Old Colts

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Any New Service in .357 is desirable for many. As always...condition counts. Plus...there are some which Numrich fabricated .357 marked barrels for years ago that were screwed onto some guns and had the .38 chambers bored to accept a .357...not a safe thing to do.
 
Colt also chambered the SAA in .357. Never interested me. For my tastes, the only caliber for Colts is .45 Colt. I have made exceptions for M1917s however, but that's still a .45.
 
I've owned a couple of the old Colt 357's back in the day. And an old "Trooper" too IIRC.

These days, the only "old" Colt I have is an early post war Official Police with a 5" barrel, in 38 Special of course.

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That Official Police is a "Duo-Tone"...where the flutes and some other areas are left matte and unpolished. That brings a premium in the Colt collector world. Those original plastic stocks look like they haven't shrunk which as common. Another plus.
 
The New Service is a fantastic gun. I have three - two .45 Colts and a .38/40. I would love to find a .357 New Service.

Two of them below - a New York State Troopers marked .45 Colt and a .38/40 with some cool stags.
 

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That Official Police is a "Duo-Tone"...where the flutes and some other areas are left matte and unpolished. That brings a premium in the Colt collector world. Those original plastic stocks look like they haven't shrunk which as common. Another plus.

I knew about the Coltwood grips, but knew nothing of the "Duo-Tone". Never heard of that one before.

I'm sure I paid a premium for it. I just saw a really nice "Official Police." I've got $700 written down, but I'm not sure if that was the tag price or what I paid. I THINK it was the tagged price.

I do not believe it had ever been fired (outside the factory) when I got it, but since I couldn't prove that, I have fired a few wadcutters through it. I probably will never shoot it again. I've got other 38's.
 
Any New Service in .357 is desirable for many. As always...condition counts. Plus...there are some which Numrich fabricated .357 marked barrels for years ago that were screwed onto some guns and had the .38 chambers bored to accept a .357...not a safe thing to do.

No more unsafe than rechambering a S&W Heavy Duty to .357. The Colt NS actually has a thicker cylinder and the notches aren't directly over the chambers either.
 
Any New Service in .357 is desirable for many. As always...condition counts. Plus...there are some which Numrich fabricated .357 marked barrels for years ago that were screwed onto some guns and had the .38 chambers bored to accept a .357...not a safe thing to do.
A couple years ago I bought a 1916 NService with Canadian or British markings, but converted to .357 with a Numrich Arms cylinder and 8" barrel. it also had a small scope on it. I removed the scope then when shooting it my friend wanted to buy it. I sold it for what I paid. He shoots .38s in it and says it shoots better than his Pythons and various S&Ws. It had a high ramp sight he took down a little because it still had the rear groove sight.
 
No more unsafe than rechambering a S&W Heavy Duty to .357. The Colt NS actually has a thicker cylinder and the notches aren't directly over the chambers either.

Point taken...but that doesn't mean the cylinder and frame were heat treated to withstand magnum pressures. It may not grenade but will at least stretch if not properly heat treated.
 
Dad's duty gun for 30 years was a 6" .357 Colt New Service worked over by King's in Calf back in 1938/39; adjustable sights and tuned the action.

It also served as his centerfire target pistol shooting for the Dept. Team in the 50s/60s. He shot "Master Class" > 640 out of a possible 700 out to 50 yds. He reloaded for the team, .38 wadcutters on a Star progressive reloader. He cast his own bullets out of wheel weights local service stations would donate; FBI buddy would give him 5 gal buckets of once fired brass .

The Twp/Dept had a 10 position 25yd range [IIRC] indoor range..... Dad would shoot once or twice a week with the Colt and/or his S&W Model 41.

I took it to Alaska the summers of 1976 and 77,,,,,,

It's now a highly prized safe Queen!
 
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