Brinks .45 revolver ***updated with MORE pics***

http://http://s249.photobucket.com/albums/gg239/canuck2875/10-12-2011%20s%20and%20w/

lots more pics in the link above. I see the number 8723 on the bottom of the grip metal, on the aft face of the cylinder and underside the barrel. With the cylinder open I see the number 3082 on the yoke I think it is called. With the barrel cut some info on hte top is missing or abbreviated but here's what I can read,"mass u.s.a. pat'd mar 27. 94 (next line) oct 8 01, dec 3 01, feb 6 06. There is aslo what appears to resemble an iron cross at the aft end of the two lines of text. After taking the grips off I can see 8723 in pencil on them as well. Again, thanks for all the help, any idea on value?
 
Here reposted it for you. Not that hard you know ;) Hey dude fix your link above.

DSCF0216.jpg
 
Ganderite said:
Looks to me that the barrel has been cut and then a section turned down to a smaller diameter to accept the original front sight.
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Agreed. Perhaps not too surprising on a personally-owned weapon, but it seems unusual for a "company" firearm, unless guards were allowed to carry their personal weapons back then.

:) Stuart
 
Looks like a world war one gun, S&W 455 Hand Ejector MarkII, earlier serial number, nice thing is that ser# is stamped on the cylinder, telling you it has not been altered to 45ACP, the gun has no colectors value, but would be a great parts gun or a gun to due a new build on, since the barrel has been altered.If you wanted it is worth more in parts if you sell piece by piece, there is alot of interest lately in these guns. about $400 dollars in parts. SOmeone may offer you a couple hundred for the whole thing.But if the family wants to restore it,or make a shooter, they could get one of the S&W model 1950 45acp barrels from tradex and have it made into a 5" 45ACP revolver and have alot of fun!cheers Dale Z!
Just one last thought, is there any small stamp marks(military proof marks) on the side frame ussually side frame just above the grips? If not it maybe a commercial gun, wich will increase its value.
 
zywina said:
...Just one last thought, is there any small stamp marks(military proof marks) on the side frame ussually side frame just above the grips? If not it maybe a commercial gun, wich will increase its value.
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Might be worth removing the grips and seeing if there are any cryptic marks in the grip frame? As to a .45 ACP barrel, for $99 it would a relatively inexpensive way to take it out of 12(6) if the current barrel is indeed less than 105mm.

But why .45 ACP? Given the minimal clearance between the recoil shield and the cylinder, it's almost certainly .455 Webley, which had thin rims. I don't have the various cartridge specs at hand at the moment, but I'm not sure you could feed it .45 ACP (even loaded light to .455 Webley pressure levels) in it w/o modifying the cylinder. .455 Webley brass is available; I'm sure Jerry at Mystic or Henry N (Budget Shooters Supply) could get it, and I think Peter Riedel at rustywood.ca here in Mission may have some in stock. Bullets are a bit of a bother but they can be got.

To the O/P- see what a simple enquiry can lead to? ;)

Stuart
 
I love the idea of a .45 acp and ditching the 12-6, if they'll sell it to me. The cylinder looks massive, but I understand that back then the metal was not heat treated, so....? makes me a bit nervous. I also posted these same questions on a dedicated s&w forum, and they are saying I could shoot .45 colt out of it as, or even .45acp as is with half moon clips. I'm a little nervous as to that. I did remove the grips and there were no marking. The gun has no military markings at all, except for that little iron cross looking stamp on top of the barrel next to the text. Again, thanks all, it's been appreciated.
 
canuck75 said:
I love the idea of a .45 acp and ditching the 12-6, if they'll sell it to me. The cylinder looks massive, but I understand that back then the metal was not heat treated, so....? makes me a bit nervous. I also posted these same questions on a dedicated s&w forum, and they are saying I could shoot .45 colt out of it as, or even .45acp as is with half moon clips. I'm a little nervous as to that. I did remove the grips and there were no marking. The gun has no military markings at all, except for that little iron cross looking stamp on top of the barrel next to the text. Again, thanks all, it's been appreciated.
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You'd have to get it sent to a gunsmith first to get the work done if it's currently 12(6) Folks here can give you more concrete info as to the exact procedure.

