Up for consignment Smith & Wesson 2nd Model Hand Ejector in .44 Special, 6 1/2″ barrel, S&W Historical Foundation Letter, Wichita, KS Police Department Liniage.

Condition, overall very nice. It retains nice bluing with some muzzle wear and some cleaned up surface rust at the back of the grip above the grip panels. There’s also three “dots” in front of the rear sight onb the top strap. Timing and lockup are very good and barrel/rifling are equally good. The sides of the hammer and the trigger have been “jewelled”. Serial number range is 34xxx. 

From the S&W Historical Foundation Letter

“Dear Smith & Wesson Collector:

Smith & Wesson introduced the .44 Hand Ejector Second Model revolver in 1915 and produced it until 1937, with inventory stocks remaining until 1941. These revolvers continued the serial number range that the factory began for the .44 Hand Ejector First Model. Although Smith & Wesson introduced the .44 Hand Ejector Second Model in 1915, they sold very few until 1920, as the factory focused much of its wartime revolver production for World War 1. The total production of this model was approximately 17510 units.

The 44 Hand Ejector Second Model was manufactured in blued and nickel finishes and fitted with a 4-inch, 5-inch, 6-inch, or 6 1/2-inch barrel. The factory chambered this revolver for the .44 S&W Special cartridge, but customers could special-order it in .38-40 Winchester, .44-40 Winchester, and .45 Colt.

It is not uncommon for .44 Hand Ejectors produced after World War 1 to have the Springfield Armory inspectors’ marks stamped in the yoke cut of the revolver. These markings are generally the eagle stamped above the S2, which indicates that this was a leftover .45 Hand Ejector Model 1917 frame from World War 1. The factory used up these leftover frames by the mid-1920s.

We have researched your Smith & Wesson .44 Hand Ejector Second Model, caliber .44 S&W Special revolver in company records. Smith & Wesson shipped the revolver bearing serial number 34102 from its Stockbridge Street factory in Springfield, Massachusetts, on December 16, 1930, and delivered it to the Wichita Police Department, Wichita, Kansas, to the attention of Lieutenant of Detectives H. H. Huckins. The factory configured this revolver with a 6 1/2-inch barrel fitted with a “Call” ivory bead sight, a blued finish, and an adjustable target rear sight.

Smith & Wesson invoiced this single-gun order at a dealer cost of $27.84, plus $2.78 for express shipping, for a total of $30.62. This revolver was intended for public law enforcement use, which exempted it from the 10% federal excise tax that was assessed on all commercially sold firearms.

We trust that the information provided will be helpful and of interest to you.

Yours truly,

Michael Helms
S&W Historical Foundation
Historian and Secretary/Treasurer”

Up for consignment Smith & Wesson 2nd Model Hand Ejector in .44 Special, 6 1/2″ barrel, S&W Historical Foundation Letter, Wichita, KS Police Department Liniage.

Condition, overall very nice. It retains nice bluing with some muzzle wear and some cleaned up surface rust at the back of the grip above the grip panels. There’s also three “dots” in front of the rear sight onb the top strap. Timing and lockup are very good and barrel/rifling are equally good. The sides of the hammer and the trigger have been “jewelled”. Serial number range is 34xxx. 

From the S&W Historical Foundation Letter

“Dear Smith & Wesson Collector:

Smith & Wesson introduced the .44 Hand Ejector Second Model revolver in 1915 and produced it until 1937, with inventory stocks remaining until 1941. These revolvers continued the serial number range that the factory began for the .44 Hand Ejector First Model. Although Smith & Wesson introduced the .44 Hand Ejector Second Model in 1915, they sold very few until 1920, as the factory focused much of its wartime revolver production for World War 1. The total production of this model was approximately 17510 units.

The 44 Hand Ejector Second Model was manufactured in blued and nickel finishes and fitted with a 4-inch, 5-inch, 6-inch, or 6 1/2-inch barrel. The factory chambered this revolver for the .44 S&W Special cartridge, but customers could special-order it in .38-40 Winchester, .44-40 Winchester, and .45 Colt.

It is not uncommon for .44 Hand Ejectors produced after World War 1 to have the Springfield Armory inspectors’ marks stamped in the yoke cut of the revolver. These markings are generally the eagle stamped above the S2, which indicates that this was a leftover .45 Hand Ejector Model 1917 frame from World War 1. The factory used up these leftover frames by the mid-1920s.

We have researched your Smith & Wesson .44 Hand Ejector Second Model, caliber .44 S&W Special revolver in company records. Smith & Wesson shipped the revolver bearing serial number 34102 from its Stockbridge Street factory in Springfield, Massachusetts, on December 16, 1930, and delivered it to the Wichita Police Department, Wichita, Kansas, to the attention of Lieutenant of Detectives H. H. Huckins. The factory configured this revolver with a 6 1/2-inch barrel fitted with a “Call” ivory bead sight, a blued finish, and an adjustable target rear sight.

Smith & Wesson invoiced this single-gun order at a dealer cost of $27.84, plus $2.78 for express shipping, for a total of $30.62. This revolver was intended for public law enforcement use, which exempted it from the 10% federal excise tax that was assessed on all commercially sold firearms.

We trust that the information provided will be helpful and of interest to you.

Yours truly,

Michael Helms
S&W Historical Foundation
Historian and Secretary/Treasurer”