Colt New Service Question

Status
Not open for further replies.
T

Texas Colt

Member
Joined
May 30, 2005
Messages
629
Location
Central Texas
I stumbled across a Colt New Service in 38 Special today. What makes it interesting is that it has the rare 4 inch barrel. It's all original with about 80-85% finish. The timing is a little off if you cock it real slow. No problems with it if you cock it fast or cycle it double action. The cylinder gap looked good and it locked up real tight when the trigger is pulled.

Do any of you have any idea what it would be worth? They are asking $499 which seems a bit high to me because of the timing problem; or is it worth that much because of the 4 inch barrel? I sold a New Service (M1917) in 45 ACP a few years ago for $400 that was in better condition. Thanks for your input.
 
Grab it! BTW if you shoot DA, no matter how slow , the cylinder will carry up all the way! I have a late .357 4" that has been reblued and it's still worth a grand!:)
 
Check the back strap carefully. Picked one up, 4" barrel blue, that was marked Gorgia State Police.

Pretty large gun for such a "puny" round, but back then they made 38/44 ammo (the original +p+ ammo, but not marked as such) which isn't far off the pace of today's detuned 357mag. ammo.

Can re-time the Colt, even though parts are getting hard to find...also getting harder and harder to find gunsmiths that understand the old Colt DA's, but that price seems to be close to the goring rate.
 
The 4 inch barrel was relatively common on .38 Special and .357 Magnum New Service revolvers, and at one time it was the Border Patrol's issue sidearm.

Make sure the crane isn't slightly sprung, which could affect the cylinder carry-up (or not rotating far enough). If a new hand is necessary, Numrich has aftermarket ones at www.e-gunparts.com

$500.00 (even if they call it $499.00 :rolleyes: ) does seem high to me, but New Service revolvers aren't going to be made again and collectors are driving prices up, and I'm sure they will continue too do so.

Check the serial number to see when it was made, and that it has checkered wood grips, not hard rubber. Back during the 1950's a lot of older New Service's were converted to .38 Special because the parts were available, and the ammunition less expensive to shoot. A converted gun would not be worth the asking price in my opinion.
 
colt new service

paid 1000.00 for 45acp and 45 long colt.great guns
 
$500 sounds high to me but I could be wrong and if it's what you want then you should buy it. I don't think the 4" is really rare, but certainly less common than the 5.5" length. A 4" .38 may indeed be an ex-cop gun. You in Texas? I believe the Texas Highway Patrol carried these in the 1930s and maybe 1940s.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top