Whats up with the sights on this old New Service?

[twaits]

The front sight looks strange...ramped replacement? Also the cut out on the back of the top strap for the rear sight looks deeper than it should. This appears to be a transitional model that has the old style triggerguard and the newer style top strap. Probably has the positive lock as well. This is one of many New Services that are going up for auction at Poulin next month. Some others also have strange sights.

NS.jpg

[ShootingMaster]

Interesting.
I will add that not only the front sight but the barrel seems strange to me: I believe the "old model" frame should have a non-tapered barrel. Perhaps it is a transition model but a tapered barrel in an old frame still confuses me a little.

BTW does anybody knows if any of the old model frames were ever provided with the positive lock feature? AFAIK, both the positive lock and the improved model frame were introduced in 1909 at the #20000 serial range.

I own a NS_SN#190XX old model frame (one of the latest manufactured before the frame design changes were applied) and it does not have the positive lock.

Regards.

[Oyeboten]

That is an odd Front Sight indeed.


I believe the Sight is about the same as ( if not identical to, ) what one would see on a Post War Official Police.


But, I do not know how to account for that on an apparently long before the-war Revolver who's production run was over prior to that style Front Sight coming about.


Maybe the Revolver was sent back to Colt, sometime after WWII, with a request for a new style Front Sight to be fitted...where, one would think the Revolver would also have had to have been re-Blued, as well.

And or it may have been re-Barreled AND had the newer style Front Sight fitted by Colt ( or some able Gunsmith ), as per a customer request. In which case, the Revolver - or just the Barrel - may or may not have been re-Blued.

Is it necessary to re-Blue a Barrel if a new Front Sight is Brazed in, in the usual way?

[up196]

I believe it's a post-WWII replacement barrel.

[twaits]

The tapered barrel is wrong I think. But a few of the old style frames were fitted with the positive lock safety in the transitional period in 1909. The NS I used to own from 1909 had the old style frame and the positive lock. Unfortunately it was a rare gun that was cut up and refinished. The serial number was 21873

[Hopalong]

I think up196 is correct.

[Abe Anglin]

I think up196 is correct.

exactly so,

[haggis]

I think up196 is correct.

As do I. Additionally, the ejector rod knob is from an Improved Model from the mid-teens.

Buck

[Oyeboten]

So, three of us so far are claiming-affirming-saying that Colt, after WWII, made 'replacement Barrels' for New Services, which had a new type of Post War Front Sight?

[smkummer]

Does it appear that the original posts gun have a dual tone finish? That would add to the theory of a post war rebuild.