Belgian S&W DA clones??????

[Josey]

I have found a interesting DA 44. This is a Belgian close copy of a S&W. It is marked 44 WCF or 44-40. Are these OK and safe to shoot? Has anybody got one? I believe it is from WWI.

 

[Mike Irwin]

Is it a breaktop or a hand ejector?

It could be pre WW I, or between the wars.

Why do you think it's Belgian?

 

[Josey]

It is a breaktop. There are Belgian proofmarks on the right side of the barrel lug. BELGIAN is stamped on it. IIRC, these were a WWI substitute standard for officers of the varied allies. 44-40 seems a odd caliber though.

 

[Mike Irwin]

OK, the Belgians did make copies of S&W revolvers, mostly unlicensed (the Spanish would be the masters of that between the wars).

I'm not sure whether it would have been a "substitute standard" or not, as I don't know that much about Belgian military firearms.

I'm thinking, however, that it's simply a gun made for export as a copy of the S&W, in a caliber they knew was popular in America.

 

[Otony]

Buy the latest issue of "Backwoodsman", the editor has an article on his .44-40 Belgian S&W copy, it sounds identical to this one.

For what it is worth, I have seen several SPANISH copies of Webley or S&W revolvers that were accepted as British substitute standard in WWI, but never any Belgian copies. Those copies were all .455's, however.

You might recall that Belgium was overrun by the Huns during WWI, which would rather preclude any substitute standard revolvers originating there.

P.S. The Belgians obviously DID make copies of the various Webleys and S&W's, of that there is no doubt. I just have my doubts as to whether any were accepted as substitutes by the Brits.