New Service - My Latest Re-Creation

[rhmc24]

A much used piece, made 1921, but with EXC bore and some finish. It had the usual old-Colt symptom of wouldn't go to battery except by trigger pull. A big piece was missing from the left grip. Barrel had been cut and new front sight. Also at full cock the hammer was about 1/16" short of full at the frame. As seen in pix, I bobbed the barrel, reworked the front sight and fixed the grip and function issues. Finish is good enough for me to leave as-is.

[Oyeboten]

How nice...

I especially like how your efforts have produced a special Revolver which looks like it was modified way back when and aged from there...preserving the original Finish and Stocks just as they had been when you acquired the Revolver.


"Perfect"..!


One of these days, one of us who has a New Service 'Snubby' need to make and post an Image of it going off at Night...so we can see that huge Fire Ball!

[rhmc24]

Thanks Oye, I took it out and shot it today. I have 50 acres 6 miles out of town where I shoot into a ravine at cans, old CDs , etc. It shoots better than I can hold and the front sight is a bit too high but I think I'll leave it like it is. My Son did better with it than I did. I did better with my 1911 than with the NS. I'm 87 and don't shoot anything as good as I used to.

[broknaxl]

Great looking New Service - How'd you repair the stocks?? You can't even tell. At least I can't

[Oyeboten]

Hi rhmc24,



I do better with my plain non-A1 Government Model than I do with anything else, whether for rapid fire or slow fire...I do better with it than I do with my Target Revolvers even...Lol, oh well, whatchagunnado.


Your Colt just looks so good, and so much better than the 'before' configuration...what a pleasure to see.


I am still looking for a Barrel I can cut down ( and I do not want to cut a Good Barrel, so, one which has already been cut or which has a bulge far enough out ) for making one similar to yours...just in case you happen to stub a Toe on such a Barrel anywhere..?


What are you using for Loadings in yours?

And, are you planning on Carrying it CCW?

[rhmc24]

Broknaxl & Oye - Thanks for comments, etc. See writeup below on grip repair from my notebook - I write about everything.
This one had been cut to 5 1/4". I was shooting .45 Cowboy. I don't reload. I can't get to all the other stuff I need to without getting into reloading. I don't shoot that much anyway. Its too big for CCW but the legislature is working on 'open carry' right now - so maybe.

I have repaired a lot of old colt grips using clear epoxy glue, not the 5 minute kind. For a simple crack I put the glue on the inside and let it fill the crack, wiping off what comes thru to the outside. If the cracked piece is loose I clamp it. Otherwise I would just settle for having the crack filled and the piece stabilized.

For worse problems with Colt grips, like a piece missing, cracked away from a corner, etc.: I fix them by cleaning and roughing up the broken surface, wax a piece of foil and place it on the gun frame. Use plenty of wax to avoid glue running away or sticking. Put the grips on, position them to avoid run-off, then fill the missing area with epoxy mixed with lamp black or carbon black. It may be necessary to do more than one application to get a good fill.
After it hardens, like overnight, you re-shape the area and polish it. An invisible repair is possible. If your job extends into the checkered area you are on your own, depending on your skill and artistry.

Do a couple dry runs on scrap the get the hang of it before you risk messing up a job. Epoxy glue is very tolerant of mixing in color so long as it is not water based. Artist colors, powder and liquid, oil paints and acrylic work OK. Any additive weakens the glue but strength is not much of a factor in grip repair and only a little of the black is needed.

For this one I used some 'carbon black' I happened to have. I did the checkering by grinding the sides of an old triangle file to have sharp corners on the end. By following the original checkering lines I carefully pushed each line to get new checkering. On the inside of a grip you can try how to get the right kind of a cut.

[Oyeboten]

Hi rhmc24,


Thanks for that info on repairing Hard Rubber Stocks.

I will give that a try sometime, seeing as I have a few which have missing corner areas and the likes.

Just thinking aloud - Shoulder Holster would be a nice way to go for 'open' or CCW carry on this one...they are a little heavy in the Pants Pocket, and, a little thick for 'IWB', and with the non-Bobber Hammer, Pocket Carry would not be so good anyway.


Either way, this probably means you will be making your own Holster! Or, at least, I expect it is not going to be easy to find a period Holster for a 2 Inch New Service, anyway.


The one I did in the latter 1980s has a bobbed Hammer, and, it carries just fine in front trouser Pockets, but you have to really reinforce the Pocket or replace the Pocket of course, with something stout or else it tears through pretty soon.

I made a Shoulder Holser for mine, which was very comfortable and easy to wear, and all in all, was not an especially difficult project at all to do.


Have you made Holsters before?

[DFrame]

I love it. Would love to have one like it.

[broknaxl]

Thanks for the tips on repairing the rubber stocks. You did a great job. You can't even tell.

[Mushinto]

Great job.