Here are a couple of the older Smiths I own.

Up first is a Model 1899 Target revolver. The 1899 was the first K frame gun and the first Smith and Wesson to be be chambered in the then-new .38 S&W Special. These are called "first models" by collectors and were made from 1899 to 1902. Serial numbers run from 1 to 20975. While records were not kept on the different models within the First model run, it is estimated that somewhere between 5-10% were Target Models and it is further estimated that the survival rate of unaltered Targets is somewhere around 10% of the total 100-200 produced.

I got this First Model Target off of an add on the local Armslist where it was just listed as a ".38 Special Smith and Wesson". The serial number dates it to 1901, making it the oldest double action revolver I have. Even as old as it is, it still locks up tight and is perfectly timed.







Second is this Second Model MkII .455 Hand Ejector. Great Britain was desperate for arms of all types at the beginning of WWI and along with contracting with Remington and Winchester for rifles, they contracted with both Colt and S&W for handguns. Colt supplied both 1911 pistols and New Service revolvers, while Smith sold the Brits their New Century revolvers. I will go into the Colt contract at a later date, but for now I'll stick with Smith and Wesson.

The first contract was for the currently produced First Model N frame hand ejectors called by collectors the Triple Lock. While a finely made gun, they were susceptible to jamming in the muddy conditions in the trenches, so the guns were redesigned for the second contract and a total of 69,754 were manufactured between 1915 and 1917. This particular gun is still in it's original .455 Ely caliber (many were converted to .45ACP or .45Colt) and has all matching numbers. One thing that is interesting is that it doesn't have the typical myriad of British proofs on it which means that it was never officially sold out of service.

Very nice, thanks.

I like old revolvers.

That 1899 Target is sweet. Congrats on both but oh, that target.

That .455 is pretty damn cool.

I kinda forgot they even existed. Most people just think of the M1917 that Smith and Colt provided to take up the slack of not enough 1911's.

You bother to shoot it at all?

I have not shot this particular gun, but years ago I did have an opportunity to shoot a different one. The .455 Eley cartridge is somewhat less powerful than a .45ACP, so in the large framed guns like the S&W .455 or the Colt New Service, it is very pleasant to shoot. It has a 260 grain bullet moving at about 700fps with a maximum pressure of 13000psi vs a .45ACP with a 230 grain bullet at 830fps and a maximum pressure of 19000psi.

I would love to have a Webley Mark VI but an N-frame is 455 would be almost as good and in some ways better.  I am very intrigued by those old short fat slow cartridges.  Nice pair of old S&W!

Oh yeah, the .455 Ely is pretty weak. I think the .44 Russian puts out better ballistics save for bullet weight.

I still want a Webley revolver. Should've bought one before they became 4 figures and hard to find...