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Old 06-20-2018, 07:58 PM
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Colt DA 45??? Help, I know nothing. Colt DA 45??? Help, I know nothing. Colt DA 45??? Help, I know nothing. Colt DA 45??? Help, I know nothing. Colt DA 45??? Help, I know nothing.  
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Default Colt DA 45??? Help, I know nothing.

I've been looking for a .45acp revolver for a while, especially a Smith 1917 and found one in my LGS, but it's a Colt DA 45.

Serial # is 3974 under the barrel near the cylinder. Also "United States Property" under the barrel next to the serial number.

I know nothing, zip, nada about Colts…I have just two, a 32acp 1903 and 9mm 1911.

Now if it were a S&W I'd know a lot more about those guns....from here and a bunch of reading....but I need help here.

It looks as if it's been reblued but the bore is good. For the price, $395, it's all I want, a shooter. But I'd love to hear as much as people are willing to share esp. if there is anything special I should look for and if the price is right.

thanks
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Old 06-20-2018, 08:27 PM
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I believe that is a .45 ACP gun. Looks like a 1917 Colt. That is how the Colts were marked, I have one, and it is an excellent shooting gun. If everything operates correctly, as far as timing etc., I would buy it. You can also shoot .45 Auto Rim cartridges without the moon clips, or regular .45 ACP without moon clips, but you have to extract them individually.

I think that from what I can see that is a pretty good price.

By the way, the more I look at your photos, the more I believe that yours has not been refinished. Look at mine. This is how they were finished and shipped by Colts during WWI. The rough finish is correct. If your bore and chambers are good, and the finish is original, these are usually going for considerably more than $395. I think I would grab it.

Edit.... I don't think the number that you are seeing on the barrel, 3974, is the serial number. The serial number should be in the cut out for the crane, on the frame, when the cylinder is opened. Same place you will see it on many S&Ws. The number on the butt is the Army number. There are some folks over on the Colt forum who will tell you when it shipped based on these numbers.

Here is mine...barrel marked the same way...by the way, mine will turn 100 years old in December of this year:



Best Regards, Les
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Old 06-20-2018, 08:32 PM
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"I think that from what I can see that is a pretty good price."

So do I!
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Old 06-20-2018, 08:51 PM
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Assuming the timing isn't off, most sellers would be asking twice that much.
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Old 06-20-2018, 09:14 PM
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Look at the butt. What is the marking. Is it .45 Colt or .45 ACP?
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Old 06-20-2018, 09:54 PM
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AJ, the barrel has the correct marking for the .45 auto chambering, which is "Colt 45 DA". This is how all of the Colt 1917s are marked. If it's government issue, the butt should be marked "U.S. ARMY MODEL 1917" in front of the swivel, and "No XXXXXX" behind the swivel. But there would be no caliber marking there.

I'm betting its original .45 ACP.

Best Regards, Les
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Old 06-21-2018, 10:16 AM
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It'd be gone home with me for that price! if the gun is of decent mechanical condition.
Looks to me also like an original Wartime 'polish' finish. Some are quite rough, others though the grit is coarse, the lines of the polishing still follow the commercial directions.

That extra number on the side of the bbl, I don't know about that one. Doesn't ring a bell with me as being a Colt applied #.
Hope there's a real ser# on the frame and it's not one of these scrubbed guns that someone added a new ser# to.

Some of the early 1917Colt had chambers that were bored straight thru,,no shoulder in them for the case to headspace on.
That feature or lack of it, was quickly rectified so rounds could be loaded w/o the use of the clips and the revolver still be in service.
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Old 06-21-2018, 10:26 AM
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A number of these .45 revolvers were arsenal rebuilt and received a four digit number stamped upon them to keep the major parts together. I once had a M1909 Colt in .45 Colt caliber and it also had an additional four digit number stamped upon it in several different places.

I received that information from the Colt forum many years ago.
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Old 06-21-2018, 10:38 AM
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The revolver shown is the Colt Model 1917 US Army. Probably made 1917-1918 for World War I (although some were completed from parts on hand after WW1 and sold commercially). Designed to accept .45ACP ammo via two 3-round half-moon clips (will probably function without the clips, but extraction and ejection could be a problem).

Generally appears to be complete with correct original parts. Since it has been refinished the $395 price tag is about right. Actually, the total value of individual parts today probably exceeds the asking price.

The 1917 Colts were basically Colt New Service revolvers with minimal finishing work, suitable for military use. Colt's will identify the gun as a New Service, with the serial number inside the frame under the cylinder crane being the factory serial number. There may be another number stamped on the butt, which is the sequential number applied to all Model 1917's (Colt and S&W) based upon the Army's requirements. This causes some confusion, and many will look at these and argue that the numbers don't match so it can't be original, etc.
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Old 06-21-2018, 12:56 PM
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Looks like a nice old Colt- esp for the price. Hell if you don’t buy it, I want it!
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Old 06-21-2018, 01:15 PM
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I had both the Colt and the S & W, and I much preferred the S & W. The Colt seemed ungainly to me.

Reloading the 45 Auto Rim is easy, if you can find the shell holder=You use 45 acp dies and Starline, at least, does a run or two of brass every year. I loaded lead bullets with 5 gr of Titegroup (Start a little lower, of course!)

Oh, Pacific Canvas has holsters and, I think, webgear. Half moon or full moon clips are available.

Oh, in my opinion, the 1917's are contenders for the perfect bedroom defense gun!

Last edited by BearBio; 06-21-2018 at 01:18 PM.
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