Читать книгу Gun Digest 2011 - Dan Shideler - Страница 11

SMITH & WESSONS OF THE GREAT WAR

BY TOM OSBORNE

Smith & Wesson Hand Ejectors such as these saw service with British, Canadian and American forces during the First World War. In skilled hands they proved to be very effective weapons for close-quarter, trench combat. Bottom to top: .455 First Model, .455 Second Model, Model 1917 .45 ACP.

World War I brought dramatic changes to the way nations waged war. The development of the machine gun abruptly rendered horse-mounted cavalry obsolete and relegated open-field, frontal infantry assaults to little more than mass suicide missions. Technical advances in artillery enabled German and Allied forces to shell each other from unprecedented distances with deadly accuracy. This conflict signaled the inception of mechanized warfare, with the introduction of armored tanks by Great Britain and the ever-expanding use of aircraft by both sides.

It was a war in which Allied troops spent miserable weeks in trenches awaiting the order to attack. When the command came, the men who went over the top faced murderous machine gun fire and the threat of poison gas. Those who survived the carnage of no-man’s-land and made it to the enemy entrenchments at times found their four-foot-long bolt action rifle, topped by another fifteen inches of bayonet, to be a greater liability than asset in the close-quarter fighting that followed.

Within the confines of the trenches, a stout club often proved more useful than an unwieldy rifle. On exhibit in London’s Imperial War Museum is a collection of brutal looking, improvised clubs used by British soldiers for hand-to-hand trench combat during the First World War. Britain’s military leadership astutely concluded that while a club might be handier than a rifle under these constrictive battle conditions, it was still not the ideal tool for such work. But the English eschewed the shotgun as a weapon of war and the submachine gun had yet to be invented.

Traditionally, the British regarded handguns as being of minor tactical importance in warfare. They were considered strictly defensive weapons and the few soldiers who carried them received minimal training in their use. However, the engagement in which England found herself from August of 1914 until November of 1918 was anything but traditional. Representing a rare departure from conventional military wisdom, the combat status of the handgun was upgraded. A large caliber revolver was deemed the logical offensive weapon for fighting in the trenches.

Half-moon clips enabled Smith & Wesson’s Model 1917 revolver to function with .45 ACP ammunition, making it an effective substitute for the Model 1911 pistol. These revolvers played a significant role in the First World War. Displayed with the gun are an Army-issued canvas pouch holding six loaded clips and a World War I vintage ammo package containing eight loaded half-moon clips.

Yet, useful as the revolver was for close-quarter combat, it certainly could not replace the Lee-Enfield rifle as the primary fighting implement of the British Army. Nor was it feasible to equip infantrymen with both rifles and revolvers for several reasons, not the least of which was the problem of securing the long gun when the handgun was deployed. Instead, handguns were worn by commissioned officers, who normally did not carry rifles. British infantry raids on German trenches were typically led by lieutenants armed with revolvers. Not surprisingly, the battlefield attrition rate of British lieutenants during the First World War was severe. Handguns were also carried by both officers and enlisted men in such assignments as Field Artillery, where rifles were impractical.

In 1914 the standard side arm of the British Army was the top-break Webley revolver in either Mark IV or Mark V configuration. The Mark VI version of the Webley was formally adopted for use by both British and Commonwealth forces on May 24th, 1915. All three models were chambered in .455 Webley, which had been their service caliber in various black and smokeless powder incarnations for some 23 years.

The first of the .455 Webley series of cartridges, the Mark I, was designated as Britain’s official military handgun round in 1891. With a case length of .855 inch, the Mark I cartridge held a meager 18 grains of black powder. That conservative charge expelled a 265-grain, hollow base, lead bullet from a 6-inch revolver barrel at a lethargic 600 fps. In 1897 it was succeeded by the Mark II round, which retained the same 265-grain lead bullet but substituted 7 grains of cordite as the propellant. Because the more efficient cordite required less volume to achieve the same power as black powder, case length of the Mark II cartridge was reduced to .760 inch. Even though the Mark II round was nearly one tenth of an inch shorter than its predecessor, the chambers of all Webley .455 revolvers were bored long enough to accept the original Mark I cartridge.

Throughout World War I the regulation revolver ammunition used by British land forces was the .455 Mark II. Generating a muzzle velocity of only 620 fps, the Mark II round might seem to have been woefully inadequate for combat. But it proved effective in battle, delivering greater short-range stopping power than its modest ballistics would suggest.

While Britain’s military leadership had come to recognize the handgun’s value, there simply weren’t enough Webley revolvers available to supply those soldiers who required them. Compounding the problem, Webley & Scott was unable to manufacture them in sufficient numbers to satisfy the demand. Members of the Commonwealth found themselves turning to outside sources to meet their handgun needs. Anticipating her impending entry into the war that was already raging on the Continent, in the summer of 1914 England contacted Smith & Wesson, seeking a suitable double action revolver chambered for the .455 round.

