The First New Century Model

[StrawHat]

The First New Century Models

In the thread on the 45 ACP revolvers of S&W I mentioned the one that started it all. I was asked to expound on it so...

In 1905 or so, Smith &Wesson contemplated the US Military would be wanting a new side arm. They had in development the New Century Model, the public unveiling was not until 1907. For the Military Trials of 1906, S&W offered the New Century (Triplelock) Model. The Trial Board insisted on a 45 caliber cartridge. S&W wisely chose the 45 Frankford since it was being supplied by the military for the trials. It soon became obvious that the supplied ammunition was not tested as it suffered a very high failure to fire rate. S&W sought and received permission to supply their own ammunition and had UMC supply either 10000 or 20000 rounds to the Trial Board to be used in the New Century Model.


These are the ballistics as posted by Triplelock on another forum.

“... The so-called "Cal. .45 Ball, Model of 1906" was developed in late 1905 by Frankford Arsenal for use in testing revolvers submitted for the Army trials that began in 1906. The case was rimmed, 0.923" in length, and was loaded with a 230-grain cupro-nickel jacketed round-nose bullet over 7.2 grains of Bullseye smokeless powder. The muzzle velocity was 800

On the same forum, posted by kcwheel,

“... Here are some dimensions taken from Triple Lock SN 09. It is a pre-production item made for the army trials. It has a 6 1/2 inch barrel with no caliber markings. This gun was part of my brother's collection.

Headspace in gun: .055 (cylinder pressed forward)
Cylinder OD: 1.694
Clinder length: 1.580 (1917 cylinder is 1.535
chamber depth: .895
Chamber dia: .477
Throat dia of cyl: .454
The front of the chamber is tapered like any other rimmed cartridge chamber...”



We know the 45 ACP has a case length of .823” so the 45 S&W Special or 45 Frankford is longer than the ACP but shorter than the 45 S&W ( 45 Schofield).

To the best of my knowledge l, there are two of the experimental revolvers still in existence. The odds of me finding one of them are astronomical! I would have better luck building my own!

Does anyone have a junker 455 Triplelock they don’t need?

So, that is the other 45 S&W revolver and the one that started it all.

Kevin

 

[Pat Riot]

Thank you, StrawHat

I was not aware of this model. I learned something new today.

 

[StrawHat]

They may have been as many as a dozen of these made. One line if thought is after the trials selected a different revolver and cartridge, the remaining revolvers in 45 S&W Special were converted to 44 Special.


The company had so much hope that this would be the flagship model and cartridge that several thousand boxes were made with the 45 S&W Special stamp on them and also on the end label. These boxes were kept by the factory and used to ship other New Centuries to the destination. The end labels were overpasted with ones denoting the proper chambering. Many of these went to England when the shipments of the New Century 455. They turn up from time to time.


Kevin

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

They may have been as many as a dozen of these made. One line if thought is after the trials selected a different revolver and cartridge, the remaining revolvers in 45 S&W Special were converted to 44 Special.


The company had so much hope that this would be the flagship model and cartridge that several thousand boxes were made with the 45 S&W Special stamp on them and also on the end label. These boxes were kept by the factory and used to ship other New Centuries to the destination. The end labels were overpasted with ones denoting the proper chambering. Many of these went to England when the shipments of the New Century 455. They turn up from time to time.


Kevin

One of the shops I haunt has a TripleLock with "455/476" stamped on the right side of the barrel, "Caliber 45" stamped on the left, but it is chambered in .45Colt and "appears" (to my untrained eyes) to be original. 5" barrel, typical S&W scroll on top, centered, fixed channel-cut rear sight and half-moon front. My initial thought was a war-time or lend-lease but it is obviously of commercial quality in fit and finish. There's no sold-out-of-service mark from the UK or "1917" marking on the butt but it does have a blanked and filled lanyard hole. The grips are replacement magnas, not at all original, and the price is $1000. An interesting piece but a little too "Frankenstein" for my taste and budget.

 

[StrawHat]

One of the shops I haunt has a TripleLock with "455/476" stamped on the right side of the barrel, "Caliber 45" stamped on the left, but it is chambered in .45Colt and "appears" (to my untrained eyes) to be original. 5" barrel, typical S&W scroll on top, centered, fixed channel-cut rear sight and half-moon front. My initial thought was a war-time or lend-lease but it is obviously of commercial quality in fit and finish. There's no sold-out-of-service mark from the UK or "1917" marking on the butt but it does have a blanked and filled lanyard hole. The grips are replacement magnas, not at all original, and the price is $1000. An interesting piece but a little too "Frankenstein" for my taste and budget.

