Colt New Service U.S. Army Model 1917 .45 ACP 5 1/2″ Revolver, MFD 1919 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1300
LSB#: 210205MS09
Make: Colt
Model: New Service Model of 1917 US Army
Serial Number: Government Serial Number: 59230, Factory Serial Number: 213046
Year of Manufacture: 1919 (https://www.colt.com/serial-lookup)
Caliber: .45 ACP
Action Type: Double Action Revolver with Swing Out Cylinder
Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “COLT D.A. 45”, the top is marked “COLT’S PT. F.A. MFG. CO. HARTFORD, CONN. U.S.A. / PAT’D AUG. 5, 1884. JUNE 5, 1900. APR. 9 01. JULY 4 05”. The underside of the barrel is marked “”UNITED STATES PROPERTY””, “13960” and on the flat with inspector mark “H”. The crane cut is marked “H”, “Y”, “213046”, “A” and “13960”. The crane is marked “213046 / 13960”. The rear face of the cylinder is marked “H” and under the ejector with “13960”. The left trigger guard bow is marked with a “3”. The butt is marked “U.S. / ARMY / MODEL / 1917 / No / 59 / 230”. The sideplate has an incomplete rampant colt.
Barrel Length: 5 1/2”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a tall Patridge style blade. The rear sight is a “U” shaped groove in the top of the receiver.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece smooth wood panels. There are some scattered light nicks and scratches with a few more notable marks on the bottom. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in about Very Good condition as refinished.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Refinished
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 85% of its current metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. Most of the balance is handling wear in the grip straps and trigger guard. There is finish wear at the muzzle on each side. There is some other scattered minor finish loss. There are some scattered minor nicks, scratches and spots of minor surface oxidation. The action shows minor operational wear including a thin turn-line on the cylinder. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. The markings are generally clear, the rampant colt and a couple of inspection marks are shallow and incomplete. Overall, this revolver is in Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The cylinder lockup has no play with the trigger depressed on all chambers. The single action trigger pull is crisp and the double action is smooth. We did not fire this handgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.
Our Assessment: This revolver was made for the U.S. Army, who wanted a revolver capable of using the same ammunition as the 1911 semi-auto. The .45 ACP rounds were loaded in 3 round half-moon clips. This revolver had stepped chambers in the cylinders, the intention of which was to allow .45 ACP rounds to be fired without the half-moon clips should none be available, although the fired cases couldn’t be ejected. This pistol will also fire and eject the .45 Auto Rim, which was a special cartridge developed for Colt and S&W 1917 revolvers so they didn’t need the use of clips. Although this revolver has seen some use, the bore is good and the action is in remarkable condition for a revolver this old. We often don’t see cylinder lockups this good on revolvers that are new in the box, let alone on those more than 100 years old. This revolver ought to get the attention of the Colt collectors out there, especially those with an interest in WWI firearms. Please see our photos and good luck!