THE .455 FIRST MODEL HAND EJECTOR

Smith & Wesson had been producing their .44 Hand Ejector model since 1908. Also referred to as the “New Century” model, this gun was the original N-frame revolver. A distinctive feature of the New Century was a third locking lug located at the front of the yoke, or crane, that engaged a spring-loaded pin in the ejector rod shroud. This engineering nicety earned the gun its popular title of “Triple Lock.”

The New Century could easily be adapted to the .455 cartridge, but the British found the yoke-mounted locking lug and full ejector rod shroud objectionable, fearing their close tolerances would make the gun susceptible to binding from dirt and mud. Despite these concerns, the need for additional handguns was so pressing that the British agreed to accept Triple Locks until Smith & Wesson could re-design the revolver and eliminate the undesirable features. The urgency of the situation prompted Smith & Wesson to begin converting existing .44 Special cylinders to .455 caliber for use in British Contract guns. According to Smith & Wesson historian Roy Jinks, some 5,600 Triple Locks in .455 caliber were eventually manufactured before production of the re-designed revolvers began.

During the First World War Smith &Wesson revolvers were supplied to England through the Remington Arms-Union Metallic Cartridge Company, which served as the American purchasing agency for the British Commonwealth. Like all Smith & Wesson firearms, the British Contract guns underwent standard factory proof testing prior to shipment. Before the revolvers were issued for service however, British inspectors also tested them, stamping their own proof marks in various locations on the guns.

The .455 First Model in my collection has a tiny “London View Mark” (a crown over the letter ’V’) stamped in each of the cylinder flutes. The frame and barrel also bear this same stamping. On my example the English proof marks are unobtrusive and do not detract from the overall appearance of the revolver. In fact some might argue they impart a degree of character to the piece. That is not always the case with Commonwealth proofed revolvers. I have observed some that looked like they had fallen victim to a deranged inspector using a sledge hammer and cold chisel. Such guns usually have more “character” than suits my pedestrian tastes.

The initial 5,600 British contract Hand Ejectors were .455 First Models (Triple Locks). The third locking lug, at the juncture of the frame and ejector rod shroud, was a minor marvel of engineering. However, the British felt the tolerances were too close for a military service revolver. Fit and finish of these guns rivaled commercial production.

Occasionally a British Contract revolver will be encountered that also displays personal markings such as a soldier’s name and assignment. These generally imply private ownership, as the Government disapproved of anyone purposely defacing His Majesty’s revolvers. Identifiable personal markings can add to the history (and sometimes the value) of a gun, if they help establish its provenance. The .455 First Model in my collection has what may be a previous owner’s name faintly stamped on the left side of the frame below the thumb-piece, but it was struck so lightly that only a few letters can be discerned. This gun is in excellent condition and retains nearly all of its original bright blue finish. Even though it was built under military contract, it is as beautifully fitted and polished as any commercial revolver made by Smith & Wesson.

Fortunately, my First Model Hand Ejector is still chambered for the .455 cartridge. Many of the British Contract guns that found their way back to the United States following World War I were subsequently re-chambered to .45 Colt, or .45 ACP, either by Smith & Wesson or other enterprising individuals. This alteration involved milling down the back of the cylinder to accommodate the thicker rims of .45 Colt ammunition or clips for the rimless .45 ACP cartridge. If Modified for the .45 Colt, the chambers required lengthening as well. From a practical standpoint there may have been some justification for these conversions, as both replacement rounds were much more readily available in this Country than .455 ammunition, but the modifications definitely destroyed the originality of the guns.

Background research by Roy Jinks on the .455 First Model in my collection indicates that it left the factory on January 21, 1915, and was delivered to the Remington Arms-Union Metallic Cartridge Co. in New York City. The gun obviously made it to England, as evidenced by its British proof marks. Beyond that, little is known regarding the service it saw. What is apparent from the condition of the revolver is that whoever had it treated it well.

Though there is little doubt that many of the .455 First Model Hand Ejectors saw use in combat, few documented accounts of their service are known. One such anecdotal example, however, can be found in Elmer Keith’s book Sixguns By Keith. Keith relates the story of a Canadian soldier who was taken prisoner at night by three German troops and was being escorted back to their lines. In the darkness the Germans had overlooked a Triple Lock revolver the Canadian had under his tunic. When the four of them sought sanctuary in a shell crater during an artillery barrage, the captive took advantage of the light from exploding flares to locate the position of each of the German soldiers. He then drew his revolver and shooting double action, dispatched his captors before they had time to react.

