Who Shoots A Colt New Service? What caliber?

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  • Last Post 20 August 2023
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Ed Harris posted this 01 February 2019

I got lucky on another GunBroker auction and picked up a 1914 date of manufacture Colt New Service in .455 Eley.  Looks like it will be a great shooter and I look forward to a range trip when the wind dies down, the snow melts and the temperature is above freeezing.

Who else here has a New Service Colt?  What caliber?  What do you shoot in yours?

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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davemarkowitz posted this 20 August 2023

Tonight I got the Shooting Master to the range for the first time. I had 38 rounds left in this box of .38 Special, Hornady 148 grain HBWCs on top of 3.0 grains of Bullseye. The Colt is a BIG gun so I shot 2 handed, and single action since I have small hands. Yeah, I yanked one. My POA was at 6:00 on the bull.

The SA pull is about 3 lbs. (that's a SWAG) with no takeup, creep, and almost no over travel. It's the proverbial "glass rod" trigger.

Aside from the midrange loads I also ran a couple cylinders of 178 grain Keiths on top of 5.3 grains of Unique, which is a .38 +P load. They were accurate as well. (The Keith bullet is the Matt's Bullets version of the 358429, sized to .359. It's proven to be very accurate in my other revolvers.)

For comparison I also brought my 4" S&W Model 28-2, which wears a set of Herrett's Shooting Stars. It's more comfortable to shoot with heavy loads due to the stocks and the DA pull is much better.

Anyway, I'm very happy with the Colt and look forward to shooting it at longer range. 

--- Dave Markowitz

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RicinYakima posted this 15 August 2023

S&W did that often, but their polishing and finishing process made a lot more alliances for buffing than Colt did. I have a 1910's Army Special and a 1928 Official Police and the stock panels are within thousandths of an inch of each other. 

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davemarkowitz posted this 15 August 2023

Thanks, Ric!

--- Dave Markowitz

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RicinYakima posted this 15 August 2023

Very nice Revolver!!

 

1. Shooting Masters have a different grip profile than New Service, and those look correct. I've never seen the serial number in a Colt made after 1900.

2. All the Colts with adjustable front sights I have seen have straight slot screws. 

FWIW

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davemarkowitz posted this 14 August 2023

I can now join in this thread. Today after work I picked up this Colt Shooting Master in .38 Special. It was built in 1932. Colt made 3,500 Shooting Masters starting in 1931, with 2,500 of them chambered for .38. The exterior has some finish wear but the chambers and bore are near new.

With my S&W M-1905, 4th Change Target for scale.

Colt Shooting Master and S&W M-1905

 

I had a Pachmayr 6M grip adapter which may not be the correct size, but it's close enough to work.

SM with grip adapter

A couple questions:

1. Should the grips be serial numbered? I removed them and they have no numbers inside. I think they may be replacements.

2. Would hex head screws be original for the front sight? Allen screws were invented around 1909 - 1910 so it's possible they are original, or they could be replacements.

--- Dave Markowitz

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Ed Harris posted this 15 January 2023

Sorry, unable to edit from my Android phone or add pictures. Imagine a 1915 Canadian marked New Service .455 with 2-3/4" barrel.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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Ed Harris posted this 15 January 2023

It is time to dust this thread off with my Official Carhartt Barn Coat Pocket Blaster. Expanded bullet is Speer 250-grain Deep Curl in Starline case with 4 grains of Bullseye, 630 fps, three gallon water jugs.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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RicinYakima posted this 27 July 2022

You are ready to team up with Indiana Jones now! 

These were the end of the "western" era revolvers and I'm glad you got a nice one to play with. 

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Ed Harris posted this 27 July 2022

Finally had a chance to shoot the gun. WRA 200-grain softpoint in balloon-head cases with Sharpshooter powder gave 824 fps and groups in ten and X-ring of a B8 repair center at 25 yards with 6:00 hold. My handloads with Accurate 43-230G and 18.5 grains of IMR4227 are 830 fps and slightly higher point of impact, but all high in ten ring. Adequate packing pistol.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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JeffinNZ posted this 05 April 2022

Not too shabby for 100 years old.  Simple elegance.

Cheers from New Zealand

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Ed Harris posted this 04 April 2022

Got lucky on this GunBroker auction. A 1922 Colt New Service .44-40 with 4-1/2" barrel and lanyard loop. Zero end shake with empty brass in chambers. Cylinder gap 0.008 pass/0.009 hold. Timing and indexing correct, with crisp trigger pulls and smooth DA. Cylinder throats .429 and uniform, barrel groove diameter slugs .427".

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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sluggo posted this 12 February 2022

My Colt new service has been around the block. It went across the pond in .455 Eley during World war one. Then it came back over the pond to be converted to .45 long colt. Then someone gave it the easy to spot in the woods nickel finish and coarse checkered grips. Somewhere along the line somebody who knew what they were doing gave it a terrific trigger job. That along with a great bore and tight action make it a testament to what a revolver should be. one of my favorites to take to the range.

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RicinYakima posted this 12 February 2022

I took a partial .455 Webley NS and made a 44 special out of it. Lots of work, but the best shooting .44 I ever owned (sold all my Rugers and Smiths). 

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Green Frog posted this 11 February 2022

I must resist. I must resist.  I MUST RESIST!

I decided many years ago that I “needed” a Colt New Service in 45 Colt or better yet 44 Spl.  At my advanced age, I’m deciding I need to get rid of some of my firearms, not add more. Then again, if I tripped over a New Service, or better yet a New Service Target Model, I would have to admit that “resistance is futile…” depressed  Fortunately, they’re pretty rare around here, so the temptation doesn’t arise very often. wink

Froggie

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RicinYakima posted this 11 February 2022

My vote is for the 5", but what do I know?

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 11 February 2022

i am not much of a revolver guy ... but that 4 inch just looks * right * ...

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Ed Harris posted this 11 February 2022

My lastest, a 1933 4-inch .38 Special. Cylinder gap is 0.005" pass / 0.006" hold.  Zero end-shake with empty brass in chambers.

Timing correct, bright, crisp bore.  Weighs 41 ounces.  Can't wait to get it to the range.  Factory letter has been ordered.

 

1933 Colt New Service .38 Special 4-inch

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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Wheel Weights posted this 30 May 2021

And then this one showed up 455 target sold in London. Still trying to track down name on top strap.

 

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Wheel Weights posted this 23 May 2021

Finally plugged the last hole (cartridge wise) in CNS collection

The only Magnum they ever made.

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Wheel Weights posted this 17 May 2021

And another that is odd. They accepted my offer this AM !!!

 

https://www.proxibid.com/asp/LotDetail.asp?lid=61025557

 

USMC one w/7.5" bbl, BUT it letters !

But the plot thickens. Not a 1909 USMC model so ------ Awaiting old letter from consignor that may shed light.

Thinking it may have been engraved to memoralize something.

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