A Colt New Service...a lot has happened since 1911

[29aholic]

As much as I like Smith's I have always had a soft place in my heart for big Colts. I traded for this gun at the last Tulsa show, just now getting around to posting it (tax season and all).
Anyway, this is a US Army 1909 45 Colt that has obviously been redone at some point in its life. It has a later (3rd variation) barrel, commercial grips, and a later blue job. I tend to believe this was a factory job, but I have yet to find the indicative markings. As the pictures show, there is no dishing, overbuffing, the studs are still proud, trigger guard sides are still square, etc. If it wasn't factory whoever did it was a Master. Personally I dont care I think its gorgeous.
Dates to 1911

[Onomea]

Very nice, Curtis. Are those someone's initials on the frame there at the base of the hammer?

That"s a very interesting gun, in addition to attractive!

[Muley Gil]

Originally Posted by Onomea

Very nice, Curtis. Are those someone's initials on the frame there at the base of the hammer?

That"s a very interesting gun, in addition to attractive!

Those look like RAC, the inspector. His last name was Carr, and I can't recall how to spell the first name-something like Rinado.

[Vulcan Bob]

Very nice! Those New Service's sure are a big revolver and I think an N frame is a bit big for my hand. Let us know how she shoots and enjoy that big ole Colt.

[Texas Star]

Originally Posted by Muley Gil

Those look like RAC, the inspector. His last name was Carr, and I can't recall how to spell the first name-something like Rinado.

Rinaldo A. Carr

[Deacon KC]

That is one fine revolver. Congrats on a great find.

[David LaPell]

My New Service is kind of an opposite, it was one of 1,000 1909's that were returned and made into newer guns. Notice it has the earlier barrel but the serial number puts it at 1933 or so. This one came from who knows where but the bore is mint even though it looks like someone steel wooled the finish. I have an original set of black colt rubber grips on the way for it.

[29aholic]

David
Nice gun. From my research the 1909 is the rarest of US military sidearms as most were left in the Phillipines and of the ones that came back most are rough. I owned an all original 1909 some years ago when no one cared about them and I always regretted trading it off.
Yes this gun still has all of it original markings (sans the US property on the bottom of the barrel) those of you have said are correct that RAC was an inspector.
The story on the gun was it came out of the estate of a retired army officer but I have not been able to substaniate that. I have learned my lesson and buy the gun not the story.
I have shot the gun and with factory cowboy loads will shoot one ragid hole once you get used to the sights.

PS
I have to add this, I traded a fairly nice 2nd 44 HE for the gun and I am not ashamed to admit it.

[Frank46]

Rinaldo A. Carr was the inspector