The story recounted by Keith may very well be factual. In 1991 Mr. David Penn, who was the Keeper of Exhibits and Firearms at London’s Imperial War Museum, gave a presentation to members of the Smith & Wesson Collectors Association. A transcript of his lecture was published in the SWCA 1992 Winter Newsletter. According to Mr. Penn: “The First World War was the only period in which British forces treated the revolver as an offensive weapon. It was very effective for trench fighting in skilled hands and by the end of the war, training was very sophisticated indeed, with a plethora of rapid fire, long range, trench clearance, quick draw and quick reloading techniques being taught at the Southern Revolver School at Wareham. The final test was a trench clearance at night, the only illumination being provided by exploding thunderflashes.” Apparently “thunderflashes” is another term for flash grenades or some similar type of ordnance.

THE .455 SECOND MODEL HAND EJECTOR

Eliminating the ejector rod shroud and yoke-mounted locking lug of the First Model brought the .455 Hand Ejector into conformance with the British concept of a proper military handgun. Smith & Wesson quite logically labeled the re-designed revolver the “.455 Second Model.” Other changes incorporated into the Second Model included a slight increase in the diameter of the cylinder, with a corresponding enlargement of the cylinder recess in the frame. Additionally, the recoil shield on the left side of the frame was contoured to better accommodate the center pin of the cylinder. Finally, a more subdued satin blue replaced the high-luster finish of the First Model. Among characteristics shared by both the First and Second Models were the 6-1/2-inch barrel, finely checkered walnut stocks and a lanyard ring in the butt of the grip frame.

A Canadian contract S&W .455 Second Model and holster which once belonged to Lt. Martin H. Bluethner of the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles Battalion rest on a copy of Lt. Bluethner’s Certificate of Service (discharge form). Martin Bluethner served over four years with the Canadian Expeditionary Force and was honorably discharged March 20, 1919.

A total of 69,755 Second Models were manufactured in .455 caliber. Roy Jinks’ book History of Smith & Wesson states that when production peaked in December of 1915 the factory was turning out 5,690 British Contract, Second Models per month. That production level was maintained until mid-September of 1916 when the contract was completed.

England wasn’t the only Commonwealth nation that turned to Smith &Wesson in quest of handguns during World War I. Due to its position as the senior dominion in the British Empire, Canada immediately found itself drawn into the hostilities with Germany upon England’s declaration of war. Faced with an acute shortage of serviceable handguns, Canada also contracted with Smith & Wesson for revolvers. Figures listed in Smith & Wesson 1857-1945, by Robert J. Neal and Roy Jinks, show that 14,500 of the .455 Second Models were purchased by the Canadian Government, to be issued to soldiers of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF).

Much more crucial than the shortage of handguns, however, was Canada’s critical lack of fighting men. In early 1914 the Canadian Army comprised some 3,000 regular soldiers, supported by a militia of volunteers. Recognizing that war was imminent, in the summer of that year Canada launched a recruiting drive to form an expeditionary force. Whether motivated by a sense of patriotism, a desire for adventure, or the princely sum of $20 a month military pay, many young men enlisted. The Canadian Army eventually numbered nearly 600,000 strong. Of those, some 418,000 soldiers served overseas as members of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. Fighting under terrible conditions in France and Belgium, Canadian forces distinguished themselves in several major battles, at times incurring heavy casualties.

The .455 Second Model in my collection is the most interesting of the three Smith & Wessons discussed in this article, simply because more is known of its history. This gun and a companion leather holster were offered for sale on-line by a licensed dealer in New Jersey. One of several photos displayed on the seller’s website was a close-up of the revolver which showed the letter “C” enclosing a double broad arrow, stamped on the frame near the thumb-piece. The “C” told me the gun had originally been the property of Canada. The double broad arrow inside the “C” indicated that at some point the revolver had been an “out of store” purchase, meaning it had been sold to someone by the Canadian Government.

Additional photos showed there was a large chip in the base of the gun’s left stock panel and someone had carved the initials “MHB” in the bottom of that panel. Otherwise, the revolver appeared to be in very good condition and most importantly, it was still in its original chambering.

But what really caught my attention were the photos of the old military holster. Even though its exterior was in pretty rough shape, what made the holster so intriguing was the hand-printed inscription on the underside of the flap, which read:

Lt. M H Bluethner 5th C.M.R. Bn.

By this time curiosity was getting the best of me. Leaving the seller’s website to access the computer’s search engine, I typed in “5th C.M.R. Bn,” to see what might be learned. The resulting information revealed that the abbreviation stood for “5th Canadian Mounted Rifles Battalion.” A website dedicated to the Battalion’s history reported that the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles had been formed in 1915 as a horse-mounted infantry unit of the Canadian Expeditionary Force and was comprised of volunteers from Quebec’s Eastern townships. In late 1915 the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles Battalion shipped out for England. There the unit was converted to an infantry battalion attached to the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Division, CEF. Between 1916 and 1918 the Battalion saw action in both France and Belgium. Posted on the website was an impressive list of campaigns in which soldiers of the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles fought, as well as battle honors accorded to the unit.

While the condition of the revolver alone seemed good enough to justify its purchase, the added bonus of the holster, coupled with the prospect of linking both items to a major chapter in history, were too much to pass up. Enticed by the possibility that further research might uncover additional details of their provenance, I bought the gun and holster. Upon receiving them, an inquiry was sent to Roy Jinks, who advised that the revolver was a Canadian Government Contract gun and had been shipped to Ottawa, Canada, on May 19, 1916. Having ascertained the factory background of the gun, the next step was to see what could be learned about Lieutenant M. H. Bluethner. Who was he? Had he been actively involved in combat, and if so, had he survived?

A bit more computer sleuthing led to the website of LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA, a Government-sponsored resource offering a wealth of information on a variety of subjects, including soldiers of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. A phone call to their offices in Ottawa confirmed that Martin Herman Bluethner, born April 26, 1892, had indeed been a member of the CEF. Furthermore, for a very reasonable processing fee, copies of his complete military records were available. Little time was lost in placing a request for Martin Bluethner’s files. With a planned vacation trip to Europe just a few weeks away, the hope was to have the records in hand before leaving. Depending on the information contained in them, it might be possible to visit places where Martin Bluethner had been some ninety years earlier. If he had fought in France or Belgium, his files might list those locations. In the event he had not survived the War, perhaps they would disclose his resting place.

Holster flap, w/ cap badge: This Inscription on the underside of the holster flap prompted me to purchase the .455 Second Model revolver and holster that once belonged to Lt. Martin H. Bluethner. The 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles cap badge shown here is a highly collectible item in its own right.

The package that arrived contained 44 pages of material. Included in the documents were copies of Martin Bluethner’s attestation (enlistment) papers, medical history, casualty (injury) forms, regimental and company conduct sheets, pay records and his dispersal (discharge) certificate. The following summary of his military service was chronicled from the documentation:

Martin Herman Bluethner enlisted in the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force on January 11, 1915, at Stratford, Ontario. He was 22 years old, 5 feet, 7-1/4 inches tall, and weighed 135 lbs. According to his attestation form, he had brown hair and blue eyes. Martin’s civilian occupation was “clerk” and his religion Lutheran. Upon his enlistment, Recruit Bluethner was given Regimental (military ID) Number 602173 and was assigned to the 34th Battalion.

Martin H. Bluethner at age 43. This photograph, which was affixed to his “Declaration of Intention to Become a U.S. Citizen”, is the only picture of Martin Bluethner I was able to obtain. The application form was submitted on October 18, 1935. Martin was naturalized as a United States citizen on April 29, 1938, in Federal Court at Newark, NJ.

After completing cadet training, Private Bluethner shipped out for England, arriving there on November 1, 1915. While stationed with the Canadian forces at Bramshott, England, he was transferred to the 17th Reserve Battalion, CEF on March 15, 1916. On April 9, 1916, he was transferred to the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles Battalion and embarked for France.

Throughout the 35 months that Martin Bluethner was a member of the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles, the Battalion experienced some of the heaviest fight-ing of the War, in France and Belgium. The Somme, Flers-Courcelette, Ancre Heights, Vimy, Passchendaele, The Hin-denburg Line and Canal du Nord were just a few of the battles in which soldiers of the 5th CMR saw intensive action.

On June 24, 1916, Private Bluethner was recommended for promotion. Corporal Bluethner was wounded on October 30, 1917. Although the records do not specify the nature of the injury, or where he was when it occurred, The 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles Battalion suffered an exceptionally high casualty rate during the costly campaign of Passchendaele, in Flanders, which took place from July 31 to November 10, 1917. The odds are very strong that Corporal Bluethner was wounded in this protracted engagement. Presumably, the injury was fairly minor, as nothing in his files indicates that he was hospitalized.

On January 1, 1918, Corporal Bluethner was promoted to sergeant. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant on August 6, 1918. On November 8, 1918, Lieutenant Bluethner sustained a bullet wound in his right thigh. Once again, the injury apparently was not serious enough to cause him to be removed from the roster, and he was listed as remaining “at duty.”

The war officially ended November 11, 1918. The 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles remained in France until February 13, 1919, when they proceeded to England. On March 8, 1919, Lieutenant Bluethner departed Liverpool, aboard the H.M.S. Carmania*, for his return to Canada. He was “struck off strength” (discharged) on March 20, 1919, In Ottawa, upon demobilization of his unit.