Many of the 455s were brought back to this country and sold. But the 455 was considered “foreign” so they were often converted to 45 long Colt or 45 ACP. Some Triplelocks were factory built in 45 long Colt. No factory Triplelocks were chambered for the ACP round.


All of the 455 TLs had 6 1/2” barrels.

Kevin

 

[Gordon]

Many of the 455s were brought back to this country and sold. But the 455 was considered “foreign” so they were often converted to 45 long Colt or 45 ACP. Some Triplelocks were factory built in 45 long Colt. No factory Triplelocks were chambered for the ACP round.


Kevin

I sent you a PM

 

[StrawHat]

I mentioned that S&W had boxes made in anticipation of introduction to the public. Here is one with a 455 Triplelock.



And a shot of the overpasted end label.



Kevin

 

[Gordon]

.455 MKII , great original cosmetic condition , not correct grips . Has been Bubba'd into .45 Colt . I display it openly it is not quite working order. Pretty much what you ae talking about tho.

 

[Monac]

Many of the 455s were brought back to this country and sold. But the 455 was considered “foreign” so they were often converted to 45 long Colt or 45 ACP. Some Triplelocks were factory built in 45 long Colt. No factory Triplelocks were chambered for the ACP round.


All of the 455 TLs had 6 1/2” barrels.

Kevin

I once owned a 455 Triple Lock that had been converted to 45 Colt. 45 Colt is a much easier conversion than 45 ACP on a 455 Smith & Wesson or Colt, because you just have to machine out the chamber steps, instead of having to shave off the back of the cylinder. Plus it does not require the use of moon clips or Auto Rim ammo afterward. Webleys can't be converted that way because their cylinders are too short for 45 Colt.

Despite being easier, the guy who converted mine botched it and took a sort of divot out of one chamber, so that if you fired 45 Colt in that one, the brass bulged into the divot and you have to use a rod to knock it out. And the gunsmith I took it to, in a city 80 miles away, managed to lose the spring loaded pin that helps hold the cylinder in place for reloading when it is fully open, and I did not find out until after I got home. And the cylinder axis was loose and tended to unscrew during firing and lock up the gun. So I wound up selling it for a pittance, and now I will never own another, because prices on them have gone to the moon. (It may have been refinished, too. At least that is what the person I sold it to thought.)

 

[StrawHat]

.455 MKII , great original cosmetic condition , not correct grips . Has been Bubba'd into .45 Colt . I display it openly it is not quite working order. Pretty much what you ae talking about tho.
View attachment 995763

Gordon was kind enough to make me an unrefuseable offer and the 455 New Century is now in my care.


Kevin

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Gordon was kind enough to make me an unrefuseable offer and the 455 New Century is now in my care.
View attachment 999971 View attachment 999972 View attachment 999973

Kevin

Congratulations! Do you already have the chamber ream? That’s an excellent pickup.

 

[Gordon]

If you read the info I sent you , you can nail down which series of British contracts it is. I think it is one of the first because when they drilled the butt for the lanyard requested they may have (I forgot to look) moved the serial # to the side of frame under the grips. Becareful those Italian Walnut grips I found from NOS Sile fit extremely tight and that figured grain means extra careful . They are a beautiful set tho, just need to age maybe a little oil to fill wood. Keep your eyes on Ebay for an original set, I never found one under several hundred $ in the years I looked. Gun came with an old set of Magnas, as that old first picture I put up shows. This gun was in a display glass cabinet with my cartridge collection of unusual cartridges , since the 90s .It had trouble unlatching the triple lock from day one, the cyclinder looked crudedly reamed to take .45 Colt . The little pecker marks on front of crane to me indicated the former owner had trouble opening it up over the years. I paid $100 face to face in Az. flea market in the early 90s so it did gain value


" the cylinder axis was loose and tended to unscrew during firing and lock up the gun. So I wound up selling it for a pittance" EXACTLY what we have here !!!!

 

[Gordon]

Little translucent gold model paint on the silver grip estushions and you would not tell they weren't original from 6 feet away

 

[Gordon]

I like this one :

 

[Gordon]

I sold these two pristine Hand Ejectors last fall in this S&W case I had a couple of, I sold them as a set which is hard to sell but I would not separate them. Some lovely lady on the East Coast wanted these beautiful brace, a .44spl 2nd model HE and a .32 S&W Long I frame HE . They were in perfect shape and got around $1800 less costs. I had not shot them in years

 

[StrawHat]

Congratulations! Do you already have the chamber ream? That’s an excellent pickup.

I am told the cylinder has been modified to accept the 45 long Colt cartridge. I will verify that after we move. The rear of the cylinder has been turned (off no serial) and the face of the frame has been shaved.

Kevin