Colt New Service

[Adobe Wells]

Hello,
Can anyone tell me if it is normal or proper for a Colt New Service revolver to be chambered in .45 acp and yet have the barrel marked 45 COLT ?
Seems to me to be a bit confusing on just what the caliber is on a revolver so marked.
Thanks, Adobe.

[dfariswheel]

No, it's not normal. Colt usually marked the EXACT caliber on their guns.

You gun has:

1. Been reworked to .45 ACP

or

2. Been rebarreled with a .45 Colt barrel.

The only way to find out for sure which, is to send Colt $100.00 for a historical letter, which will among other things tell you what caliber it left the factory in.

[This message has been edited by dfariswheel (edited 03-03-2003).]

[Adobe Wells]

Thanks for the info. If you put a 45 COLT bbl on a 45acp cylindered gun, wouldn't that affect the accuracy in a negative way?. I think the diameters are close, .452 vs. .454 but would that really be a good idea ?.

[Ira Paine]

Adobe,
Your Colt could be all original. Colt did make a bunch of 45 ACP's with barrels marked 45 COLT, this was around 1925, 1930. Would need more info to be sure, such as the serial number and if it's a Target or Service gun. Another way is to slug the barrel. IP


<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Adobe Wells:
Thanks for the info. If you put a 45 COLT bbl on a 45acp cylindered gun, wouldn't that affect the accuracy in a negative way?. I think the diameters are close, .452 vs. .454 but would that really be a good idea ?.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

[guy sajer]

Yes , Colt did assemble some .45acp guns with 45 Colt barrels . I have one . In the early 1930's with the depression still gripping the country , Colt was trying to make ends meet like everyone else . They took around 2,000 left over M1917 frames and assembled around 900 M1917 Civilian models . These did have barrels marked "Colt Model 1917 .45 Auto. CTGE." . Then they dug around the parts bins and found enough pre-WWI parts to make the rest into , 38-40wcf , 44-40wcf , 45 Colt and a few .45acp utilizing 1917 cylinders and pre-war straight(non-tapered) 45 Colt barrels . All the barrels are straight and have the 1905 patent on the barrel (no 1926). The frames still have the rough "brushed 1917 finish" . These are all in the same serial number range with apparently no other guns involved . I found it interesting that they had all those frames left over and they were never serial numbered until assembled about 1932 .
Do you have one too Adobe Wells ?

[This message has been edited by guy sajer (edited 03-05-2003).]

[Ira Paine]

There you go Adobe, BTW, save your $ 100. bucks, Colt wont tell you much of anything about these guns, put that money to good use, put it toward buying another gun. IP

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by guy sajer:
Yes , Colt did assemble some .45acp guns with 45 Colt barrels . I have one . In the early 1930's with the depression still gripping the country , Colt was trying to make ends meet like everyone else . They took around 2,000 left over M1917 frames and assembled around 900 M1917 Civilian models . These did have barrels marked "Colt Model 1917 .45 Auto. CTGE." . Then they dug around the parts bins and found enough pre-WWI parts to make the rest into , 38-40wcf , 44-40wcf , 45 Colt and a few .45acp utilizing 1917 cylinders and pre-war straight(non-tapered) 45 Colt barrels . All the barrels are straight and have the 1905 patent on the barrel (no 1926). The frames still have the rough "brushed 1917 finish" . These are all in the same serial number range with apparently no other guns involved . I found it interesting that they had all those frames left over and they were never serial numbered until assembled about 1932 .
Do you have one too Adobe Wells ?

[This message has been edited by guy sajer (edited 03-05-2003).]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

[guy sajer]

I hate to tell you but I think you bought a gunsmith special . Anything is possible I guess . The guns I referenced are not marked with 1917 and US markings on the butt . Also , the serial numbers are from the 30's .(I will venture a guess that yours is serial numbered in the WWI time frame ) These used all pre-War I parts including the black plastic like grips . I would guess that the original .45acp barrel on your may have been damaged and then replaced with what was available (the .45 Colt bbl it wears now)
Of course this is speculation on my part . Please post some more details when you receive it .

[Adobe Wells]

Hello Guy & All
I think I might have one of these as Guy describes it. I recently purchased one on an Internet Auction but it has not arrived yet. From the pictures I can tell that it has a 1917 marked frame on bottom of grip. The barrel is marked "45 COLT" but the seller says it is chambered in .45 acp. The grips are checkered wood with a small silver Colt medallion.
I just thought it was strange that colt would put out a revolver with the wrong caliber marked on the bbl. As long as it is all original colt factory I don't care, in fact I think it is kind of a neat bit of history. I was afraid it was a "lunch box special" or something like that.
Does this pistol have any significant collector value or is it just a good shooter? .It appears to be in near mint condition.
Thanks, Adobe
P.S, When the revolver arrives I will post more information.

[yashua-p]

Just today I brought home an older New Service(redundant, I know) I just don't know much about it..Marked COLT DA.45 Oldest Patant date is July 4, 1905. There are Proof marks in each flute, a crown over a V. British Proofs? SN is 734xx. Chambered for .45 Colt but it has been suggested that originally it could have been .450 or .455 Eley....Bbl is 5 1/2".
Can someone give me a clue. Thanks...j

[guy sajer]

The serial number on your gun falls before the 1917 .45acp and after the US M1909 .45 Colt . Both have barrels marked D.A.45 on the barrel . It appears you have a British purchased NS for WWI mfg 1915 . It would have been .455 Eley and so marked on the barrel . I will assume that somewhere down the line , the chambers were lengthened and the barrel changed . If you look at the breech face where the firing pin protrudes , has the metal been polished(ground) away ? Or maybe the back of the cylinder ?
It was common after these fine weapons returned home for gunsmiths to convert them to calibers more common here .