From his military record it appears that Martin Bluethner served honorably with the Canadian Expeditionary Force for over 49 months, 35 of those months as a member of the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles. During the more than four years he spent in the military, Martin Bluethner earned three field promotions and was twice wounded in the service of his Country.

What service Martin Bluethner’s revolver and holster might have seen during the war was already in France. His records reflect that twice during his tour in France and Belgium, he returned briefly to England (August 8 to August 18, 1917, and March 23 to April 8, 1918). It is possible that the revolver was issued to him on one of those occasions. However, the greater probability is that the gun was privately purchased from the Canadian Government by Martin Bluethner upon his promotion to lieutenant. During the First World War it was customary for commissioned officers of the British and Canadian Armies to buy their personal sidearms from Government stores. This hypothesis seems to be supported by the title “Lt. M. H. Bluethner” inscribed on the underside of the holster flap. In all likelihood, the double broad arrow marking was stamped on the gun’s frame at the time of its purchase by Lt. Bluethner.

Reconstructing Martin Bluethner’s military career led to a natural curiosity about his life following the War. Also there was the question of how his revolver and holster had found their way to a firearms dealer in New Jersey, nine decades after the gun was made. Returning to the computer, an internet search was conducted for any descendants or family members who might know “the rest of the story.” The Canadian Province of Ontario seemed the logical place to start, since Martin Bluethner’s military records listed the town of London, Ontario, as his home. Because Bluethner is not an especially common surname, a good chance existed that someone with that last name might be related to Martin. The search turned up one listing for the name. Ironically, the gentleman who answered my phone call identified himself as Martin Bluethner.

Most cordially, Martin explained that although he believed Martin Herman Bluethner was his great uncle, after whom he had been named, he had never known the man and was unable to provide any details about his later life. Upon hearing what my research had discovered, Martin’s own curiosity became piqued. Exchanging e-mail addresses, we both agreed to look further into the matter and keep each other updated on any progress made.

Over the next several weeks, a more complete picture of Martin H. Bluethner’s post-war, civilian life began to emerge. After his discharge from the Army, he was employed by the Canadian Bank of Commerce. He married Dorothy Florence Harvey on June 25, 1921, in Toronto. The wedded couple lived in Montreal, where two daughters were born to them. Martin immigrated to the United States on October 30, 1927, and established residence in Essex County, New Jersey. Six months later, on May 1, 1928, the rest of the Bluethner family joined him, making their home at 280 Gregory Avenue, in West Orange, New Jersey. On April 29, 1938, Martin Bluethner became a naturalized U.S. citizen in the Federal District Court at Newark. He continued in his banking career, starting as an auditor, and eventually attaining the position of Vice President with the Bronx Savings Bank. Martin lived out his final years in the town of Rye, in Westchester County, New York, where he died in May of 1982. He had survived one of the bloodiest conflicts in modern history and lived to a full 90 years of age.

The only remaining loose end was to determine how the revolver and holster came into the possession of the dealer who sold them to me. Through a phone call to the dealer it was learned that he bought the gun and holster from a friend. The dealer said it was his understanding that they had belonged to his friend’s father. The dealer put me in touch with the friend, who told me that several years ago his father worked for a bank in the Bronx. The bank provided the gun to his father for use when he transported large sums of money via the New York subways (that must have been MANY years ago) and the man’s father had retained the revolver and holster when he retired. This information would seem to fill the final gap in the story, assuming that the man’s father was an employee of the Bronx Savings Bank where Martin H. Bluethner served as a Vice President.

THE MODEL 1917 HAND EJECTOR

Smith & Wesson’s Model 1917 revolver can perhaps best be described as an expedient that actually worked. When President Woodrow Wilson addressed Congress on April 2, 1917, requesting a declaration of war against Germany, the official side arm of the United States Military was the semiautomatic Colt Model 1911 pistol. Much like their Commonwealth allies, American forces were faced with a severe shortage of handguns as they entered the conflict. Furthermore, the Colt factory was unable to produce Model 1911s in anywhere near the numbers sought by the military. To bolster production, Remington-UMC was awarded a contract for manufacture of the pistols. The U.S. Army’s Springfield Armory also undertook the job of producing Model 1911s. But tooling up for such a project was no small task, and neither source was able to build the guns fast enough in the quantities needed.

Procuring revolvers to supplement the semiauto pistols seemed a reasonable solution to the handgun deficit. However, the Army’s requirement that revolvers submitted for testing use the same rimless .45 ACP ammunition as the Model 1911 posed an engineering challenge. Smith & Wesson had been working on a Hand Ejector capable of firing the .45 ACP round and submitted samples to the Army for evaluation. The problem of extracting the rimless cartridges from a revolver cylinder was solved by means of a three-round “half-moon” clip, the design of which has been credited to Smith & Wesson President Joseph Wesson.

