The consignor will be donating 100% of their proceeds to the Park County Animal Shelter in Wyoming.
Make: Colt
Model: New Service
Serial Number: 318676
Year of Manufacture: 1923
Caliber: .38-40 WCF
Action Type: Double Action Revolver with Swing Out Cylinder
Barrel Length: 5 1/2"
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a tall Patridge style blade. The rear sight is a "U"-notch integral to the topstrap.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered wood panels with silver-colored Colt medallions. There is a lanyard ring on the butt. The grips have no notable wear or damage, only light handling marks. The checkering is well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Excellent condition as not original to the gun.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is semi-bright and the rifling is sharp. There is infrequent minor erosion, mostly toward the muzzle-end, and scattered stubborn fouling in the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 7+/10.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 85% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. There is some finish loss on the right of the frame below the cylinder and light wear on each side of the barrel. There are some light nicks and scuffs, most notable in the backstrap. There is infrequent minor oxidation. The action shows operational wear including a turn-line on the cylinder. The screw heads range from sharp to lightly tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this revolver is in Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this handgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.
Our Assessment: The New Service revolver entered production in 1897 and was the first Colt double action revolver with a cylinder rotation to the right. The New Service was available in various calibers, but when the Army decided to adopt it in 1909, they were looking for a man-stopper to replace their New DA Army revolvers that gained such a poor reputation in the Spanish American and Philippine-American wars. The result was the .45 Colt chambered Model 1909. After the Army switched to the Model 1911 semi-auto, they wanted revolvers in the same caliber for WWI, and the Model 1917 New Service was adopted, chambered in .45 ACP.
In addition to their military offerings, the New Service was also sold on the commercial market in a variety of configurations and chamberings. This example is chambered for .38-40 Winchester with a 5 1/2" barrel and a lanyard ring on the butt, a less common configuration for this model. The bore is still in decent shape and the mechanics are strong. It will make a nice addition to a Colt collection and may still prove to be a fun shooter for the .38 WCF enthusiasts. Good luck and happy bidding!
