Smith&Wesson Triple Lock?

TTA_Daniel132 · November 11, 2024, 09:35 AM

I'm considering buying this gun from an auction. I just don't know enough about these guns to know what a good price would be. Mainly depends on if this is a legitimate Triple Lock style revolver. Any help identifying would be appreciated.

Jim Watson · November 11, 2024, 09:43 AM

Caliber? Probably .44 Special and therefore a .44 Hand Ejector First Model or New Century, popularly a Triple Lock. The next most common caliber is .455 Webley from British army contract or individual officer sale. There are others but they are scarce to rare.

The nickel plate sure looks good, it might be a refinish.
Is there a B or N in the ejector rod housing or on the side of the grip frame under the grips?

TTA_Daniel132 · November 11, 2024, 09:45 AM

Yes it is a 44 cal. I did to check for the B or N and it is not present but has the star instead. I also checked under the grip to find a date reading 12-22-60.

Jim Watson · November 11, 2024, 11:28 AM

That pretty well settles it, then, you see a Triple Lock with factory refinish, maybe other work.

A dealer once showed me two second models that had been renickeled and magna grips fitted after a house fire. The guns looked like new externally, but the bores were rough. He said there was a third gun S&W did not consider salvageable.

TTA_Daniel132 · November 11, 2024, 12:16 PM

So how/where do I look to find out how to price this gun then? I just want to try to figure out a ballpark. So far from my research I've figured that a minimum of $1,000 would be a good floor price.

Webleymkv · November 12, 2024, 03:52 PM

Assigning value to the gun is difficult for a few reasons. First and foremost, the prices of older S&W revolvers has increased dramatically over the past 10-20 years and N-Frames are among the most desirable. Relatively common guns like a Model 28 which 15-20 years ago would've sold for $500 or less in near pristine condition are going for over $1K now. Secondly, Triple-Locks are rare enough that there aren't many of them coming up for sale to compare prices with. Also, because Triple-Locks are so collectible (probably rivaled only by Registered Magnums among S&W collectors) very minute details like a refinish can have drastic impact on the gun value. Finally, while a refinish of any sort definitely harms the collector value of the gun, the fact that it's a factory refinish doesn't harm it as drastically as an aftermarket one.

Were I in the market of such a gun, I think that $1000 would be a very fair price and $1500 wouldn't be unreasonable. $2000 would, however, be the absolute maximum I'd even consider paying and, at that price, it would have to come with a factory letter verifying the factory refinish and otherwise original condition (barrel length, caliber, etc.). That being said, you stated it's ".44 Caliber," but did not specify that it's .44 Special. While .44 Special and .455 Webley were the two most common calibers for which the triple lock was chambered, there were others including .45 Long Colt, .38-40, and .44-40 though those are all very rare. If the gun is, by some very long chance, a .44-40 and can be verified not to have been rechambered, the value would increase exponentially.

**4V50 Gary** · November 12, 2024, 11:25 PM

Papiers come w/it?

ligonierbill · November 14, 2024, 08:45 AM

I check a commercial website. They're not always accurate, but a place to start. Second Model 44 Special is listed at $1,200 for VG, $2,000 for Excellent. First Model double that. Of course, condition and originality are vital.

November 12, 2024, 11:25 PM	#7
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 22,133	Papiers come w/it? __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

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November 11, 2024, 09:43 AM	#2
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,946	Caliber? Probably .44 Special and therefore a .44 Hand Ejector First Model or New Century, popularly a Triple Lock. The next most common caliber is .455 Webley from British army contract or individual officer sale. There are others but they are scarce to rare. The nickel plate sure looks good, it might be a refinish. Is there a B or N in the ejector rod housing or on the side of the grip frame under the grips?

November 11, 2024, 09:45 AM	#3
TTA_Daniel132 Junior Member Join Date: November 8, 2024 Posts: 3	Yes it is a 44 cal. I did to check for the B or N and it is not present but has the star instead. I also checked under the grip to find a date reading 12-22-60.

November 11, 2024, 11:28 AM	#4
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,946	That pretty well settles it, then, you see a Triple Lock with factory refinish, maybe other work. A dealer once showed me two second models that had been renickeled and magna grips fitted after a house fire. The guns looked like new externally, but the bores were rough. He said there was a third gun S&W did not consider salvageable.

November 11, 2024, 12:16 PM	#5
TTA_Daniel132 Junior Member Join Date: November 8, 2024 Posts: 3	So how/where do I look to find out how to price this gun then? I just want to try to figure out a ballpark. So far from my research I've figured that a minimum of $1,000 would be a good floor price.

November 12, 2024, 03:52 PM	#6
Webleymkv Senior Member Join Date: July 20, 2005 Location: Indiana Posts: 10,610	Assigning value to the gun is difficult for a few reasons. First and foremost, the prices of older S&W revolvers has increased dramatically over the past 10-20 years and N-Frames are among the most desirable. Relatively common guns like a Model 28 which 15-20 years ago would've sold for $500 or less in near pristine condition are going for over $1K now. Secondly, Triple-Locks are rare enough that there aren't many of them coming up for sale to compare prices with. Also, because Triple-Locks are so collectible (probably rivaled only by Registered Magnums among S&W collectors) very minute details like a refinish can have drastic impact on the gun value. Finally, while a refinish of any sort definitely harms the collector value of the gun, the fact that it's a factory refinish doesn't harm it as drastically as an aftermarket one. Were I in the market of such a gun, I think that $1000 would be a very fair price and $1500 wouldn't be unreasonable. $2000 would, however, be the absolute maximum I'd even consider paying and, at that price, it would have to come with a factory letter verifying the factory refinish and otherwise original condition (barrel length, caliber, etc.). That being said, you stated it's ".44 Caliber," but did not specify that it's .44 Special. While .44 Special and .455 Webley were the two most common calibers for which the triple lock was chambered, there were others including .45 Long Colt, .38-40, and .44-40 though those are all very rare. If the gun is, by some very long chance, a .44-40 and can be verified not to have been rechambered, the value would increase exponentially.

November 14, 2024, 08:45 AM	#8
ligonierbill Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2007 Posts: 2,601	I check a commercial website. They're not always accurate, but a place to start. Second Model 44 Special is listed at $1,200 for VG, $2,000 for Excellent. First Model double that. Of course, condition and originality are vital.