Smith & Wesson Triple Lock

Smith & Wesson "Triple Lock"
Smith & Wesson .44 Hand Ejector 1st Model 'New Century' "Triple Lock"
Type	Revolver
Place of origin	United States of America
Specifications
Cartridge	.44 Special & .455 Webley
Feed system	6-round cylinder

The Triple lock, officially the Smith & Wesson .44 Hand Ejector 1st Model 'New Century', is a double-action revolver. It was and is considered by many, including handgun enthusiast and expert Elmer Keith, to be the finest revolver ever made.^[1]

Its popular name refers to its extra (third) locking lug on the cylinder crane. This extra locking mechanism was deemed necessary due to the increased power of the .44 Special cartridge (a lengthened .44 Russian, and itself the parent of the .44 Magnum), first chambered in the Triple Lock.^[2]

The .44 is part of the model name, regardless of the specific calibre of chambering of any individual revolver, and Hand Ejector is to differentiate the new design from Smith & Wesson's earlier top break revolvers. These 19th-century designs had an automatic ejector mechanism actuated when the frame was tipped up. The newer Hand Ejector models required the user to depress a plunger to eject spent cartridge casings. The New Century designation was in recognition of its status as Smith & Wesson's first 20th century design.

It was only manufactured between 1908 and 1915, for a total of 15,376 revolvers, a stock that sold out completely by 1917. It was replaced by a .44 Hand Ejector 2nd Model, most visibly different in lacking the ejector shroud and third locking lug.

Smith & Wesson changed the design for several reasons. The British and Canadian militaries pressed for the removal of the third locking lug and shroud due to concerns the precision mechanism would collect dirt and malfunction. Additionally, the change simplified manufacturing, allowing Smith & Wesson to drop the price of the gun by $2, from $21 for the 1st Model to $19 for the 2nd Model. The ejector shroud was reintroduced in 1926, with the Hand Ejector 3rd Model, but the Triple Lock feature was never used again.

British and Commonwealth Great War service

To cover manufacturing shortages of the Webley Mk VI, early in the war the Ministry of Munitions contracted Colt and Smith & Wesson to manufacture revolvers chambered in .455 Webley. Smith & Wesson were given an initial contract to manufacture 5,000 triple lock pistols, known as the Pistol Smith & Wesson .455 with 61⁄2 inch barrel Mark I, it was introduced into British service as a "substitute standard" sidearm on 5th July 1915 alongside the Colt New Service. Subsequent orders, lacking the third locking lug and ejector shroud, totalled 69,755 and were known as the Mark II.^[3]

Notes

↑ Keith, Elmer: Sixguns (1996 revision). R & R Books. ISBN 978-1-884849-10-7
↑ Jinks, Roy: History of Smith & Wesson. 1977. North Hollywood, CA: Beinfeld Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-917714-14-6
↑ David Thomas, The Pistol in British Military Service during the Great War, University of Birmingham, 2010.

Smith & Wesson

Revolvers

Top Hinge	Model 1 Model 1 1/2

Top Break	Model 2 Model 3 Safety Hammerless

I-frame	Model 30 Kit Gun

J-frame	Model 36 Bodyguard Model 60 Model 340PD Centennial Model 640

K-frame	Model 10 Model 12 Model 13 Model 14 Model 15 Model 17 Model 19 Model 617 Model 64 Model 65 Model 66 Model 67

L-frame	Model 581 Model 586 Model 619 Model 620 Model 646 Model 681 Model 686

M-frame	Ladysmith

N-frame	Triple Lock .38/44 Model 22 Model 27 Model 28 Model 29 Model 57 Model 610 Model 625 Model 629

X-frame	Model 460 Model 500

Z-frame	Governor

C-frame (experimental)	Model 73

Semi-automatic pistols

Long guns

Cartridges

Horace Smith

Daniel B. Wesson

British Empire small arms and ordnance of the First World War

No. 1
No. 2 Hales Pattern
Nos. 3, 20, 24, 35 Hales rifle grenades
Nos. 5, 23, 36 Mills
No. 6
Nos. 8, 9 Jam Tin
No. 13 Battye
No. 14 Pitcher
No. 15 Ball
No. 16 Oval
No. 17 Opera hat
No. 18
No. 19
No. 21 "Spherical"
No. 22 Newton-Pippin
No. 25 Sangster
No. 27
No. 28 Chemical
No. 29 Gas
No. 31 Day Signal
No. 32 Night Signal
No. 32 "Spherical E"
No. 34 Egg
No. 37
No. 39 Steuart Pattern

Artillery

Tank guns	QF 6 pounder Hotchkiss QF 6 pounder 6 cwt

Infantry guns	1.59-inch Breech-Loading Vickers Q.F. Gun, Mk II ("Vickers-Crayford rocket gun")

Field Artillery	BL 12 pounder 6 cwt QF 12 pounder 8 cwt QF 12 pounder 18 cwt QF 13 pounder BL 15 pounder BLC 15 pounder QF 15 pounder QF 18 pounder QF 4 inch gun Mk III BL 4 inch gun Mk VII QF 4.5 inch Howitzer

Mountain artillery	RML 2.5 inch Mountain Gun BL 10 pounder Mountain Gun BL 2.75-inch Mountain Gun QF 2.95 inch Mountain Gun QF 3.7-inch mountain howitzer

Howitzers, medium, and heavy artillery	QF 4.7 inch Gun BL 5 inch Howitzer BL 5.4 inch Howitzer BL 60 pounder gun BLC 6 inch siege gun BL 6 inch Gun Mk VII BL 6 inch Gun Mk XIX BL 6-inch 26 cwt howitzer BL 6-inch 30 cwt howitzer BL 8 inch Howitzer Mk I - V BL 8 inch Howitzer Mk VI - VIII

Siege artillery	BL 7.5 inch Mk III naval gun BL 9.2-inch howitzer BL 9.2 inch Mk X naval gun BL 12 inch Howitzer BL 12 inch Mk X naval gun BL 15 inch Howitzer

Coastal artillery	QF 12 pounder 12 cwt QF 4 inch naval gun Mk I – III BL 6 inch Mk VII naval gun BL 9.2 inch gun Mk IX–X RML 9 inch

Mortars

Grenade launchers

Smoke and chemical weapons

Railway guns

Anti-aircraft guns

Foreign weapon designs
in British Empire Armies use

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