[haggis]

I'll bet you a dollar to a doughnut that it was made in 1917, and that the "research" that said 1918 was either Colt's Internet serial number dating service, Proofhouse.com, or TBOCF, not a factory letter. There were no known commercial New Services made in 1918, but I have seen a factory letter on one from September, 1917 that is within about 250 of this one (and those references above say 1918 on that one, too).

The gun in question is very nice - I don't think i would worry about the "white" muzzle.

Buck