1917 DA 45
No Military Proofs
Serial matches 1920 production
45 ACP
Checkered grips

Grips and barrel Stamp matches description of “The New Service Commercial Model 1917 Parts Model” from the colt fever website but their description doesn’t include 45 ACP. There were only a thousand or so made. The only other civilian model 1917s I can find were another limited run of 1000 made in 1932 but those serials are about 60,000 numbers higher than mine.

What did I buy? Something special/rare or just an old beater?

I am not an expert, but have been accumulating old Colts for many years and researching their history. It looks to me to have been refinished, and I am guessing at that because I recall the sides of all of the commercial hammers having been polished, in the white, rather than blued (I am forgetting how the triggers were). In your photo with the butt of the gun, it appears to have some diagonal polishing lines in the top where the "US Property" markings would have been on a military 1917. It could just be the photo, or it could have been where it was ground off before refinish, which was common, but it does not match the same pattern of the metal around the writing below it if those lines are actually on there.

Your serial number indicates a 1920 "NEW SERVICE AND NEW SERVICE TARGET MODELS (AND US ARMY MODEL 1917 MODELS)."

You could be correct. I was thinking the same thing but I found this description on the coltfever website and it almost perfectly matches this pistol.

The pistol has the correct grips, barrel length, barrel stamped patent date for the New Service Parts Models. The only discrepancy is the caliber. The description doesn’t mention 45ACP.


“The New Service Commercial Model 1917 parts model.

Following World War One, Colt had quantities of left over parts for the Model 1917 so they made a limited run of commercial models of it using those parts

These were made in .38-40 WCF, .44-40 WCF, or .45 Long Colt.

These were available with 4 1/2" or 5 1/2" barrels.

Grips were hard black rubber or checkered walnut with silver medallions.

The last patent date on these barrels was July 4, 1905

There were about 1,000 made.“

According to the same website, the Model 1917 was manufactured until 1919. It makes sense that my pistol manufactured in 1920 wouldn’t have the gov proofs and could be a “New Service Commercial Model 1917 Parts Model.” It for sure isn’t one of the rare “Commercial Model 1917” that was produced in 1932-33. Those pistols have serial numbers that are about 60,000 digits higher than mine.

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There is no telling, but a call to the Colt Historical Archives can tell you if they even have a record on your pistol, but you'll have to pay the fee to get it. I always think it's an interesting investment in an old pistol, even if Colt's fee is pretty steep.

Thanks for the info. I pulled the grips off this evening and they are actually plastic and not wood like I thought. (You would think I could tell the difference without having to pull them off the gun..) There is also an ever so slight flat spot on the bottom of the barrel where I believe the military proofs would have been. I'm pretty sure you're correct and this pistol has been refinished. It has some holster wear and slight pitting but overall appears to be in good functional shape. Hopefully it will be a good shooter.

Thanks for the replies and keen eyes!


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Is there a "&" marked on the right side of the frame, maybe under the grips? This would indicate a factory refinish, and another confirmable date in a factory letter.

My Colt expert buddy noted that these grips were used 1947-49; sometimes these grips were even put on guns that went back for service during this period. He has seen enough range in serial numbers of guns like yours to estimate around 13,000 of them were put together, and thinks many may have sat in storage from 1920 until the 1940s to early '50s when sold off. He has a NY State Trooper-marked New Service similar to yours, with the same grips, that was factory reblued, too.

Thanks for the info! I’m not seeing the & symbol anywhere. Forgive the pics, it is hard to capture detail due to the shine. Also, I need to disassemble and thoroughly clean. It is in the same condition I bought it in. I’ve noticed that the grind/polish marks you pointed out earlier on the butt are prevalent all over the revolver in the right light.

Those marks on the sides of the grip frame are just normal machining marks. The "AA" is interesting; normally, I would believe that was an Augusta Arsenal rebuild, but that would mean US service at some point, and the marking is not where it normally is on a rebuild, so it could just be an assembly mark. Not having the "&" is an indication it wasn't factory reblued, which is not surprising if the filing marks were left before rebluing.

The more I look at it, the more it looks like US Property markings on the underside of the barrel may have been removed, too. The "No D.A. Colt" marking is unusual, too. It should be a No with a serial number. It doesn't make sense why the serial number would not be there, but the "No"/Number would be. It looks like the D.A. Colt was hand stamped in after serial number and property markings were ground off.

I think you have a great piece, and I wouldn't hesitate to use it! I have a transitional, 1909 New Service .44WCF that I conceal carry that was one of 100, as I recall. A previous owner had the idea to cut it down and reblue it, so it isn't especially collectible, but it's a great pistol.

Thanks! I asked the same questions on another forum and the guys there think it is a gunsmith modified revolver too. They have pointed out some oddities like the serial being post war but the eagle mark being present. Is has been said a million+ times, “If only this old gun could talk.”

That’s a great looking revolver. I plan on putting some rounds through mine too.

You might also post over in this thread. It seems they are maintaining a private database, and they indicate that the Colt website could be off on some searches, too, often indicating 1920 production when it actually had ceased in 1918. A Colt letter definitely would be a good investment in giving it a voice to tell where it has been. https://www.coltforum.com/threads/colt-1917-serial-service-numbers.34787/

That S20 under the eagle is a military proof mark of acceptance by Springfield Armory, from what I have read.


The "H" may be the mark of Frank Hosmer, Colt's Chief Inspector, though it could be another assembler.
https://www.coltforum.com/threads/colt-da-1917.57963/

The frame at least was originally a military Model 1917. As FRA said, the eagles head over S20 was the original proof mark. The original US ARMY MODEL 1917 marking and service number were ground off of the bottom of the butt at some point, then someone restamped the D.A. COLT where the service number was originally. The N and underlined o are all that remains of the original butt markings.

Other than that its been heavily polished and blued, definitely not the work of Colt or an arsenal.

Cass

Also, one of my Model 1917's has the eagle S20 proof and the frame serial number (under the crane) is about 1,000 lower than yours. The service number on the butt of mine is just under 123,000. It was shipped in late 1918, yours would have been shipped about the same time.

Cass

I'm looking at the back of the cylinder and seeing something strange, can you take one more pic with the ejector pushed all the way back? The ratchet looks to be damaged or modified.

Wow, thanks for all the info! These old pistols really are rich in history. I hate that some of the military profs have been removed but oddly enough it neat knowing that this was an “issue” pistol. I initially believed this to be a rare civilian or parts model.

FRA, I saw the 1917 database thread but didn’t post in due to my pistol missing the military serial on the butt. Fascinating about the “H” stamp. I just assumed it was the Hartford plant.

Cass, thanks for the info. Our serials being that close is pretty cool and gives me a good idea on the ship date.

HWY_MAN, here are some more pics. Hopefully there is an angle that gives you the vantage you wanted to see. If not, let me know and I’ll try again.

I have a similar Colt. Mine is .45 Colt new service. No markings indicating that it was military so I assumed maybe a police model. Has the same H on the frame but
below the serial number. Neat old pistols.

Thank you very much. For some reason the first picture made it look like the extensions on the ratchet were missing. Everything looks fine.