Colt New Service, 45 Long Colt

[magician422]

I came across an ad with someone selling a 1916 Colt New Service revolver for $650. Anyone have any information on this old revolver and if the price is the correct valuation.

Pictures attached

From the ad:
"This a really great shooting pistol, very accurate and fun to shoot. The cylinder locks up like a vault and the trigger is very smooth. The serial number puts the gun being made in 1916. As you can see from the pictures, there is bluing loss on the barrel and cylinder, the grips are in good shape with no cracks."

 

[Buzzcook]

650 is not out of line for a relatively clean shooter. I'd buy it.

 

[reddog81]

Probably a reasonable price. Maybe low if anything. Even in that condition those old Colts aren't cheap.

I'd check everything over real close to make sure it isn't reblued and that everything functions properly. That frame looks real shiny for the condition of he barrel. Even if it has been refinished the price isn't terrible but I'd offer $550 if I could prove it has been refinished.

 

[Ozzieman]

That is a good price for a Colt but if you haven't read thought the thread above on the gun check out, DO

 

[James K]

I think it is almost a certainty that that gun has been heavily used and has been buffed and reblued; possibly an old police gun. IMHO, it is overpriced for its condition, especially since we (I) don't know how it functions, and finding parts and expertise for those guns is pretty difficult today.

Jim

 

[mete]

Before the 357 came out the Colt New Service ,45Colt was the sidearm of the NYS Police

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

I have two Colt New Service Revolvers. The one at the top in these two photos is chambered for 45 Colt, made in 1906, the one at the bottom is 44-40, made in 1907. Notice the earlier frame style with a hard edge by the trigger guard rather than blending into the trigger guard like the one you are looking at.

In 1917 Colt released a 45 ACP version that became known as the Model 1917. These are really big guns. Notice how much larger the frame is than a S&W Model 1917.

Looking at the photos of the gun you have supplied, it appears to me to have been refinished, that is not the original blue. You can see dishing around some of the screw heads. This is despite the fact that it is missing some finish on the barrel.

I paid a good deal more than $650 for each of my New Service Revolvers, but they have the original finish and have not been refinished. Except maybe the trigger on the 45. Even with the refinish, if the gun locks up tight and I would probably offer $550 for it. Not more.

 

[James K]

The New Service was used by a number of police departments and individual officers. Through and after WWII, it and the SAA were the only Colt revolvers made for the .357 Magnum cartridge. For many reasons, some departments preferred Colts, others preferred S&W's. The preference for S&W's was evident in the southern part of the U.S. to the point that the PA-MD border was sometimes called "The Smith and Wesson Line", even though in fact both the Maryland and Virginia State Police were issued Colts.

Jim

 

[Old Stony]

Hard to tell from the pic's for sure, but it appears to show some dishing around some of the screw heads that I would suspect was the result of buffing for a reblue. It does look to have had some hard service and I would suspect a refinished police handgun. As has been mentioned, it's hard to find smiths competent to work on these anymore...not to mention parts availability. If you are planning to shoot it much it could be a problem down the road.

 

[jglsprings]

Wait for it....

 

[Clark]

I have (3) Colt Service revolvers:
1) 45 Colt 1943, 2012 $550 George Numrich aftermarket barrel
2) 455 Eley 1916, 2013 $600
3) 38-40 1920, 2013 $475 + $45 tax = $520 reblued, bore not perfect

I have been looking to buy more New Service revolvers, but the price keeps going up and the condition keeps going down. I have not found anything since 2013.

The OP pic looks bad but the shooting sounds good.

 

[walnut1704]

Yeah, I suspect a re-blue also. It looks a little too good where the bluing is intact and the pattern of the bluing loss is odd.

I had a re-blued 1909 Army. I bought it cheap because it was plated. I had the plating removed and had it blued. Ultimately I found the New Service frame too large for me to shoot comfortably double action and I sold it.

 

[Drm50]

I agree it seems hi for condition. I bought one in similar shape for $350 a couple
years back. It had a few issues other than finish. I just broke even when I offed it.

 

[Clark]

DRM50,
If that revolver is 45 Colt original and locks up tight with the trigger pulled, I would expect to see a $600 -$700 price at the pawn shops today.

Guns, guitars, and Gold appreciate at 3% compounded, generally. It is background inflation.
Winchester 44-40 rifles and Colt 45 Colt revolvers are on a steeper exponential curve. It is collectibility on the upswing.
Mossberg bolt action 16 gauge shotguns are on a shallower line. Not very desirable and not very useful.

 

[Jim Watson]

A friend has a New Service salvage gun. I don't remember what it started out as, but he found a .38-40 barrel and rechambered a .38 or .357 cylinder to .38-40 Improved. Why .38-40 Improved, I asked. "That's the reamer I had." he said.

 

[ThomasT]

My dad had the 1917 version with the half moon clips. I was with him when he bought it. His came from Leonards Farm & Ranch store in Ft Worth Tx. They had two barrels full of these guns. He dug around till he found one he liked. The price? Six dollars. I wish he would have bought several more but we were pretty poor back in those days. It was the first handgun I ever shot. I was 6 years old at the time.

 

[James K]

Anyone reading Jim Watson's post about .38-40 should read it all and remember that (unlike other "38" calibers), .38-40 actually uses a .401" bullet. So a .38-40 cylinder needs to be accompanied by a .38-40 barrel and vice-versa.

Jim

 

[old bear]

It could be a fun novelty revolver to add to a collection. Remember to do a full a complete inspection before you buy. Colt parts can be hard to find and expensive. As can finding a gunsmith who really knows how to work on Colts.

As for pricing all I can suggest is, ask yourself how much you really want it?

Good luck

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Why .38-40 Improved, I asked. "That's the reamer I had." he said.

OK, I have to ask. What is 38-40 Improved? I have a Colt and and two old Winchesters chambered for 38-40, but 38-40 Improved is a new one on me.

 

[Jim Watson]

Typical Improved cartridge, less body taper, sharper shoulder.
His remark just moves the question back to "Who would want to have a .38-40 Improved reamer made?" but I didn't push on that.