UPDATE is below.

A co-worker has one, Colt 1909 .45 LC. It's been trough a lot. Bad pitting, dinged up, and appears the bottom of the but where the lanyard ring attaches, this ones a broken screw post, has been ground off and no markings are visible. The serial number is 872xx. There is a marking on the left side of frame above the latch and just below the top strap. The marking is a symbol that looks like a stick standing in a glass bowl. Under that little symbol is G7 and under that is an E. I think this is a Colt, the barrel markings except for a number 5 on top of barrel are gone because of pitting rust. Some 1909's had the Colt logo and some didn't. The 5 looks like it's in the place where the Colt dates and things were stamped on top of the barrel.

I've been going blind looking on the internet for info. One site said that some were sent to the Manila Ordinance Depot in the Philipines and some to other Depot's and a small quanitiy was sent to civilian market.

Does anyone know what the marks on the frame mean? And does anyone know if Colt's design was copied by other Countrys or makers?

I am always impressed by the info I find here even if it's not a Smith.

Thanks for any info.

++++++UPDATE++++++

More internet research showed that:
It appears to be a Colt New Service 455 Eley Revolver made in 1915. The markings are British Military. The broad arrow is a British Government Inspection and Acceptance mark. The crown and G7 is an inspection stamp. The E is an Enfield Armory Inspection mark.

The info you guys gave me made finding more about it a whole lot easier.

Thanks again everyone!

__________________
Army.USMC.Airforce (Res)

UPDATE is below.

A co-worker has one, Colt 1909 .45 LC. It's been trough a lot. Bad pitting, dinged up, and appears the bottom of the but where the lanyard ring attaches, this ones a broken screw post, has been ground off and no markings are visible. The serial number is 872xx. There is a marking on the left side of frame above the latch and just below the top strap. The marking is a symbol that looks like a stick standing in a glass bowl. Under that little symbol is G7 and under that is an E. I think this is a Colt, the barrel markings except for a number 5 on top of barrel are gone because of pitting rust. Some 1909's had the Colt logo and some didn't. The 5 looks like it's in the place where the Colt dates and things were stamped on top of the barrel.

I've been going blind looking on the internet for info. One site said that some were sent to the Manila Ordinance Depot in the Philipines and some to other Depot's and a small quanitiy was sent to civilian market.

Does anyone know what the marks on the frame mean? And does anyone know if Colt's design was copied by other Countrys or makers?

I am always impressed by the info I find here even if it's not a Smith.

Thanks for any info.

++++++UPDATE++++++

More internet research showed that:
It appears to be a Colt New Service 455 Eley Revolver made in 1915. The markings are British Military. The broad arrow is a British Government Inspection and Acceptance mark. The crown and G7 is an inspection stamp. The E is an Enfield Armory Inspection mark.

The info you guys gave me made finding more about it a whole lot easier.

Thanks again everyone!

__________________
Army.USMC.Airforce (Res)

You have about summed up the distribution, based on what has appeared in books on Colt over the years.

The M-1909 is just a military variant of the New Service model, as is the later M-1917 in .45 ACP.

However, the '09 was made for a special .45 Colt round, with a wider rim, to insure reliable extraction. It was loaded only by Frankford Arsenal, I believe, and none of the ammo was ever sold commercially, except later maybe, as surplus.

The M-1909 was a stop-gap to get a .45 in the hands of troops mainly in the Phillipines, until a .45 automatic could be adopted. After the M-1911 was adopted, it was gradually phased out of service. It was conventionally blued, not Parkerized.

Presumably, you are aware of the exceptional need for a powerful handgun during the Moro Wars.

T-Star

Well, that was one for the record. Finally, a post that got me up off my fat...recliner and off to the gun room. I've a few examples of the 1909 and from what I see at this end, I can't help. Sorry, but a picture or two would really help identify what you have. I'm assuming you've correctly identified the revolver as a Colt New Service Model of 1909, right? The butt should be marked US Army or Navy or USMC and a number, right? Under the barrel should appear "United States Property," right? From my examples and my information, all were marked with the rampant colt & stylized "C" on the side plate. What you see above the cylinder release is probably an inspector's mark. Usually RAC or sometimes FB, not sure how that would translate into a "stick in a bowl." Sure would like to see a photo. The serial number on these things was stamped inside the crane and ranged, generally, from 30,000 to 50,000. Sure would like to see a photo. Oh, wait; I already said that.

I just re-read your post to confirm a nagging suspicion. The "5" could be all that remains of the last patent date which was 1905.

__________________
"The last Boy Scout."

Here's photos:
[URL= [URL=

__________________
Army.USMC.Airforce (Res)

one more...
[URL=

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Army.USMC.Airforce (Res)

Yep, that's a Colt New Service. Probably not - definately not - a 1909. That is a British Broad Arrow above a crown proof/acceptance mark. Could be Canadian issue. Colt sent many thousands of those to England and her Commonwealth nations, like Canada, during World War I. They were usually chambered for the .455 Eley cartridge. You might want to check the chamber to see if it is either .45 Colt or .455 Eley. I would guess Eley. According to the number you've listed, the gun was made in 1915. The July 4, 1905 patent date would be consistant with a New Service made in that year. The last patent date, from 1926 to the end of production in 1944, would have been October 5, 1926.

It is definately a Colt, but not a 1909.

__________________
"The last Boy Scout."

It just makes me sick to see how some of these fine old guns have been treated.

This one does have a British proof mark.

T-Star

Xring, if you don't buy it, let me know if your friend would sell it to me! Thanks

__________________
Always bet on stupidity.

I'll tell him about the offer. I don't want it. The guy said he had an old gun and was wondering what it was. If he wants to sell I'll let you know.`

__________________
Army.USMC.Airforce (Res)

DeaconKC: The owner is going to give it to his son in law so its not going to be sold.

__________________
Army.USMC.Airforce (Res)

Roger that. Something like that should stay in the family first!

__________________
Always bet on stupidity.

Does anybody else think that ejector rod is a bit strange?

Buck

The (is it octagonal?) shape of the ejector knob doesn't look like the one on my New Service at all. Regards, Jerry

The end of the ejector rod looks, to me anyway, like the nut part of a "quick link". The "C" shaped links you use to connect chains. Bet the original was lost, somebody looked around the garage/barn/parts bin for something with the same thread size that had some length to it, and...this did.

Reminds me of the old farmer/rancher that lost the front sight on his Winchester Model 94 and soldered a 16p nail to the barrel and used a wire cutter to adjust the elavation.

__________________
The Wizard

I don't know a lot about the Colt New Service revolvers, but I do agree the ejector rod end isn't correct.

QC, I thought the 1909 Model New Service was the one with the straight barrel (like the pictured one) and the later models had a barrel that was swamped to a larger diameter at the juncture with the frame? Maybe the gun was rebarreled with an early model barrel...

My rechambered .455 New Service has the straight barrel, as is a spare .455 barrel that I picked up about 25 years ago.

__________________
John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

It may have received a lot of that use / abuse during the war, being used in the role for which it was designed.

If it was delivered in 1915, it saw at least three years of service under ghastly conditions.

__________________
You're shy a few manners.

Colt New Service barrels were originally straight, but the stepped, tapered ones began around 1917, applied to that US Army version and later commercial guns.


T-Star

I have one it is as identified only it has a T on the crane & it is not marked US Military under the barrel but it is a USMC gun.

Xringdistroyer,

If you can locate a copy of the 2003 Gun Digest, the feature article, illustrated in color, titled "Issue 45s of the 20th Century" (which I wrote) has chapter and verse on the M1909 Colt. You might want to check it out.

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -