Author Topic: Smith & Wesson DA .44-40...  (Read 36945 times)

Offline John Smith

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Re: Smith & Wesson DA .44-40...
« Reply #20 on: February 25, 2013, 05:45:13 PM »
Driftwood, it looks exactly like that, except for a 4" barrel.  I rechecked the pat date under better light and it is "80".  The serial number is 4055.  There is a serial number on the latch, butt, and cylinder.  The serial number, pat dates, and the S&W logo on the grips were all the markings I could find.  Try to post some pictures later.

Offline dogngun

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Re: Smith & Wesson DA .44-40...
« Reply #21 on: March 24, 2013, 09:32:55 AM »
I wanted to see if I could post a pic here...




This is my DA .44, which I am told was shipped in 1901. At the time I took this, it had not been cleaned. I have had the side plate off and filed the notch to hold SA cock - it works just fine now. It seems to have been covered in some type of grease many years ago, which hardened and formed a coating over the whole piece. I have it soaking in Ed's Red right now and I find every time I clean it I still get stuff out of it...but it works better and locks tighter.

Just got Remington .44 Russian ammo for it and will shoot it when it gets a bit warmer-too cold for this old man to be standing on a windswept range at this time.

I have seen speculation on another forum that these DA .44's were somehow not very good, and thus did not sell...I thought they set records for accuracy, and they did sell quite a few for a long time in an era of great innovation in handguns...and there ar quite a few out there still working after well over 100 years, which is pretty good IMO.

 This gun got me started on an old Smith buying spree that led me to find 2  1876 Single Action .38 Baby Russians and another 1880's .38 DA and I have 2 No. 1 tip up .22's coming, a second and third issue...and maybe a Rollin White revolver as well.

Thanks again for fueling my bad habit.

mark


Offline Pancho Peacemaker

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Re: Smith & Wesson DA .44-40...
« Reply #22 on: March 24, 2013, 10:43:40 AM »
I wanted to see if I could post a pic here...




This is my DA .44, which I am told was shipped in 1901. At the time I took this, it had not been cleaned. I have had the side plate off and filed the notch to hold SA cock - it works just fine now. It seems to have been covered in some type of grease many years ago, which hardened and formed a coating over the whole piece. I have it soaking in Ed's Red right now and I find every time I clean it I still get stuff out of it...but it works better and locks tighter.

Just got Remington .44 Russian ammo for it and will shoot it when it gets a bit warmer-too cold for this old man to be standing on a windswept range at this time.

I have seen speculation on another forum that these DA .44's were somehow not very good, and thus did not sell...I thought they set records for accuracy, and they did sell quite a few for a long time in an era of great innovation in handguns...and there ar quite a few out there still working after well over 100 years, which is pretty good IMO.

 This gun got me started on an old Smith buying spree that led me to find 2  1876 Single Action .38 Baby Russians and another 1880's .38 DA and I have 2 No. 1 tip up .22's coming, a second and third issue...and maybe a Rollin White revolver as well.

Thanks again for fueling my bad habit.

mark



Mark:  for that old grease, try MPro-7.  I have a lot of luck removing old brittle cosmoline and such. Just don't get it on rubber or wood. 
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Re: Smith & Wesson DA .44-40...
« Reply #23 on: Today at 06:06:22 PM »

Offline rogue_artist

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Re: Smith & Wesson DA .44-40...
« Reply #23 on: January 13, 2018, 02:36:46 PM »
I just wanted to say thank you all for sharing information like this. I just picked up a Belgian DA.44 about an hour ago. The nickle has seen better days, but the action is tight.
This is my very first original piece. My others are reproductions so, even while this isn't a gun that a collector would drool over, by golly its pretty awesome to me :) The only other piece I have that came close is a Bolo model C96 mauser that dates to 1901. So close to being 19th.c!! So now I'm really excited to have an actual 19.c piece :)
By the pivot point in the break on the lower frame assembly is stamped 1686. Was that a mistake? Or is that serial number? I would really like to try and trace this piece to its manufacture date. I do a lot of living history events and I would like to be able to have hard facts about it when I show it to the crowds.

Kindest regards,
-Jason

Offline Books OToole

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Re: Smith & Wesson DA .44-40...
« Reply #24 on: May 23, 2018, 07:45:16 AM »





Incidentally - S&Ws are serial-numbered on the butt, the latch and the cylinder - and written inside the grip panels - so use a 'good' flashlight and/or strong sunlight, and many things may be illuminated.

NCOWS allows these, too...

Vaya,

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And the barrel next to the latch.  This one is very tricky to see/read.


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Offline Johnson Barr

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Re: Smith & Wesson DA .44-40...
« Reply #25 on: May 24, 2018, 06:33:36 AM »
Specifically, inside the barrel latch channel. You need to remove the latch and use bright light and a magnifying glass. Well hidden!
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