Following tests conducted in early June of 1917, the Army found Smith &Wesson’s submission to be satisfactory for military use. The company was initially awarded a contract for 100,000 model 1917s, but according to Army records, Smith & Wesson ultimately delivered 163,634 of the revolvers to the U.S. Government between 1917 and 1919.

Utilizing the half-moon clips developed by Smith & Wesson, Colt Firearms adapted their New Service revolver to fire the .45 ACP round as well. After testing, it too was deemed an acceptable alternative to the Model 1911 pistol, and Colt was also awarded a Government contract. Like Smith & Wesson’s Hand Ejector, Colt’s New Service revolver was labeled the Model 1917. While there is some difference of opinion among firearms historians regarding the exact total, At least 154,802 Colt Model 1917 revolvers were delivered to the U.S. Government during the course of World War I.

Smith & Wesson’s Model 1917 revolver was essentially a Modified version of the .455 Second Model Hand Ejector that the company had built in large numbers for the Commonwealth nations. In addition to chambering the revolver for the .45 ACP round, modifications to the gun included shortening the barrel to 5-1/2 inches and slightly reducing bore size to better fit the .451" diameter .45 ACP bullet. Other changes were mainly cosmetic. Gone was the commercial grade finish of the .455, replaced by a faster, more utilitarian soft blue. Instead of being finely checkered, the walnut stocks of the Model 1917 were left smooth, another concession to increased production speed.

Those measures taken to expedite manufacture of the Model 1917 didn’t diminish the gun’s functional qualities. It proved to be a rugged, reliable substitute for the 1911. Packing the same ballistic punch as its semi-auto counterpart, and quickly re-loadable by means of the half-moon clips, Smith & Wesson’s service revolver apparently was the side arm of choice for some U.S. troops. In the December 1999 issue of the NRA periodical Man At Arms, firearms historian Charles Pate presents a detailed study of the Smith & Wesson Model 1917. Author Pate writes that Military Police units reportedly preferred the Model 1917 revolver to the 1911 pistol.

In his article, Pate also discusses distribution and usage of the Smith &Wesson revolver, saying, “World War I use of the M1917 was fairly extensive, but primarily by combat support and combat services support troops rather than infantrymen or the cavalry…many thousands were shipped directly to ports of embarkation for subsequent shipment to Europe, and the revolvers clearly played a significant role in the war.”

Background research on the Model 1917 in my collection shows that it was shipped from the Smith & Wesson Factory to the Springfield Armory on June 8, 1918. The gun has the standard stampings of “UNITED STATES PROPERTY” on the underside of the barrel and “U.S. ARMY MODEL 1917” on the bottom of the grip frame behind the lanyard ring. It bears the usual Government inspector’s markings. These include a small provisional acceptance stamp on the left side of the frame behind the trigger, as well as the Ordnance insignia final acceptance stamp (a flaming bomb) on the left side of the frame in front of the hammer. Although this Model 1917 has obviously seen use, the overall condition of the gun is excellent. Regrettably, other than the information obtained from Smith &Wesson factory records, little is known about the history of this particular firearm. What role this revolver may have played in the War effort will probably forever remain a mystery.

RANGE TESTING THE GUNS

Even though the three World War I-era revolvers presented in this article are in great shape, none of them can be described as “mint.” In this writer’s opinion that makes them all eminently shootable. As well as being an enjoyable diversion, a range session with these three Hand Ejectors, using ammunition that replicates the performance of the original military rounds, should also provide some practical insight into the power and accuracy of the handguns used by Allied forces in the Great War.

Finding modern .45 ACP ammunition that duplicates the load used by the American doughboys is not a problem. The classic loading of a 230-grain round nose, jacketed bullet, propelled at a muzzle velocity of approximately 800 fps, is still produced by several ammo makers.

Obtaining modern .455 Webley Mark II ammunition is a little more problematic. Due to low consumer demand in the U.S., for many years this archaic round was not offered by any domestic manufacturer. The Italian firm Fiocchi was about the only commercial source of new, non-corrosive .455 Mark II ammo. Bullet weight of the Fiocchi loading is 262 grains, rather than the nominal 265 grains of the original round, but such a slight weight difference should be of no consequence.

Hornady recently added .455 Mark II ammunition to their product line. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first American company to catalog the old British chambering in well over half a century.

In years past, the British firm Kynoch also marketed .455 Mark II ammunition. However, their present website lists only centerfire rifle rounds for sale, and it is unclear if they currently make handgun ammunition in any caliber.

