I bought this recently from a good friend. It dates to 1921 I think and is in good shape for it's age. I added some Grashorn Elk stocks to replace the old wood stocks that were originally on it. I think the Grashorns looks better. Can't wait to take it out shooting and see how this old war horse does.

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Tom
"Panem et Circenses"

I like it. I have had one like it but am not familiar with the numbers like that under the barrel. Maybe mine had them too and I didnt notice. Dont lose the original grips. I used to be good at that!

You scored a fine piece! And those stocks look more like Grashorn's elk bone than elk horn. They look very dense and with no bark like I prefer. Here's the only one I've ever owned.

Nice looking New Service. The cylinder latch looks like the later style. If it's original to the gun then it would date to the late '20s or '30s. Don't know what the numbers on the lower left of the barrel are for.

Thanks for the compliments all. This is a military "US Army Model 1917", as stamped on the lower butt. I believe the number on the barrel is an arsenal number and is also stamped on the yoke, frame, and barrel of this gun. The serial number is 2307xx and is stamped on the yoke and frame.

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Tom
"Panem et Circenses"

With that s/n I would guess that it dates to somewhere around the summer of 1918. Maybe Haggis will be along soon. He knows a lot more about these guns than I do.

I love my New Service, although its a bit later production, late 1930's and is in .45 Colt. This gun is very respectable even at its age, and heck, they're isn't anything like a good solid .45 even it isn't a Smith. I have thought about modifying this one with trimming the barrel down to 4-inches or so, but it is too nice of a gun.

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Vaya con Dios

If your gun is from the 30's it should have a tapered type barrel with the shoulder at the frame. I like your old style barrel better, though. Here's a .45 Colt from 1932 with the later barrel.

I have a New Service, SN 132837. Can someone date that for me?

Maybe. Is she cute? Just kidding. I think your gun is 1918.

Tom,

Your gun was delivered to the Government in late June-early July, 1918. I can give you the exact week if you let me know the full service number on the butt. The number on the barrel is the arsenal rebuild number which was required to be stamped on major parts of the gun (barrel, frame inside crane cutout, crane, cylinder, and on the hammer and trigger inside the gun) when rebuilt at an Army arsenal. With a number that high, it was done by either Springfield or Augusta Arsenal. Arsenal marks (AA, SA, RIA) show up less commonly than do the rebuild numbers, something I can't yet explain.

Regards,

Buck

David,

You modify that gun, and I will personally come and flog you with a wet noodle. Besides, if your serial number is in the block 336,450-337,500, you have one of a recognized collector variant, about 1000 guns assembled with surplus M1917 frames, and a collection of parts like untapered pre-war barrels, square cylinder latches, smooth triggers, and any kind of stocks that were on hand. These are referred to as the Parts Clean-up Guns, and they were produced in 1933-1934. Calibers were .38-40, .44-40, and .45 Colt. Barrels were mostly 5½", with a few in 4½". Still fit like any Colt from the era, but lower cost to help with cash generation during the Depression.

Buck

Your gun was delivered to the Government during the week of November 9, 1918, the week before the Armistice.

Buck

Mine is one of 1,000 that was made by Colt using the earlier style barrels and 1917 frames. The serial # is 3368XX which falls into the range of the 1,000 guns. Some will have the markings of the 1917 and spot where the lanyard was and then plugged, or like mine which has none of those. I think mine is either a 1933-1934 production.

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Vaya con Dios

Icing on the cake for you! A variant I've never heard of and you are lucky enough to have scored one. Did you know This before Haggis brought it up here?

I found out not long after I got the gun, I posted some pics and info for the forum of the prancing pony that shall not be named, and they tipped me off and gave me the serial number range. I got the gun for next to nothing, even though the owner of the gun shop told me he knew all along. Revolvers where I live are cheap, especially older horse pistols like this one. It shoots like a dream with my handloads.

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Vaya con Dios

Thank you for all that good info Haggis! I hope this Colt isn't the start of a new addiction... It's good to diversify I guess.

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Tom
"Panem et Circenses"

Nice New Service! I had one (a later model as it had the taper at the frame where the barrel met the frame) and man did it shoot!
Took several groundhogs with it and one fox. These are great old sixguns that never go bad! Dale

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"Long live the S&W 3rd. Gen.!"

Something happened to my Colt 1917 US Property

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C & L

Something really cool happened...... Nice classic, updated, belly gun!

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Tom
"Panem et Circenses"

Here is what I believe to be a factory rebuild of a 1909 US Army. SN dates it to 1911, but it has a later non US marked barrel and commercial grips. If it aint factory, whoever did the work was a master.

Trust me it is the beginning of a new addiction. Ask me how I know. Don't. listen to your friends as they will lead you astray like mine did. First it was pistols with no specialization then came the specialization S&W revolvers, thn the Sig's, the Colt snake guns and the deepest hole one can fall into...Shotguns. My "good friends", my dear friends... One is trying to get me into archery now.

BTW I have a New Service ib 44-40 with a 5 digit s/n