Does any have a list of serial number - date of manufacture for Colt 1917 US Army issue or a web site that does? I've been searching and cannot find one. Any help would be appreciated...
The Colt Model 1917 has TWO serial numbers.
One is the official US Government number on the butt and the other is a Colt factory number on the frame where the crane seats, on the crane, and inside the side plate.
Collectors argue WHICH is the "real" number.
The Government considered the butt number to be the serial number and when they sold them off as surplus the paper work listed the butt number.
Others consider the "real" serial number to be the Colt factory number.
The only problem there is that Colt made up guns from some frames that were per-war stock so you can't be sure the Colt factory number will be near the actual date of assembly.
There is data with US Government shipping information listing when the guns were actually shipped from Colt.
You might try this data base:
