Gun Digest 2011. Dan Shideler

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      The initial 5,600 British contract Hand Ejectors were .455 First Models (Triple Locks). The third locking lug, at the juncture of the frame and ejector rod shroud, was a minor marvel of engineering. However, the British felt the tolerances were too close for a military service revolver. Fit and finish of these guns rivaled commercial production.

      Occasionally a British Contract revolver will be encountered that also displays personal markings such as a soldier’s name and assignment. These generally imply private ownership, as the Government disapproved of anyone purposely defacing His Majesty’s revolvers. Identifiable personal markings can add to the history (and sometimes the value) of a gun, if they help establish its provenance. The .455 First Model in my collection has what may be a previous owner’s name faintly stamped on the left side of the frame below the thumb-piece, but it was struck so lightly that only a few letters can be discerned. This gun is in excellent condition and retains nearly all of its original bright blue finish. Even though it was built under military contract, it is as beautifully fitted and polished as any commercial revolver made by Smith & Wesson.

      Fortunately, my First Model Hand Ejector is still chambered for the .455 cartridge. Many of the British Contract guns that found their way back to the United States following World War I were subsequently re-chambered to .45 Colt, or .45 ACP, either by Smith & Wesson or other enterprising individuals. This alteration involved milling down the back of the cylinder to accommodate the thicker rims of .45 Colt ammunition or clips for the rimless .45 ACP cartridge. If Modified for the .45 Colt, the chambers required lengthening as well. From a practical standpoint there may have been some justification for these conversions, as both replacement rounds were much more readily available in this Country than .455 ammunition, but the modifications definitely destroyed the originality of the guns.

      Background research by Roy Jinks on the .455 First Model in my collection indicates that it left the factory on January 21, 1915, and was delivered to the Remington Arms-Union Metallic Cartridge Co. in New York City. The gun obviously made it to England, as evidenced by its British proof marks. Beyond that, little is known regarding the service it saw. What is apparent from the condition of the revolver is that whoever had it treated it well.

      Though there is little doubt that many of the .455 First Model Hand Ejectors saw use in combat, few documented accounts of their service are known. One such anecdotal example, however, can be found in Elmer Keith’s book Sixguns By Keith. Keith relates the story of a Canadian soldier who was taken prisoner at night by three German troops and was being escorted back to their lines. In the darkness the Germans had overlooked a Triple Lock revolver the Canadian had under his tunic. When the four of them sought sanctuary in a shell crater during an artillery barrage, the captive took advantage of the light from exploding flares to locate the position of each of the German soldiers. He then drew his revolver and shooting double action, dispatched his captors before they had time to react.

      The story recounted by Keith may very well be factual. In 1991 Mr. David Penn, who was the Keeper of Exhibits and Firearms at London’s Imperial War Museum, gave a presentation to members of the Smith & Wesson Collectors Association. A transcript of his lecture was published in the SWCA 1992 Winter Newsletter. According to Mr. Penn: “The First World War was the only period in which British forces treated the revolver as an offensive weapon. It was very effective for trench fighting in skilled hands and by the end of the war, training was very sophisticated indeed, with a plethora of rapid fire, long range, trench clearance, quick draw and quick reloading techniques being taught at the Southern Revolver School at Wareham. The final test was a trench clearance at night, the only illumination being provided by exploding thunderflashes.” Apparently “thunderflashes” is another term for flash grenades or some similar type of ordnance.

      THE .455 SECOND MODEL HAND EJECTOR

      Eliminating the ejector rod shroud and yoke-mounted locking lug of the First Model brought the .455 Hand Ejector into conformance with the British concept of a proper military handgun. Smith & Wesson quite logically labeled the re-designed revolver the “.455 Second Model.” Other changes incorporated into the Second Model included a slight increase in the diameter of the cylinder, with a corresponding enlargement of the cylinder recess in the frame. Additionally, the recoil shield on the left side of the frame was contoured to better accommodate the center pin of the cylinder. Finally, a more subdued satin blue replaced the high-luster finish of the First Model. Among characteristics shared by both the First and Second Models were the 6-1/2-inch barrel, finely checkered walnut stocks and a lanyard ring in the butt of the grip frame.