6 Pointed Star on Trigger Guard

2919 Views 7 Replies 4 Participants Last post by wlw19958, Nov 23, 2017

wlw19958

Discussion Starter · Nov 19, 2017

Hi There,

I am curious about the six pointed star found
on the trigger guard of factory repaired firearms.

Does anyone know the time frame this was done?

I ask because I was reading: Single Action Arms Revolvers
U. S. Alterations by Moore and he mentioned this
mark on a skeletonized SAA and it trickled a memory
of my first handgun I bought (a 1892 DA in .41LC).

I dug it out sure enough, it has this mark. So, I would
like to learn more about this. Can anyone shed some
light?

Good Luck!
-Blue Chips-
Webb

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Hondo44

· #2 · Nov 21, 2017 (Edited)

The star or the & in that location, are the most common stamps used by Colt to indicate the gun has been back to the factory for some work, could be refinishing, part replacements, rebuild, etc.

If your gun was refinished, it will also have a 3 or 4 gigit "drawer" # on all major parts stamped in inconspicuous locations; under grips, or ejec housing, etc.

When the star and & were used is unclear, but for many decades at least.

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wlw19958

Discussion Starter · #3 · Nov 21, 2017 (Edited)

Hi There,

Thanks for the reply. I ask because this revolver (an 1892 D.A.)
has a barrel which looks like it came from an Army Special or
Official Police but isn't mark except for: COLT. D. A. 41 on the
left side and two line patent dates on top.

Muffler Auto part Material property Pipe Metal

I don't know if this is a drawer number but in the crane cutout
are the numbers 163 on the frame and crane and scratched on
the inside of the rubber grips is the same number plus what looks
like a date (3-38) which are not the same as the last digits of
the serial number.

I am wondering if the barrel was replaced when it was sent
back to the factory.

Good Luck!
-Blue Chips-
Webb

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Hopalong

· #4 · Nov 21, 2017 (Edited)

wlw19958 said:
Hi There,

Thanks for the reply. I ask because this revolver (an 1892 D.A.)
has a barrel which looks like it came from an Army Special or
Official Police but isn't mark except for: COLT. D. A. 41 on the
left side and two line patent dates on top.

View attachment 431098 View attachment 431090

I don't know if this is a drawer number but in the crane cutout
are the numbers 163 on the frame and crane and scratched on
the inside of the rubber grips is the same number plus what looks
like a date (3-38) which are not the same as the last digits of
the serial number.

View attachment 431106 View attachment 431114

I am wondering if the barrel was replaced when it was sent
back to the factory.

Good Luck!
-Blue Chips-
Webb

An Army Special or Official Police barrel would be marked as such on the left side of the barrel. The Colt DA 41 mark appears correct for a Model 1892 type revolver. The gun may have been assembled and shipped a number of years after the frame was manufactured.

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Hondo44

· #5 · Nov 21, 2017

wlw19958 said:
Hi There,

Thanks for the reply. I ask because this revolver (an 1892 D.A.)
has a barrel which looks like it came from an Army Special or
Official Police but isn't mark except for: COLT. D. A. 41 on the
left side and two line patent dates on top.

View attachment 431098 View attachment 431090

I don't know if this is a drawer number but in the crane cutout
are the numbers 163 on the frame and crane and scratched on
the inside of the rubber grips is the same number plus what looks
like a date (3-38) which are not the same as the last digits of
the serial number.

View attachment 431106 View attachment 431114

I am wondering if the barrel was replaced when it was sent
back to the factory.

Good Luck!
-Blue Chips-
Webb

I'm not familiar with DA Colts; is there normally an assembly # stamped there? If not, yes that's very likely a drawer #. The same # scratched on the grips is another tell tale sign.

How about the cyl, is that # on front or back of cyl? Or under the barrel near the frame?

If you had the invoice which I've only seen with the gun on rare occasions, it would have that # in a little box labeled Drawer #.

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wlw19958

Discussion Starter · #6 · Nov 22, 2017

Hi There,

Hondo44 said:
I'm not familiar with DA Colts; is there normally an assembly # stamped there? If not, yes that's very likely a drawer #. The same # scratched on the grips is another tell tale sign.

How about the cyl, is that # on front or back of cyl? Or under the barrel near the frame?

If you had the invoice which I've only seen with the gun on rare occasions, it would have that # in a little box labeled Drawer #.

No. There isn't any numbers under the barrel. There is a number
under the extractor (22) but this isn't the same as the number in
the crane cut out. I know S&W used a fitting number to keep those
two parts together during the polishing and bluing process. Perhaps
Colt did this too (like the fitting number on the frame and loading
gate on the SAA). Like you, I'm not very familiar with this model.

The barrel on this one is a bit of anomaly. According to the serial
number look-up, it was made early in 1898 but the last patent date
on the barrel is July 4, 1905. The profile should be a straight taper
for this model but as one can see from the pics posted earlier, it has
the profile the Army Special had (flaring slightly at the barrel/frame
joint). I haven't lettered this revolver so the actual date it was shipped
is unknown.

This was the first handgun I ever bought (just after turning 21 in
1976) and it didn't come with any paper work. Back then, I was
just a "kid" and not knowledgeable on guns in general. I just
wanted a Colt and couldn't afford the 1911 the sport shop had.

Firearm Gun Revolver Trigger Gun accessory

Anyway, it is a Colt and I'm fond of it.

Thanks for all the help. Good Luck!
-Blue Chips-
Webb

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haggis

· #7 · Nov 23, 2017

The bolstered barrel (which you have) was first available on commercial revolvers in the 1919+ time frame. It first appeared on the Colt M1917 .45 ACP military revolver in 1917. It's possible that the replacement barrel was the reason the "✶" was on the right rear trigger guard indicating that Colt repaired the weapon. If the "✶" or "&" is located elsewhere, it means something else.

Buck

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wlw19958

Discussion Starter · #8 · Nov 23, 2017

Hi There,

Buck, I appreciate the response. One can see in the pic in my first post
of this thread, the "*" is indeed on the right rear bow of the trigger guard.
It is my working hypothesis that this revolver had the barrel replaced and
the markings indicate that it was sent back to The Factory for this repair.

Good Luck!
-Blue Chips-
Webb

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