At one time, Canadian Industries Limited (CIL) loaded .455 Colt ammunition under their Dominion label. Although this cartridge is approximately one tenth of an inch longer than the .455 Webley Mark II case and its muzzle velocity is over 150 fps faster than the Mark II load, .455 Colt ammo can safely be used in First and Second Model Hand Ejectors. This is because like Webley &Scott, Smith & Wesson also bored the chambers of their .455 revolvers deep enough to accept the greater case length of the original .455 Mark I black powder round. Case dimensions of the .455 Colt are similar to those of the .455 Mark I. But from what I can determine, .455 Colt ammunition is no longer made.

While World War I military surplus .455 Mark II ammunition is quite rare, occasionally quantities of surplus .455 Mark VI ammo from the Second World War are encountered. Unfortunately, World War II military surplus .455 ammunition has also become quite collectable and using it for recreational shooting is not really cost effective.

Inventorying the .455 Mark II ammunition I have accumulated over time yielded usable amounts of Fiocchi, Hornady, and Kynoch brands, as well as a handfull of World War II Mark VI Canadian surplus ammo. Modern, commercial .455 Mark II ammo is loaded with hollow base, lead bullets, much like the original military ammunition. A sample bullet was pulled from each of the three brands of .455 Mark II ammo to be used for the range tests, along with a World War II Mark VI jacketed round. The diameter of each bullet was measured with a micrometer, and each bullet was weighed. The following data was obtained:

Manufacturer	Type	Bullet Dia.	Bullet Weight
Fiocchi	(lead)	.454"	262.3 grains
Hornady	(lead)	.452"	264.6 grains
Kynoch	(lead)	.445"	265.3 grains
WWII Mark VI	(jacketed)	.454"	266.7 grains

The Hornady bullet has an unusual post swaged into the center of the base cavity. Evidentally the post is meant to facilitate obturation of the bullet’s skirt.

All three brands of .455 ammo, and a box of commercial Remington-Peters .45 ACP 230-grain ball ammunition, were used in testing the vintage revolvers at a local range. To eliminate human error, a Ransom Rest was employed for the accuracy tests. Bullet speeds were measured with a ProChrono brand digital chronograph positioned 10 feet from the muzzle. Although distances in close-quarter trench combat were probably much shorter, the target was placed at 25 yards.

Commercial .455 Mark II ammunition used in the range tests included Fiocchi, Hornady and Kynoch brands. Also shown are a string-tied 2-pack of military .455 Mark II ammunition, dated 1922 and a World War II box of.455 Mark VI Ammo, both of Canadian manufacture. The front row comprises assorted military & commercial rounds.

For the tests, each revolver was clamped into the Ransom Rest and a dozen rounds were run through the gun to settle it into the grip inserts. Once the revolver was solidly secured in the machine rest, 18 rounds (three cylinders full) of each brand of ammunition were fired in the gun. Accuracy was determined by measuring the extreme spread of each six shot group, center-to-center, and then calculating the three-group averages.

The testing process began with the .455 First Model. Eighteen rounds each of Fiocchi, Hornady and Kynoch ammunition were fired in the gun. While the Hornady product delivered the smallest average group size of 2.81 inches, it also turned in the lowest velocity, clocking an average 566 fps from the Triple Lock. preserve my small remaining stock of Kynoch .455 ammunition, only Fiocchi and Hornady brands were tested in the Second Model Hand Ejector. The Fiocchi ammo produced the smaller average group size of 4.56 inches, as well as the higher velocity, averaging 615 fps.

An older box of commercial Remington-Peters 230-grain, .45 ACP ball ammo was used in testing the Model 1917. The rounds were loaded into half-moon clips, much the same as ammunition used by American Doughboys in World War One. The three group average for the Model 1917 measured 4.49 inches and bullet speed averaged 807 fps.

Full results of the 25 yard range tests are listed in the accompanying table:

Ballistics Test Results

Revolver	Ammunition	Velocity	Average group (")
.455 1st Model	Fiocchi .455 Mk II	629 fps	3.87
	Hornady .455 Mk II	566 fps	2.81
	Kynoch .455 Mk II	627 fps	3.11
455 2nd Model	Fiocchi .455 Mk II	615 fps	4.56
Model 1917	R-P .45 ACP (Ball)	807 fps	4.49

Upon completion of the Ransom Rest tests, I decided to try a little off-hand shooting before leaving the range. The gun selected was the .455 Second Model, as I was curious to see how the revolver might have felt to Lt. Martin Bluethner 90 years ago. Filling the cylinder with a half-dozen rounds of the Fiocchi ammo, I took a six o’clock hold on a 10-inch-tall rock about 35 yards out. The rock, which was located at the base of a safe, earthen backstop, approximated the size of a man’s head. Shooting was done from a standing position, using a two hand grip, firing single-action (probably not the way Lt. Bluethner was taught). Despite the narrow, rounded front sight blade, I had little trouble keeping all my shots on the rock. This would seem contrary to the showing the gun had just given from the machine rest. I can’t explain it, but that’s what happened.

