was nickel plated at some point, and it had the funky stag grips put on. Notice that S&W reverted to a shroud around the ejector rod with this model, but they did not reinstate the third latch.

[brno602]

Howdy

Do you know exactly which model it is? There were a bunch of different models that S&W normally chambered for 44 Special, but some were chambered for 455 Mark II.

The first was the 44 Handejector First Model, also known as the New Century, but mostly known as the Triple Lock. If you have a Triple Lock, $1300 is not out of line for value, as a matter of fact at today's prices it is cheap. Depending on condition of course. You can tell the Triple Lock because it is the only revolver Smith ever made that secures the ejector rod not only at the front and the rear, but at the crane too. The Triple Lock is probably the most prized of all the modern S&W 44s.

Here is a photo of a Triple Lock .



Here is a photo of the detail of the third latch. You can see the spring loaded plunger in the cut out of the frame, and the little matching part that mated with it on the crane. As I said, the New Century was the only gun S&W ever made with this feature.



Here is a photo of my 44 Handejector 2nd Model. This one had a 44 Special barrel and cylinder put on at some point, but it too probably left the factory chambered for 455. Notice the lack of a shroud around the ejector rod. S&W did away with that, as well as the triple lock mechanism on the 2nd Model. They substituted an under barrel lug for the front of the ejector rod. They never again put the third latch in any of their revolvers.



Here is a detail of the Canadian Broad Arrow on my 2nd Model. The Canadian Broad Arrow is just like the British Broad Arrow, but it is inside a C for Canada. This one probably was shipped to Canada some time during WWI. A lot of these guns were converted to 44 Special when they found their way back into the USA because the 455 cartridge was not very common here. Still isn't.



Lastly, here is a photo of my 44 Handejector 3rd Model. This one was nickel plated at some point, and it had the funky stag grips put on. Notice that S&W reverted to a shroud around the ejector rod with this model, but they did not reinstate the third latch.

Thanks for the pic's it clears things up mine is not a triple lock I tried to post some pic's but having trouble, I also do not have the C on mine but always thought mine never left Canada? Nore do I have any other britt markings on it, it might be American?
At the tip of the ejector rod it is a large round wheel.

[brno602]

on a second look at the gun it is much like the third pic you posted the X or broad arrow looks like it was double stamped and is right above and to the right or end of the frame above the S&W logo on the grip.
I now know how to down size my pic's and will give it another try.

[jd45]

Can't wait to see pics! You're very fortunate! Just in case your bore slugs out a little on the large side, there's an outfit called PennBullets.com, that offers optional sizing. Standard is .452, with options of .451; .454; & .455, in several designs, such as RNFP; SWC; TC, etc. He sells in lots of 500 @ $61.00; & 1000 @ $120.00, with flat-rate shipping. jd45

[JReed]

brno60 sent you a pm.

[brno602]

Pic's coming soon! I had to go up North for work sorry it took this long. Just getting ready to down load them hang in there guy's they will come even though the wife can't help me lol.
Warning I got some sticky stuff on the grips that will show up in the pic's. It's because the gun was wraped in a gease paper like stuff.

[MrMurphy]

One reason i've heard stated for ditching the third lock was British reports that it gunked up too fast in trenches with the dirt, where the now-standard S&W type didn't.


Fiocchi still makes .455, I believe S&B and a few others do too.