Well this is my first time to go on this forum. I've been collecting old military pistols and rifles for a couple of years and came upon this little gun and the markings have me a little baffled. I know rifles a little better than pistols but still need help on both. Anyway, I just bought a US Army 1901 model 38 long colt. Now I know it's been reworked because of the marking and it is tight as a new gun. I am mainly curious about any info I can get from this pistol. First is has the c.a.r. marking as one would expect. on the pistol and cylinder. I don't see any on the wood grips but they are worn. If you take the wood handle off is has the number B 1152 markings on the metal beneath the grip. The same number B1152 is on the Barrell and the cylinder. There is also a K62 on piece holding the cylinder Serial number is 1380XX the barrel marking are for a a barrel to the last patent date of July 4, 1905. The colt symbol is not on the pistol. The barrell is approximately 4". not the 6" as would be expected.
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Colt Model 1901 Marking are Wierd
- Thread starter willie
- Start date
Sir William
New member
Hmmmm? Somebody will come along and tell you when it was made. The marking should be RAC for Mr Carr, the inspector. c.a.r.? Are you reading that correctly? A 4" barrel is rarer than a 6" but, they were produced. The possibility that the barrel was cut is high though. Bannerman cut many of these down and sold them IIRC up until the late 50s. Mine is not marked as much as yours. I wonder what a K62 means? The S/N is the one on the butt, cylinder, crane, inside the frame and on the thumblatch. The top of the barrel should read COLT'S PT F A MFG CO HARTFORD CT U. S. A. PATENTED AUG. 5.1884 NOV. 6.88. MAR. 5.95. COLT D.A. 38 should appear on the left side of the barrel. It is possible that the barrel was replaced. 38 Special is UNSAFE to fire in these revolvers.
The K62 is a Colt factory inspector's mark. B1152 is a Colt assembly number.
Rinaldo A. Carr was a government employee, a sub-inspector stationed at the Colt factory; he inspected parts and complete guns. The final acceptance cartouche was on the side of the left grip, at the bottom.* Carr's RAC was on the bottom of the same grip to show that he had inspected the grips, and his scroll cartouche was on the right grip to show that the whole pistol had passed his inspection.
The military version was made only in a 6" barrel length; civilian guns were made in 3", 4 1/2" and 6" barrel lengths. If a military gun has a 4" barrel, the barrel was either cut or replaced with a civilian barrel. If the military barrel was cut down, some of the marking should be missing. Civilian short barrels were marked in three lines so the marking would fit.
*DMT (David M. Taylor) and TCD (Tracy C. Dixon) are, I believe, the only ones.
Jim
Rinaldo A. Carr was a government employee, a sub-inspector stationed at the Colt factory; he inspected parts and complete guns. The final acceptance cartouche was on the side of the left grip, at the bottom.* Carr's RAC was on the bottom of the same grip to show that he had inspected the grips, and his scroll cartouche was on the right grip to show that the whole pistol had passed his inspection.
The military version was made only in a 6" barrel length; civilian guns were made in 3", 4 1/2" and 6" barrel lengths. If a military gun has a 4" barrel, the barrel was either cut or replaced with a civilian barrel. If the military barrel was cut down, some of the marking should be missing. Civilian short barrels were marked in three lines so the marking would fit.
*DMT (David M. Taylor) and TCD (Tracy C. Dixon) are, I believe, the only ones.
Jim
Thanks Sir William and Jim ---
Just to let you know it was so late last night when I wrote about the 1901 I must have been asleep. First, I appreciate the infor you have given me. Yes you are right the RAC is prevelent. My eyes were backwards. The complete patent dates on the barrel are Aug. 6 1884, June 5, 1900, July 4, 1905. COLT DA 38 on side and the bottom has 1152. Front of cylinder has the numbers B1152 and back of cylinder has the numbers beneath the ejector is 125. Also has RAC on back of cylinder. This gun also came with it "original" holster of which I am not sure of at all. It doesn't look anything like a 1911 holster. It does have a Patent number which I'm not sure I am reading it correctly and that is 1676700. As I see it -- The Barrel is not original either is the cylinder. It was probable reworked in latter years and had the B1152 number placed on the frame, pistol, and cylinder. I assume the holster is from the 50's. I shot it yesterday and it's fairly accurate. In other words I can hit a diet coke can from fifty feet repeadily. The cylinder release has no markings. My next one I am looking for is a 1917. Thanks again for your info.
Just to let you know it was so late last night when I wrote about the 1901 I must have been asleep. First, I appreciate the infor you have given me. Yes you are right the RAC is prevelent. My eyes were backwards. The complete patent dates on the barrel are Aug. 6 1884, June 5, 1900, July 4, 1905. COLT DA 38 on side and the bottom has 1152. Front of cylinder has the numbers B1152 and back of cylinder has the numbers beneath the ejector is 125. Also has RAC on back of cylinder. This gun also came with it "original" holster of which I am not sure of at all. It doesn't look anything like a 1911 holster. It does have a Patent number which I'm not sure I am reading it correctly and that is 1676700. As I see it -- The Barrel is not original either is the cylinder. It was probable reworked in latter years and had the B1152 number placed on the frame, pistol, and cylinder. I assume the holster is from the 50's. I shot it yesterday and it's fairly accurate. In other words I can hit a diet coke can from fifty feet repeadily. The cylinder release has no markings. My next one I am looking for is a 1917. Thanks again for your info.
Sir William
New member
During the Depression, Colt did a few rebuilds of their older revolvers. Many 38-40 Bisleys wre rebuilt as 357 Magnums. I cannot discount that the owner didn't return that revolver to Colt for factory work. The 4" barrel with complete address and patent dates lends some credence to the possibility. I am sorry to say that also takes that revolver out of the collector status. I generically estimate it at less than $200.00 value. A unmolested Colt New Army or Navy is fast approaching $1,000.00 in value. I saw a M1917 at www.simpsonltd.com Check www.oldguns.net too.