1920 Colt New Service .45 Colt

Dump1567 · Aug 15, 2015

I just bought this at a local shop for $756 OTD. I've always been a S&W revolver guy, and this is my first big frame Colt.

I posted a few pics on the Colt forum and one of the responses was this was a 1917 that had been converted to .45 Colt. I don't see any indication of that and was wondering what the opinions over here would be?

I ran the serial number through Colt's website and it comes up 1920 as the year of manufacture.

What would be the max. safe velocity of a .45 Colt round to shoot out of this?
Also, does anyone know what the Pearl grips are worth in the condition shown?

Any other info. about these guns would be much appreciated.
Thanks.

Here's many pics. Anyone know what the "N" or "G" marks on the grip frame mean?

Valmet · Aug 16, 2015

Congrats on the New Service! Wish I had some answers for you but I don't know my Colts very well. The NS guns are quite the pieces of hardware.

Dump1567 · Aug 16, 2015

GlockFan said:
Congrats on the New Service! Wish I had some answers for you but I don't know my Colts very well. The NS guns are quite the pieces of hardware.

Thanks.
It was pretty much hashed out on the Colt forum. I'm going to call Colt and get a letter to see how it shipped. I think it's original, and an old 1917 frame that sat around awhile was used to build it.

Valmet · Aug 16, 2015

Cool- that gun is definitely worth the price of a letter IMO.

moosedog · Aug 16, 2015

Nice catch. I think you stole it at that price.

S&WIowegan · Aug 16, 2015

I don't say it's a 1917 but the gun's butt has been ground on and altered so who knows what has happened. What is the barrel length? 1917s had 5 1/2" barrels. Also, it's not a simple ream job to convert a 1917 45ACP cylinder to 45 Colt. A letter should tell you how it was when shipped at least.

As you can see by the condition of the pearl stocks, they are fragile and can't take much actual shooting....they are play prettys not good stock material. Save the stocks for show and shoot it with something else.

petepeterson · Aug 16, 2015

Super-cool revolver. Enjoy that one. I wish I could help with some of the techno info, but it's out of my league. I like it alot, though!

Dump1567 · Aug 16, 2015

S&WIowegan said:
I don't say it's a 1917 but the gun's butt has been ground on and altered so who knows what has happened. What is the barrel length? 1917s had 5 1/2" barrels. Also, it's not a simple ream job to convert a 1917 45ACP cylinder to 45 Colt. A letter should tell you how it was when shipped at least.

As you can see by the condition of the pearl stocks, they are fragile and can't take much actual shooting....they are play prettys not good stock material. Save the stocks for show and shoot it with something else.

I don't think the butts been grounded, I just think it's rub wear from the lanyard swivel. The barrel is 5 1/2".

I've got some no bark w/medallion on order from Grashorn. Once I verify the gun wasn't shipped with those Pearls (if the letter even list grips), they'll probably be put up for sale.

Valmet · Aug 17, 2015

S&WIowegan said:
I don't say it's a 1917 but the gun's butt has been ground on and altered so who knows what has happened. What is the barrel length? 1917s had 5 1/2" barrels. Also, it's not a simple ream job to convert a 1917 45ACP cylinder to 45 Colt. A letter should tell you how it was when shipped at least.

As you can see by the condition of the pearl stocks, they are fragile and can't take much actual shooting....they are play prettys not good stock material. Save the stocks for show and shoot it with something else.

It's definitely not a 1917.

alwslate · Aug 17, 2015

I would guess that it's a 1917 that has been converted. The barrel
looks like a 1917 barrel the way it tapers down in front of the reciever.
If you look at pics of the NS model you will see that they generally
have a straight barrel taper, not stepped down like the 1917. Because
of the gap needed for .45 acp and clips the cyl can't simply be reamed
for .45 Colt so it was probably changed. The more worn blue on the cyl
suggests that it was likely used as it was while the rest of the gun
was reblued to clean up the military finish. It will be interesting to
see what you find out. It's a nice old revolver either way.

44wheelman · Aug 17, 2015

Not a 1917, looks original to me. nice buy, I would have bought it.

Valmet · Aug 17, 2015

You can tell that it's not a 1917 as the front strap kind-of looks like it bows forward in the 1st and 3rd pics.

Skeetr57 · Aug 17, 2015

As a general rule, I stay away from Colt revolvers due to lack of durability and other issues, but I make an exception for the New Service models. I currently have 3, a Mod1909 Army issue, an early one with the 4 1/2" barrel in .45 Colt, and a Shooting Master in ,38 Special. I have owned a couple or three more in the past, but prefer the S&W N frame for looks and shooting.

