In House Shipping:
Make: Smith & Wesson
Model: .44 Hand Ejector 2nd Model, 5-Screw, Square Butt N-Frame
Serial Number: 32274
Year of Manufacture: 1929 (reference Factory Letter)
Caliber: .44 Special
Action Type: Double Action / Single Action, 6-Shot Swing-Out Fluted Cylinder Revolver
Barrel Length: 6 1/2” Pinned, with non-shrouded ejector rod.
Sights / Optics: The service sights consist of a forged round blade front sight with a notch rear sight cut into the topstrap.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are checkered walnut Service stocks without any S&W medallions and with “smooth diamonds” around the grip screw escutcheons. They are marked by pencil inside the right grip panel with a serial number matching that of the revolver. There is some light smoothing to the checkering on the left grip panel. There is some light darkening to the left grip panel. There is some fairly deep nicking along the bottom edge of the left grip. There are some other tiny scratches on the bottoms of both grips. There are no chips or cracks. There are no compressions or draglines. The checkering is strong. Overall, the grips are in about Very Good Condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore, but there is some light scattered pitting, and some light fouling in the grooves near the muzzle. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 8/10.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 90% of its metal finish. There is some light nicking around the muzzle edge. There is some thinning around the muzzle. There is some light scratching at the right side of the front sight. There is a ding in the right rear topstrap/frame edge. There is some light finish loss on the leading edges of the cylinder bevels. There is a thin turn line on the cylinder. There is some light scattered scratching and finish loss on the barrel and frame. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are clear. Overall, this handgun rates in about Very Good Condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The lockup is tight on all 6 chambers. The double action trigger pull is smooth, the single action is crisp. We did not fire this handgun. As with all previously owned firearms, thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This revolver comes with a Smith & Wesson factory letter stating this revolver was shipped to Neilson Radio & Sporting Goods in Phoenix, Arizona on April 27, 1929.
Our Assessment: The name Smith & Wesson has been synonymous with finely crafted American made firearms since 1852. In 1907, Smith & Wesson introduced the .44 Hand Ejector 1st Model, often called the “New Century” or “Triple Lock”. It was the first side-swing cylinder handgun in S&W’s .44 Hand Ejector series, and marked the introduction of the .44 Special cartridge, the predecessor of .44 Magnum. After a number of years, Smith & Wesson felt that the price of the “New Century” was too expensive, so they eliminated the ejector rod shroud and the third lock to reduce the price. The result was the .44 Hand Ejector 2nd Model, with 34,624 made over its production run from 1915-1937.
This Smith & Wesson .44 Hand Ejector 2nd Model was made in 1929 and is in Very Good Condition. It features a 6.5” barrel, 90% of its original blued finish, with some fairly vibrant case coloring on the checkered hammer and smooth trigger, elegant, serial-matching two-piece checkered walnut Service grips with “smooth diamonds” around the grip screw escutcheons, service sights, solid mechanics, a bright bore with sharp rifling and no erosion (only some light scattered pitting, and some light fouling in the grooves near the muzzle), and a Smith & Wesson factory letter stating it was shipped to Neilson Radio & Sporting Goods in Phoenix, Arizona on April 27, 1929. Lastly, this revolver comes directly from the personal collection of award-winning gunwriter and book author Rick Hacker, and a signed letter of authenticity from Mr. Hacker will accompany this piece. The letter states “I’ve owned this gun since the late 1970s and it has occasionally accompanied me on a few hunts, at one time bagging a Texas Turkey. It has also been photographed for many of my articles…One can only wonder who ordered it and for what purpose in those early “Valley of the Sun” years in that portion of the still-untamed southwest.” This revolver looks mighty fine considering its age, and is deserving of a spot in a high-end Smith & Wesson collection.