Looks like you found the S&W Forum; lots of experience there. If it is in fact chambered for .455 Webley, personally I'd be leery about shooting regular .45 ACP out of it; The .45 ACP runs around 19k psi and the Webley is only about 13k (!) I don't know about shooting .45 Colt if it is in fact chambered for .455 Webley, the chamber will be too short, I'd think.

If it is of any help, send me a pm with your mailing addres and I'll send you 1 ea. .45 ACP, .45 Colt and .455 Webley brass and you can see what fits it.

:) Stuart
 
If you can get and want to get it re-barreled, I believe Tradex has new in wrap vintage factory barrels for sale on there website that should fit...
 
The left side of the barrel typically carries the proper chambering stamping. Your pictures are so hit and miss on the focus that any that show the right side or the other lettering are so blurry that they are useless.

From the looks of things the clearance between the recoil shield and the rear of the cylinder is no where near wide enough to accept moon clips. That suggests that it's chambered in something like 455 Webley or perhaps .45Colt. But either way it won't shoot .45ACP without major modifying. And that assumes that .45ACP doesn't rattle around in the chambers.

And frankly that barrel work is a mystery. It certainly suggests a checkered past. But then armored car companies being what they are I can easily see one of them buying war time surplus revolvers and then having a local gunsmith shorten the barrels on a batch of them. It would certainly explain the rather nasty workmanship as shown by the step in the barrel. And it would be around the right time period from your story about its history.
 
BCRider said:
The left side of the barrel typically carries the proper chambering stamping. Your pictures are so hit and miss on the focus that any that show the right side or the other lettering are so blurry that they are useless.

Not all S&W 455 MKII were marked as to calibre, I have one marked and 2 unmarked, depends when it was manufactured, and S&W used whatever they had on hand?
I would be worried about the altered chambers, as the cylinder has not been shaved to accept 45 Auto rim, a conversion to this might be costly. With all the bulged and buggerred barrels out there I am surprised non of our barrel makers or small gunsmiths are making any reproduction barrels?

Many of these were converted to shoot 45acp/auto rim, especial south of the border, I assume most guys who have these are handloaders to keep the pressures the same as the 455 Eley.

I would give Wortners a call and discuss any work you may want to do to this Smith, they are excellent, I have not dealt with anyother S&W gunsmiths here in Canada, but Armco and Bits of Pieces have good reputation in quality work, give them a try also, good luck whatever you do with this piece of History, cheers Dale Z!
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Get the gun. Have sample 45 ACP, 455 Webley/Eley, and 45 Colt on hand. See what fits the chambers correctly, allows the cylinder to close, and let's it rotate freely when actuated by the hammer and/or trigger. That should tell you what it's chambered for. If it's 455, 45 Colt won't chamber and allow the cylinder to close. If it's 45 ACP 455 rims will be way to thin. If it's 45 Colt, the round will slip in fully, let the cylender close, and let it rotate freely. And you'll know what it's chambered for. - dan
 
thanks again all for the responses. As I'd mentioned earlier, the person who found the gun had removed some of the internals to make it 'safe". As I understand it, the three parts that were removed were the mainspring, the hand, and a pin that I have no idea where it goes. In trying to see if this gun is complete, I installed the mainspring. I can see where the hand goes, but when installed it does not seem to engage the cylinder at all. When the trigger is pulled the hammer goes back but does not break, hammer only falls when trigger is released. I've attached some pics, but am hoping someone with the same gun would be wiling to pull of their side plate and take some pics so I have something to compare it to. thanks again,











 
canuck75 said:
...I've attached some pics, but am hoping someone with the same gun would be wiling to pull of their side plate and take some pics so I have something to compare it to.
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This may be useful. Don't know where I got it but it's the internals of an N-frame .45 like my 625 so it should be similar.
Action%20closeup%20copy.jpg

I also have an exploded diagramme I could send you if you shoot me a pm with your e-mail.

:) Stuart
 
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