Question for you Colt guys

[pumpguy]

I have a chance to buy a Colt New Army in 32-20. This gun has about a 4" barrel. The cylinder is a little loose and there is no bluing left to speak of. There is no rust, though. It has black plastic stocks and some type of oval mark with the Colt horse.

I also have the chance to buy a Colt in 45. It looks like the 32-20 except bigger. It has staghorn grips that appear to be original and genuine. It has the horse stamped on the side, but, does not have the oval football shaped mark with it like the 32-20. It retains most of the bluing and has just a little bit of rust near the front sight.

I am not a Colt collector and have no idea what these guns would be worth. I also have no idea of the history of these guns. Any help here would be appreciated.

[scrapcan]

pumpguy,

Here is a website that will help you decipher dates of manufacture from the serial number.

I am not much help of the value question. I am sure there are some colt aficionados here that will help you out. A co-worker has a new army in 32-20 that was a bit of trouble to get figured out but once we did it shoots very well with Lyman 3118 and all the powders we have tried so far. Brass can be all over the places as far as dimensions.

If it were me I would look at both and if funds permitted and price was reasonable I would probably buy the 45, or both. But price would have to be right as they would be shooters at my house.

[9.3X62AL]

The Colt New Army or Army Special (later series) is a very desirable revolver. Check for cylinder looseness with the hammer fully down--if still loose, the advancing hand will need attention. The number of revolversmiths willing to do that sort of work is fast declining. One caveat on all 32-20 revolvers--this caliber with older smokeless-powder factory loads had a habit of sticking bullets in the barrel, and then having a bullet fired behind the lodged projectile--causing a swelled spot in the bore. INSIST on clean bore/bright light inspection before committing to buy.

The 45 caliber revolver is likely a New Service variant, perhaps a 1917 in 45 ACP or a 45 Colt from the factory. Either one would please me right to the ground, as would the 32-20.

I've seen a number of New Service/45 Colt examples over the past few years with gun show asking prices between $475-$600, that last for a 90%+ example. The New Army/Army Specials are a lot scarcer around here, and I haven't seen an asking price in quite a while.

[pumpguy]

The Colt New Army or Army Special (later series) is a very desirable revolver. Check for cylinder looseness with the hammer fully down--if still loose, the advancing hand will need attention. The number of revolversmiths willing to do that sort of work is fast declining. One caveat on all 32-20 revolvers--this caliber with older smokeless-powder factory loads had a habit of sticking bullets in the barrel, and then having a bullet fired behind the lodged projectile--causing a swelled spot in the bore. INSIST on clean bore/bright light inspection before committing to buy.

The 45 caliber revolver is likely a New Service variant, perhaps a 1917 in 45 ACP or a 45 Colt from the factory. Either one would please me right to the ground, as would the 32-20.

I've seen a number of New Service/45 Colt examples over the past few years with gun show asking prices between $475-$600, that last for a 90%+ example. The New Army/Army Specials are a lot scarcer around here, and I haven't seen an asking price in quite a while.


The 32-20 does shake even with the hammer down. How does this affect the value and is it an expensive fix? Is this a huge problem? The 45 is 45 ACP. He shoots it with moon clips. Any chance the grips are genuine? They seem real as they are porous where they have been cut on the bias.

[nicholst55]

I see Army Specials on GunBroker all the time; a very nice one will run around $350-450 in .38 Spl. The .32-20 is a fairly common chambering in them, too. I can recommend a good gunsmith with lots of experience on Colt revolvers if you're interested. He rebuilt a 'trotline sinker-grade' .32-20 Army Special for me into a very nice gun.

And FWIW, my Army Special had two bulges in the bore like 9.3X62AL mentions. Finding a replacement barrel was quite a challenge.

[Bret4207]

Have a Colt Army Special in 32WCF. It's a good shooter given the right loads and if the guy running it can do his part. That cylinder looseness- Be advised thats with the hammer down AND the trigger held back, as though you'd just fired it not just with the hammer down. That's when everything is all locked up. Same for a Smiff.

nicholst55- Who's the 'smith.

[nicholst55]

nicholst55- Who's the 'smith.

His name is Jon Tank, at Tank's Rifle Shop in Fremont, NE (402-727-1317). He learned Colt revolvers from Bill Laughridge at Cylinder & Slide.

His website doesn't talk about handguns, but he does excellent handgun work!


http://www.tanksrifleshop.com/index.htm

[9.3X62AL]

Bret, thanks for the clarification to Pumpguy, I should have been more detailed in my response.

Not a huge issue at all for a Colt-acquainted smith or armorer, it is more armorer's work--in the 50's. Many thanks to NicholsT55 for the info on the Colt fixer, too.

[pumpguy]

Thanks for the heads up Nicholst55. I am heading back to Omaha next week. I may borrow the gun and see what he would charge to fix it up. Hopefully, his shop is still standing after last weeks 100mph straight line winds that blew through Fremont.

[nelson133]

I have a Colt New Service in .45LC that I bought for $375 last year. It was made in 1916 and has the original stag grips. Mine seems to be a reblue and is just a shooter, but it is a lot of fun. I think this one was shot only a little as it is very tight. The worst problem with it is that the original half moon front sight is very diffiocult for my old eyes to pick up.
If you can get the old girl for a reasonable price, go for it, it is a fun gun and if you reload, shooting costs aren't too bad. It isn't a difficult cartridge to load for.
They don't make guns like this any more.

[nicholst55]

Nelson, I saw a really slick setup on another forum. A guy had a pre-war Smith revolver rebuilt by Hamilton Bowen, and he milled down the half-moon blade, but left the base portion of it there. He milled a slot in it, and installed a partridge blade with a gold bead on it. It looked really neat - like it belonged there, and the owner said it works out really well for him.

Something along those lines might be something to consider with your New Service, since it's already been reblued.

[smkummer]

Big difference in the action and getting it fixed. The New Army is a left wheeler. The army special has the positive lock action and transformed into the official police and as a result, most of the internal parts interchange with a python. Very view gunsmiths will even try and work on a New Army. Fewer and fewer will work on any Colt with a positive lock action. Colt most likely will work on the gun (Army Special) and has the special tools to do so. Let us know what kind of price they are wanting and we can tell you if its a good deal. 32-20s won't sell like a 38 special.