Identity and Date of Manufacture of Colt Revolvers

pgmrdan

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Sep 23, 2011
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Colt serial numbers?!

I'm confused but it sounds like Colt Manufacturing is even more confused.

I bought a Trooper Sunday. The guy that sold it said it was manufactured in 1959. Proofhouse.com said it was manufactured in 1960 I think (I assume the serial number paired up with a year is the first serial number for that year and not the last serial number for that year. That right?). So I called Colt yesterday to find out which year is right and the guy said it was manufactured in 1969(?!?!?!)...unless there was a letter after the serial number. He told me that if I find a letter to call back. So I looked last night, found a letter, and called back this morning. The lady said the gun was manufactured in 1960 and that the letter has nothing to do with the date of manufacture.

So, what the heck is going on at Colt?

Is there a definitive source for finding the year of manufacture of a Colt Trooper revolver?
 
Proofhouse.com is the only FREE online source I know of for Colt revolver serial numbers.

I expect that when you called, the first guy just looked on the wrong chart and the lady got it right.

The only definitive source would be for you to pay a hundred bucks for a factory letter giving the gun's original configuration, shipping date, and destination. I don't see the point of that on a modern gun unless you were trying to document it to a famous individual.

Right now you have two votes for 1960, one for 1959 (indistiguishable from 1960 if you ask me) and one for 1969. I'd call it a 1960 gun and be content.
 
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That number is on both the frame and the crane. Under the number on the frame is a 'U'.
 
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Colt serial numbers can be very confusing.
Trooper numbers were intermixed with the Officer's Model Match, the 357 and Trooper numbers depending on the caliber.
As example .22 Troopers were numbered with the .22 Officer's Model match.
.38 models were numbered with the Trooper numbers AND the .38 Officer's Model Match.

The "U" under the serial number is a factory inspectors stamp.

In the mid-1960's, Federal law demanded that all firearms have a unique serial number.
At that time Colt started using letters as a prefix or suffix in the serial number.
In these guns, the letter is part of the numbers. It's stamped WITH the numbers, and in the same font, size, and depth as the numbers.

Letters AROUND the serial number are factory inspection numbers, and on per-war guns numbers ABOVE the serial "may" have special meaning.
As example a pre-war gun with a "T" above the serial indicates the gun was factory targeted.
 
Detective Special Serial 992XXX age?

Guys sorry to bother you, but do you have any idea how old a Colt Detective .38, serial number 992XXX may be. There is a C stamp below the number. It is my fathers, and I cannot seem to find that sequence anywhere on charts I have. Is this a 1960s model? Anybody? Thanx again.

Chuck
 
Chuck that number doesn't fall within DS serial numbers that I can find. Could be 1968 but should be precdeeded by a "D".

Also please start your own threads with such questions or they can get lost.
 
I know Radagast is the King of S&W revolver DOBs and I was wondering if the same was possible with Colt revolvers.
Never mind I found the info, its from 1923

a) caliber
b) bbl length (from cylinder to muzzle)
c) grips shape (round or square)
d) number of shots/cylinder bores
e) type of sights.
f) serial number, and if there is a letter in front of or anywhere near the s/n on the bottom of the grip
g) Model number if it is under the crane.
That number, if it is the s/n, should come from the butt of the grip (or under the barrel or face of the cylinder).

A picture or two is worth A LOT of words in this case...


a) .38 S&W Special
b) 6" barrel
c) not sure on a Colt
d) 6 shot
e) Fixed, Half Moon front
f) xxxxxx
g) Official Police


352.jpg
353.jpg
 
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Ah yes and it looks like a nice example, square butt. The Official Police was introduced in 1927, I don't think your date is correct.
 
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I checked on the site, but I couldn't find anything about the Anaconda. I have a six inch .44 that is drilled and tapped for scope mounting. The serial number is AN01***
 
I'm a little confused. I have Trooper Mk III. Do I look under Trooper, or Mk III series? None of the numbers look right. My s/n is 1***3L
 

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On most Colt hand ejector models made after 1908 (and a few before) the serial number is stamped on the frame under the back end of the barrel, and behind the crane. Swing out the cylinder to see it. Otherwise it is usually found on the butt, or on the frame just ahead of the trigger guard.

On U.S. military model hand ejectors the number on the butt usually is a contract number used for inventory purposes. The Colt serial number is located as described above. Generally the two numbers are not related to each other.

Colt has always used model names or letters, but not numbers, and you will usually find the model stamped on the side of the barrel. This can mislead someone if the barrel has been changed, so be careful.

And if that isn’t enough to cause rampant confusion, they sometimes had several different models within one serial number series.

When in doubt, a picture is worth a thousand words.

If you are sure of the model, go to www.proofhouse.com and use the serial number to find DOB.
 
I'm a little confused. I have Trooper Mk III. Do I look under Trooper, or Mk III series? None of the numbers look right. My s/n is 1***3L

Mk.III Series (Lawman, Metropolitan, Official Police, Trooper, and Officers Model Match).
1***3L = 1978
 
colt single action frontier scout 22 mag

a) 22 mag
b) 4 5/8
c) square
d) 6 shots
e) blade
f) 11504XF
g) no model number.
 

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I inherited a few guns recently and am trying to find out anything I can about them. Anything would help like age, model, value (if any), safety issues or whatever.

I'm new here, so bear with me while I figure this all out. I'm sure a lot of my terminology will be wrong. I'm better at shooting a gun than describing one. The Colt revolver is;

a) Caliber - Colt. D.A. 38 (Marked on side of barrel)
b) bbl length - 3 1/2"
c) grips shape - Square
d) number of shots - 6
e) type of sights - fixed blade
f) serial number - 281270 (worn, but that's what it looks like, on grip butt)
g) model number - No idea on that.

The number 1323 is on the ejector button, the frame inside the cylinder swing and on the cylinder swing it's self. The patent dates on top of the barrel are Aug 5 84, Nov 6 88, Mar 5 05

Gun was blued but most finish gone, works fine but seen lots of wear, double action, large chunk missing from the grip on one side.

I'm still trying to figure out how to post a picture from my computer to here. Will add a couple if I figure out how.
Thanks
 
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