I was reading a bit about the early Colt 1909s and New Service revolvers, and apparently their cylinders originally were bored straight through with no throat. From what I read, eventually for some of the 1917s, Colt added a throat to let the .45 ACP rounds headspace without a moon clip. Did Colt ever incorporate the stepped throat into the .45 Colt New Service revolvers? I'm interested in buying one, but I would have to imagine that having a throat in the cylinder would do wonders for both accuracy and leading compared to a cylinder bored straight thru.
.45 Colt New Service cylinder throats?
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Driftwood Johnson
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Howdy
This New Service is chambered for 45 Colt. It was made in 1906. Yes, it has chamber throats, they measure right about .452, which is perfect for 45 Colt.
For what it's worth, this one, chambered for 44-40 and made in 1907 also has chamber throats. They were a little bit tight for 44-40, around .424 or so if I remember correctly, so I had a gunsmith open them up to .430.
This New Service is chambered for 45 Colt. It was made in 1906. Yes, it has chamber throats, they measure right about .452, which is perfect for 45 Colt.
For what it's worth, this one, chambered for 44-40 and made in 1907 also has chamber throats. They were a little bit tight for 44-40, around .424 or so if I remember correctly, so I had a gunsmith open them up to .430.
Wil Terry
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THE ONLY ONES WITH NO THROATS were the very first issue 45ACP sixguns, of which the ones I shot did just fine, thank-you-very-much !! Throats were added forthwith so it could be shot without 1/2moon clips, just like their BIG competitor S&W.
And so it goes...
And so it goes...
Driftwood Johnson
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Howdy Again
When I bought the 45 it had already had a replacement hammer spring installed, so the trigger pull was very light and smooth.
However the stock spring was still in the 44-40, and yes it was very heavy. When the Smith opened up the chamber throats he also put a modified spring in, and now the trigger pull is much lighter, however not quite as light as the 45.
When I bought the 45 it had already had a replacement hammer spring installed, so the trigger pull was very light and smooth.
However the stock spring was still in the 44-40, and yes it was very heavy. When the Smith opened up the chamber throats he also put a modified spring in, and now the trigger pull is much lighter, however not quite as light as the 45.
I have a M1909 and M1917. The chamber mouths were not 0.452", they were closer to 0.456". Might have been even larger.
Colt New Service revolvers sold to the UK in WW1 were chambered in .455 Eley. When those revolvers were re imported in the 1950's and 1960's, importers rechambered the things in 45 LC. I have seen some of those and a number of cylinders were basically reamed straight through, it was sloppy work done dirt cheap.
Colt New Service revolvers sold to the UK in WW1 were chambered in .455 Eley. When those revolvers were re imported in the 1950's and 1960's, importers rechambered the things in 45 LC. I have seen some of those and a number of cylinders were basically reamed straight through, it was sloppy work done dirt cheap.
Jim Watson
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I never heard of a New Service in a regular revolver caliber "bored straight through." Or other Colt in anything more modern than .38 LC or .41 LC.
I don't think I have ever seen a 1917 "bored straight through" although we are assured that the first 50,000 were so constructed. Did they have a massive recall operation to put regular cylinders in them?
I don't think I have ever seen a 1917 "bored straight through" although we are assured that the first 50,000 were so constructed. Did they have a massive recall operation to put regular cylinders in them?
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