[trains2planes]

Nice catch and glad that a forum member got it. We all congratulate you on a fine purchase. That's one helluva snubby though, I have a 4" nickel plated 38 NS and that seems big. But a 2" NS is just awesome, all business.

 

[bmcgilvray]

So wonderful to see these photos. Thanks WW for posting them. Hoping for more and better ones soon.

As a point of interest, these are the barrel lengths that Colt offered the New Service revolver in: 2", 3", 3 1/2", 4", 4 1/2", 5", 5 1/2", 6", 6 1/2" & 7 1/2" There may be others but these are ones that I have seen and been able to collect.

Another Colt Forum tidbit of knowledge I learned here. Knew of the paltry number of 2-inch New Service revolvers made, but wasn't aware of the 3 and 3 1/2 inch lengths.

 

[WinstonWolfe]

Now I just realized that I need a 3” New Service. Did not know they existed until Cam just mentioned it. I consider anything under 4” a snub in the spirit of the single action sheriff models.

 

[bmcgilvray]

I love the New Service revolver! This thread caused me to go peruse GunBroker this evening looking for shorter barreled New Service revolvers. I don't need to be buying guns this summer.

 

[victorio1sw]

A very nice find! The factory barely had enough room left for that half-round front sight!

 

[WinstonWolfe]

I love the New Service revolver! This thread caused me to go peruse GunBroker this evening looking for shorter barreled New Service revolvers. I don't need to be buying guns this summer.

I plan to buy more guns this summer. Feel free to pass all you find my way.

 

[azshot]

Good find. What I think is interesting is how few other models had short barrels. I guess since there was a Detective Special, buyers figured if you wanted short and concealable, you just bought that.

 

[WinstonWolfe]

Gun arrived in record time about 18 hours after I won the auction. Packaged better than I have seen from anyone. Wonder if the old sock it was wrapped in is part of pedigree? This was how it was brought into the shop.

 

[thecoltguy]

Another Colt Forum tidbit of knowledge I learned here. Knew of the paltry number of 2-inch New Service revolvers made, but wasn't aware of the 3 and 3 1/2 inch lengths.​

• And don't forget the 6 1/2" as Colt only made one of those.

 

[WinstonWolfe]

Good find. What I think is interesting is how few other models had short barrels. I guess since there was a Detective Special, buyers figured if you wanted short and concealable, you just bought that.

This gun pre-dates the Detective by 2-3 years. First Detectives and pre-Detectives started showing up in 1926-1927. I do have a few SAA and Bisley sheriff models with 2”-3.5” barrels dating to late 1800s through early 1900s as well as a 1912 2.5” Police Positive, but snubs were definitely not commonplace prior to the Detective Special. I wonder if John Henry Fitzgerald had something to do with commissioning these large frame snubs.

 

[thecoltguy]

Now I just realized that I need a 3” New Service. Did not know they existed until Cam just mentioned it. I consider anything under 4” a snub in the spirit of the single action sheriff models.

According to my notes, I have three serial numbers on the 3" so there are two more out there someplace.

 

[saintclair]

WW, Another great acquisition for you!! Congrats!!

 

[thecoltguy]

This gun pre-dates the Detective by 2-3 years. First Detectives and pre-Detectives started showing up in 1926-1927. I do have a few SAA and Bisley sheriff models with 2”-3.5” barrels dating to late 1800s through early 1900s as well as a 1912 2.5” Police Positive, but snubs were definitely not commonplace prior to the Detective Special. I wonder if John Henry Fitzgerald had something to do with commissioning these large frame snubs.

My earliest 2" pre-Detective Special is March of 1926. It was charged to the selling account which meant that Colt did not charge for the gun nor was it shipped to one of their distributors. I assume it was the first or one of the first made and passed along to someone important as an enticement toward more orders. Mr. Byerly may have been a west coast representative for Colt as it is my understanding that the Los Angeles Police Department was one of the first to order these for there plainclothes officers. This could have been the sample that started it all. Of course, this is all just conjecture on my part.

 

[thecoltguy]

This gun pre-dates the Detective by 2-3 years. First Detectives and pre-Detectives started showing up in 1926-1927. I do have a few SAA and Bisley sheriff models with 2”-3.5” barrels dating to late 1800s through early 1900s as well as a 1912 2.5” Police Positive, but snubs were definitely not commonplace prior to the Detective Special. I wonder if John Henry Fitzgerald had something to do with commissioning these large frame snubs.

WW. You will have to add a few more Police Positive Specials as well to your collection. Here are the 1 1/4", 2 1/2" and 3" PPS:

This 1 1/4" I had made as there is only one of these know and my friend Charlie Marx has it.




Note the early shipping date of June 1922. A one gun shipment




The 3" with the square butt. "OS Frame means Old Style" One gun shipment
Hosted on Fotki

The 3" with the later round butt frame. One gun shipment

 

[WinstonWolfe]

Very nice Cam! I tend to buy opportunistically and span about 1870 though modern in search of interesting Colts. However, I would pay well if something like that 1.25” ever came on the market. I like odd and unusual.

 

[Hopalong]

I got another one of my must-have guns today, a 2” New Service. My understanding from Cam is that records research discovered 19 of them. This is probably number 20 (since research did not go that far back). This one was made in 1924 and is the earliest known 2” New Service. It spent all of it’s life in Chicago, changed hands last time almost 50 years ago, and now it has a new home in Virginia for as long as I am on this Earth.

Big thanks to Cam, Tom Kirkpatrick and Paul at Colt Archives for information and support.

These pictures were taken by me when I examined the gun in Chicago last week. I expect it via Fedex tomorrow and will post more.

That's a gorgeous hand cannon.

 

[andy3921]

These Pre Detectives are somewhat of a mystery, Serial Numbers Date to 1928 yet shipped in 1926. Cam's SN 339236 Dates to Shipment of March 22, 1926. Mine with SN 336999 dates to shipment in May 14, 1926, 2200# earlier, but shipped later. The only difference is Nickel and Blue. I think this has been discussed before and I will start a separate thread.

 

[thecoltguy]

These Pre Detectives are somewhat of a mystery, Serial Numbers Date to 1928 yet shipped in 1926. Cam's SN 339236 Dates to Shipment of March 22, 1926. Mine with SN 336999 dates to shipment in May 14, 1926, 2200# earlier, but shipped later. The only difference is Nickel and Blue. I think this has been discussed before and I will start a separate thread.

Andy. Again it just goes to show that Colt did not ship them in chronological order. With it being charged to the loan account and shipping to the police department in St. Louis it again shows that Colt was trying to stir up business with the law enforcement community across the county with there new 2" guns. How about a picture of yours. We may want to start a new thread on this so we don't highjack WW's 2" New Service thread. I know that WW likes snubby's so he will probably join in there as well.