In addition to being pleasantly surprised at the off-hand accuracy of the gun, I was favorably impressed by how mild the recoil of a 262-grain bullet traveling at 600 fps feels when fired from a 37-ounce revolver. Light recoil means faster recovery time between shots, a definite plus in short-range fighting. The British may have had something after all, with their affinity for heavy, slow-moving bullets.

Though I tried to approach the range session objectively, with no preconceived notions or expectations, the test results proved somewhat surprising. Perhaps subconsciously I assumed the old Hand Ejectors would deliver better accuracy than they did. Prior to this, the only .45 caliber Smith & Wesson revolver I had tried in the Ransom Rest was my Model 25-2 chambered in .45 ACP. With select loads, that gun will regularly group under 1-1/2 inches at 25 yards. Past experience with the Model 25-2 may have influenced my thinking, creating unrealistic expectations of the vintage Smiths.

I suppose it’s possible that the.455 Mark II service ammunition issued in the First World War might have shot better in one or both of my .455 revolvers than the commercial ammo used in these informal tests. In regard to the Model 1917, limiting the test to a single brand of .45 ACP ball certainly limits the validity of the findings as well. It is not at all unusual for a handgun to shoot admirably with one brand of ammunition and abysmally with another.

Still, the lackluster performance of the three Hand Ejectors prompted a search for information about the handgun accuracy standards of either the British, or U.S. Armies during World War One. Checking the assorted reference material on my bookshelves proved relatively unproductive. Charles Pate’s excellent and very comprehensive book, U.S.Handguns of World War II, contains copies of United States Army specifications for secondary pistols and revolvers used in the Second World War. The accuracy requirements for .38 caliber revolvers, both .38 Special and .38-200, are described in a memorandum dated January 26, 1944. The memo reads: “Revolvers shall be tested for accuracy by firing six shots at a 2-¾ inch bull’s-eye, 15 yards from the muzzle. An arm rest shall be used, and sights held at six o’clock. All the shots shall be in or cutting the bull’s-eye. Full loads shall be used.”

While this circa 1944 memo was helpful, it didn’t address the question of military handgun accuracy standards during the First World War. Failing to find reference to the subject in my resources, I consulted one of the foremost authorities on such matters, firearms historian and author, again Charles Pate. Mr. Pate graciously informed me that in all of his research he had never come across any documentation dealing with World War One military standards of handgun accuracy for either revolvers, or the Model 1911 pistol. I asked him if the U.S. Army had a set of criteria for rejecting Model 1911s. He said they did, but poor accuracy wasn’t one of them.

From all indications, in 1917 the United States Army wasn’t overly concerned about pin-point accuracy from their sidearms. Apparently, if a handgun could reliably place a disabling hit on a man-size target at trench-fighting distances, it was considered acceptable. There is no question that the three World War I-era Hand Ejectors demonstrated that capability. As a point of interest, the official handgun qualification target currently used by many law enforcement agencies is the NRA, TQ-19, man-size silhouette. On the TQ-19 the area of the torso where a hit is considered disabling measures 11-1/2 inches wide, by 15 inches high (not including the neck and head). The kill zone (heart and upper thorax) measures 6-1/2 inches wide by 4 inches high. All three of the Hand Ejectors kept their hits within those parameters. Even though the vintage revolvers might not win any competitive matches, they certainly posses a level of functional accuracy adequate for their intended purpose.

CONCLUSION

These three Smith & Wesson revolvers and their contemporaries are tangible pieces of history, having earned this distinction through stalwart service with British, Canadian and American forces during the first global conflict of the 20th century. Their duties long completed, the guns now quietly reside in my modest collection. Occasionally they are brought out to be admired for the craftsmanship that went into their manufacture, or to be subjects of conjecture over their role in past world events. However, this was the first time in untold years that they have actually been fired. Shooting the old Smiths was both enjoyable and enlightening. The experience also evoked a sense of personal connection with the Allied soldiers who fought, and in too many cases, made the ultimate sacrifice during the Great War.

Their range session finished, the three World War I veterans were packed up to be taken home, given a good cleaning and put away. Most assuredly they will not be forgotten, nor will the generation of young men who carried them. Over nine decades have passed since peace was declared on that first Armistice Day, November 11th, 1918. Virtually all those who fought in the “War to End All Wars” are now gone. But these three revolvers and others like them remain as an unforgotten link to that time and those men.