Colt revolver in 45 ACP?

[Shooter6br]

Sons friend bought a Colt revolver in 45ACP at local gun shop. I saw it a week earlier but did not examine it( Wife was with me LOL) Any clue what it might be? Sons friend not happy with moon clips. i have 25-2 Smith so no problem Thanks:killingpc

[Walt]

I'd think it would be a 1917.

[Sheriff]

U.S. Army model of 1917 aka New Service. Colt made them, as did Smith & Wesson, for WWI when there weren't enough 1911's to go around.

[Shooter6br]

Funny your name in Sheriff because the grip had a police or sheriff medalion in it if i remember. i guess i should ask son if friends dad wants to sell it. It looked like a K frame size. Any clue on value? I think it was $299?

[excess650]

The Colt New Service was a very large frame. I seem to recall the 1917s had their cylinders bored straight through, so will require moon clips or Auto Rim brass. S&Ws that I've seen and handled were chambered to allow the use of ACPs without clips. Value is whatever someone would be willing to pay for it. Condition and rarity always plays a role. For $300 I would expect that it was a beater.

Colt's .41 frame was used for Official Police, Officers' Model, Officers' Model Special, Officers Model Match, Three Fifty Seven, and Trooper amongst others. This was their midsize frame for 38spl, 357 mag, and .41 Colt with the odd 22lr 22mag, and 32 Colt. This is the frame the Python is based on.

[Shooter6br]

Thanks I first saw it andwasnt interested. At a good price maybe. Thanks

[bob208]

if it is not a real ********* $300 would be a steal. the early colts were bored stright through but later in production they were chambered like the smith. the 1917 was built on the new service frame.

[Guesser]

I have a late production New Service chambered for 45 A.C.P., made in 1942. It is chambered to use the ACP without moon clips, good thing, I don't like messing with them. I use Auto Rim most of the time or just poke the cases out with a pen if I use the Auto cases. Good gun, heavy and comfortable to shoot. Accurate with cast if sized to fit properly. I like mine.

[runfiverun]

you'd be surprised how many rounds you'll go through with moon clips.
shoot open flip up roll down close shoot ....repeat.
i bought 500 A.R. cases just to slow the kids down.

[9.3X62AL]

I wouldn't mess around with a 1917 bored straight through--or bored to "fit" 45 Colt cartridges by a shade tree gunsmith. I've seen several such abominations. A decent, workable 1917 will have what looks like A LOT of clearance between the cylinder extractor face and recoil shield, and its chambers will be "stepped" at a length consistent with 45 ACP case length--a little over half-depth. If the step is more than 3/4 deep toward the chamber mouth, it has been re-reamed. Caveat emptor.

[Ragnarok]

The earlier production 1917 Colts had the bored through cylinders requiring the ammo be clipped.

Later made revolvers had the headspace ridge so it can use .45acp without the clips.

[MtGun44]

I can't imagine how those early Colt 1917s must shoot.

Throats around .473" . . . .:shock:

I have read that this is the case, never saw one. My Colt
Army 1917 has stepped cyl just like the S&W 1917. Shoots pretty
well with .456" 455423 MP boolits.

Bill

[ddixie884]

MtGun44, I have a colt 1917 with the so called bored through chambers. Its chambers have throats just like a S&W. There is just not a sharp shoulder for the ACP case to headspace on. Instead, there is a gentle taper into the throat, and the .45acp cases drop in to just below flush with the rear of the cylinder. Hope this clarifies the term; bored through.....

[Grapeshot]

Man, my first big bore Dubble Action revolver was a Colt M1917 I ordered thru an outfit in Shotgun News back in 1975. I really liked that gun and I wish I had kept it. But that's what happens when you are young and dumb. Great guns fall into your possession and you sell it off to by something new and flashy. 20-20 hindsight.:groner:

Shot a lot of cast Lee .452-255grain RNFP boolits using .45 ACP and Auto Rim brass. Was in the Army at the time and had access to the .45 range where I would go and rake though the sand after a match and score an ammo can full of .45 ACP brass, WCC 66 or WCC 68 over the course of a year.

[MtGun44]

OK ! Finally, I get an accurate description of "bored through" 1917s. I have always wondered
how in the world the boolits got even remotely decent accuracy.

Thanks for the explanation.

Bill