Triple Lock?

[Potsy]

Walked into a local gunshop today and saw what I think is a Smith and Wesson Triple Lock .44 Special.
I know squat about Smith's and even less about old ones. It said it was manufactured in 1909 and was a double action, and had no ejector rod housing, that's all I can tell about it.
It locked up pretty tight, felt smooth, no pitting in the chambers or barrel, nothing looked abused.
Other than a nickel finish that really needed bead blasting and a nice hot blue in its place and a new set of grips, I couldn't pick out anything wrong with it. Could've walked out with it for about $300.
Kinda had the urge for something double action and retro lately, can anybody tell me anything about it.

[Catshooter]

Three hundred dollars for the Smith described is a red hot deal, at least I would leap on it.

The Triple locks all had ejector rod housings, that was where the third lock resided.


Cat

[Potsy]

This one had no ejector rod housing so it must not have been a triple lock.
Still, a pretty neat old pistol for 3 bills. A "project gun" as it were. Those tend to cost more than 3 bills by the time you get done with them.
Might have to stop back by there tomorrow.

[Cord]

Tip:

On very early revolvers like that,
Don't confuse the patent date with the year of manufacture.

This could possibly be a later version, 1915+, maybe rebarreled.
I think they dropped the shroud and triple lock mechanism
about that time, brought only the shroud back in the mid-twenties.

To see if it is a triple lock, open the cylinder and look at the
top of the crane, there should be a "ball detent" lock on the top.
The ball locks into a dimple in the frame under the barrel thread area

That is the "triple" - all Smiths lock up front and rear otherwise.

Also, Smith has always had a tendency to use up all the old parts
when making model changes, leading to "transition models."

Wish I could buy it - as described, I would in a heartbeat.
I haven't seen one for a long time.

Even if not a triple, those old short actions are great.
It could make a wonderful .44 shooter, and consider GunBroker.

You have plenty of time tonight for online research.

[Firebricker]

Sounds like a deal to me it's a classic. S&W did a run of a few of the older model's but I think they all had the new lock work which ruins it for me I like the firing pin where it belong's on the hammer. FB