S&W turns to the left

[Colt Fanning]

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Hi,
Was there ever a S&W 44-40 tip up revolver that turns CCW?  I seem to have a cylinder for one.
Regards
Colt

[St. George]

You might have one for one of the many copies.

Scouts Out!

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

You probably mean Top Break, not Tip Up. The Tip Ups broke open by rotating the barrel up. Like this:





The largest Tip Up S&W made was 32 Rimfire. Like this:




Top Breaks broke open by rotating the barrel down. Like this:





Tip Up cylinders were very different from Top Break cylinders. They were just a simple cylinder with a small nub at the front that fit into a recess under the barrel, and a small recess at the rear.

Like This:





Top Break cylinders were much more complicated, with a spring loaded mechanism that operated the ejector.

Like This:




 All that being said, all the large frame S&W Top Breaks that I have ever seen rotated clockwise when seen from the rear. I have one in hand right now. There were only two models that were chambered for 44-40, the Double Action 44 and the New Model Number Three. These rotated clockwise when seen from the rear.

Beware, there were many counterfeits made of Smith and Wessons. There were also legitimate revolvers made by reputable companies that looked somewhat like Smith and Wessons.

[Colt Fanning]

Howdy,
Yes, I meant top break.  I bought the newly manufactured 44-40 cylinder on line for $ 50.  It has the S&W extractor
assembly like the Mod 3 but no notches for the locking bolt engagement.  I bought it because of the price and figured
maybe I could fit it to a S&W or possible some other revolver with a blown cylinder.  When I saw that the ratchet was cut
to revolve to the left, I became began to wonder as to what revolver it was being made for.
Regards
Colt

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy Again

There were many copies and forgeries made of the large frame S&W Top Break revolvers. Some were bold enough to actually label them as Smith & Wesson, but they were outright forgeries. Many of them did not have the same type of locking notches on the cylinder that true Smiths have.

Here are a few photos of some fake Smiths:

The  Belgian makers of this fake had the audacity to engrave Schofield on the barrel rib. Notice the style of locking notches.





Another Belgian fake.






Look at how completely incorrect the trigger guard is on this Belgian fake.



You mention your cylinder is newly manufactured, so I have no idea what it is. But there were lots of fake Smiths being foisted on an unsuspecting market place in the late 1800s. Many of them were inferior guns.  S&W was aggressive in protecting their name and their patents. But international law being what it was, they did not always succeed. However I did read of one instance where Smith managed to stop a Belgian firm from making copies of their guns.

[RattlesnakeJack]

Spanish gunmakers began turning out relatively close copies of the S&W .44 Double Action within just a couple of years of it coming on the market in the United States ....  They were well enough made that two versions were adopted by the British War Department as to augment handgun supplies during World War I (chambered in .455, of course) ....

They were officially referred to as "Pistol, O.P." (standing for "Old Pattern") No. 1 and No. 2. 

I have an example of each type in my collection, both with British War Department inspection and acceptance markings -

[Colt Fanning]

Howdy,
This is a picture of the S&W like cylinder that turns to the left.
Regards
Colt

[Blair]

Colt Fanning,

Does this cylinder go with the side plate and hand that you are showing in the other thread in this section "S&W Hand Spring"?
My best,
  Blair

[Colt Fanning]

Hi,
No, it was a cylinder that I bought on a lark.  The cylinder on the revolver that the lock plate is from rotates to the
right as is correct for an S&W Mod. 3.  This cylinder (44-40) is also .050 in. larger than the S&W cylinder (44 Russian).
Regards
Colt

[Blair]

Colt Fanning,

OK. thank you for your reply.
The side lock plate with hand attached, is not of any known S&W design. I would suspect it is of some copy of a smith. Just my opinion from what you have pictured.
As for the Cylinder... I too doubt that is of a S&W design. Something close to a Schofield but not quite in the way the ejector shank is designed. Certainly not in the way an new model is designed! These were hexagonal.
I know of no top brake "real" S&W cylinder that turns counter clock wise. The cylinder you show also has no bolt stops on the outside rear of the cylinder. (based on your photos)
Also, the long cylinder variation in the "real" S&W compared to the the standard length cylinder (.44 Russian) is .123 of an inch longer. (Just a bit under an 1/8 of an inch.)
If you would like references I will be pleased to post them for you.
I hope you find this helpful.
My best,
  Blair

[Colt Fanning]

Hi,
The S&W side plate is from a real S&W Mod3.  It was modified by me to mount the coil hand spring.  As to the cylinder,
it is a real stranger and I agree that it is not from a S&W.  Thanks for you info.
Regards
Colt

[Trailrider]

When I saw the topic title I wasn't sure if you were referring to a mechanical situtation...or a political shift!