Dump1567 · Aug 17, 2015

It has the commercial proof on the frame by the trigger guard. I've seen two other identical to this (minus the grips). One in the 306xxx serial number range and one in the 307xxx.

I think this was just a left over military frame used to build a commercial gun. We'll see what the letter says in 2-4 months.

It also fits this profile from the Coltfever website:

The New Service Commercial Model 1917 parts model.
Following World War One, Colt had quantities of left over parts for the Model 1917 so they made a limited run of commercial models of it using those parts
These were made in .38-40 WCF, .44-40 WCF, or .45 Long Colt.
These were available with 4 1/2" or 5 1/2" barrels.
Grips were hard black rubber or checkered walnut with silver medallions.
The last patent date on these barrels was July 4, 1905
There were about 1,000 made.

Called Colt for the letter. They pulled the book and verified commercial guns were made in the 302xxx to 304xxx Serial number range. And that the 1917 did stop around the 301xxx range.

Ross3914 · Aug 17, 2015

alwslate said:
I would guess that it's a 1917 that has been converted. The barrel
looks like a 1917 barrel the way it tapers down in front of the reciever.
If you look at pics of the NS model you will see that they generally
have a straight barrel taper, not stepped down like the 1917. Because
of the gap needed for .45 acp and clips the cyl can't simply be reamed
for .45 Colt so it was probably changed. The more worn blue on the cyl
suggests that it was likely used as it was while the rest of the gun
was reblued to clean up the military finish. It will be interesting to
see what you find out. It's a nice old revolver either way.

Colt changed the barrel profile from the straight to the taper with the step. After WWI, all New Services regardless of caliber had that taper.

.45 Colt was the most popular caliber, and 5 1/2 the most popular barrel length. The gun pictured is pretty standard for the day. I think it left the factory like that.

Shorty 45 MK2 · Aug 17, 2015

Congrats on your newest!

Can't help much on the technical info, but you should be safe using .45 Colt cowboy loads as well as some black powder loads.

DWalt · Aug 17, 2015

Anyone who knows anything about Colt NS revolvers would tell you this one is original. I get so tired of people who know nothing about Colts knocking Colts because they are unreliable, get out of time, etc., etc. Bull****. Having bought my first Colt in 1960, and accumulating 8 more since, all of which are still in good condition, with none ever requiring a trip to a gunsmith, I can say that given reasonable care, they will not fall prey to any of the problems attributed to them.

Rio Laxas · Aug 17, 2015

Nice revolver!

I have a M1909 that is in nowhere near as nice a condition, and I love it. It's a blast to shoot. My only complaint is that I wish there was more availability of target grips for the New Service. I reckon I'll have to get some Herrett ropers made for it.

Skeetr57 · Aug 17, 2015

There were several changes to the Colt NS over the years, mostly before WWI, I think. The barrel profile was one such change, and there was a change to the trigger guard profile and the frame where the crane swings out. Internally, there was the addition of a hammer block safety also. I am no expert on them, so what I know is derived from the research on the ones I have owned. My dislike of smaller framed double action Colts is based on the 14 years I did gunsmithing. I got a lot of work from a S&W Police Distributor who took a lot of them in on trade, mostly Official Police models, but including some DS and Police Positive Specials. I saw many more of these that were shaky and/or out of time than I did on S&W M&P models, and the Colts were harder to work on as I ever found a part that would just drop in - all had to be fitted. None of the above complaints pertained to the NS models.
I think that the NS model was the first revolver that Colt chambered for the .357 Magnum, so that says something for their strength. The two that I have in .45 Colt are old, one from 1907 and the other from @ 1909, but I wouldn't restrict either one to cowboy loads. Any current factory load should be fine. The NS in .45 Colt was once the issue gun for the NY State Police and the RCMP. When those guns were surplussed, there were some bargains to be had!

Valmet · Aug 17, 2015

DWalt said:
Anyone who knows anything about Colt NS revolvers would tell you this one is original. I get so tired of people who know nothing about Colts knocking Colts because they are unreliable, get out of time, etc., etc. Bull****. Having bought my first Colt in 1960, and accumulating 8 more since, all of which are still in good condition, with none ever requiring a trip to a gunsmith, I can say that given reasonable care, they will not fall prey to any of the problems attributed to them.

How hard have you used your Colts over the years?

1920 Colt New Service .45 Colt

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