Need help identifying a colt revolver

[officially5150]

My father asked me to figure out what model this revolver is and colt serial look up is turning up nada and yes it's seen better days.
He says a 45acp fits in the cylinder so that has me stumped
Anyone with any ideas would be greatly appreciated
-Chris

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[v0lcom13sn0w]

almost looks like a "fitz special"

 

[RVTECH]

On the surface it looks like it might be an M1917 with a shortened barrel.

 

[officially5150]

almost looks like a "fitz special"

That adds up with how hard it was to id the colt logo, I was originally thinking python but with the internal cylinder dimensions it can't be a 357 since the 45acp slides right in

 

[officially5150]

On the surface it looks like it might be an M1917 with a shortened barrel.

Yea i was wondering but it had the vented top above the barrel like the python but it came off and is laying on its side in the pictures

 

[41mag]

My impression is non-Colt & non-USA built. The latch gate is wrong design for any Colt I know. It is in a 'Fitz' style. Any marks or #s on it?

 

[officially5150]

My impression is non-Colt & non-USA built. The latch gate is wrong design for any Colt I know. It is in a 'Fitz' style. Any marks or #s on it?

It has the colt horse swing side, serial is on the inner swing arm 6 digit beginning numbers 27 but no other id marks on it

 

[Retired Guy]

I'm thinking a nickel plated Colt New Army that someone did a "Fitz Special" to. Oh wait, it's a .45....so perhaps the New Service?

 

[officially5150]

I'm thinking a nickel plated Colt New Army that someone did a "Fitz Special" to. Oh wait, it's a .45....so perhaps the New Service?

I think you may be on to something
I just found this picture after searching for the new service

 

[officially5150]

Colonel askins colt new service, the picture above is located in the gene autry museum,
I wasn't aware 45acp was that widely used in revolvers tho.
Aside from my 19-3 I'm not as familiar as I would like to be on the calibers available and the time frames they were offered

 

[officially5150]

Guys I greatly appreciate your help on this one, not only did you give me the answer but I also learned a bit about the fitz special and it's history
Thank you

 

[titsonritz]

Perfect Fitz: Col. Rex Applegate's One-of-a-Kind Fitz Special

 

[Sarchet]

Looks like a New Service or similar to me, but it might not be 45 ACP. If you're not sure about the caliber have it checked over by someone who can take the necessary measurements. The New Service was offered in 44-40, 44 Russian, 45 Colt, 455 Webley, 44 Special and yes 45 ACP as far as .44/.45 caliber cartridges. I believe the only New Services in 45 ACP however are the M1917s. Better to know for sure than to guess.

 

[officially5150]

Looks like a New Service or similar to me, but it might not be 45 ACP. If you're not sure about the caliber have it checked over by someone who can take the necessary measurements. The New Service was offered in 44-40, 44 Russian, 45 Colt, 455 Webley, 44 Special and yes 45 ACP as far as .44/.45 caliber cartridges. I believe the only New Services in 45 ACP however are the M1917s. Better to know for sure than to guess.

I advised my father it's best not to make assumptions when it comes to caliber.
We are still having trouble tracking down the actual model as it has the vented front sight rail but it does resemble the new service in many ways

 

[BillM]

I advised my father it's best not to make assumptions when it comes to caliber.
We are still having trouble tracking down the actual model as it has the vented front sight rail but it does resemble the new service in many ways

You won't find any actual Colt model that has the front sight rail. It's "in the style of" a Fitz Special, although the
Fitz special was more common with a snub length barrel and a bobbed hammer. The gun appears to have started as a
Colt New Service model of 1917.
(It appears that there is a gap between the rear of the frame and recoil shield to accommodate the use of 45 Auto Rim or 45 acp
with moonclips). So someone took a 1917, shortened the barrel, removed the front of the trigger guard, attached
a sight rib of some sort and nickel plated it. A guess would be after WWII into the early 60's.
Surprised your serial number search came up empty---but this may explain it. Read the part about "two serial numbers":


"Colt built their Model 1917 on the large New Service frame.

It was a standard New Service with a 5 1/2" barrel and a dull brushed blue finish. The early version had chambers that were bored straight through and these couldn't be fired without the flat clips since the cartridge case would fall into the chamber too far. Later production guns had chambers cut to allow the cartridges to head space in the chamber and these could be fired by loading individual cartridges without the clips, but the gun couldn't eject them. To eject a stick or rod was needed to push each case out.

The Model 1917 had two serial numbers. The official US Military serial number was stamped on the butt, but Colt also stamped a Colt factory serial number on the frame below the barrel where the cylinder crane seats, on the cylinder crane, and inside the side plate.

This causes some argument among collectors about which number is the "Real" number.

The government used the butt number as the serial number and when the Model 1917 was sold as surplus in the 1960's, the butt serial number was on the government paper work."

The Model 1917 was made from 1917 into 1919.

 

[officially5150]

You won't find any actual Colt model that has the front sight rail. It's "in the style of" a Fitz Special, although the
Fitz special was more common with a snub length barrel and a bobbed hammer. The gun appears to have started as a
Colt New Service model of 1917.
(It appears that there is a gap between the rear of the frame and recoil shield to accommodate the use of 45 Auto Rim or 45 acp
with moonclips). So someone took a 1917, shortened the barrel, removed the front of the trigger guard, attached
a sight rib of some sort and nickel plated it. A guess would be after WWII into the early 60's.
Surprised your serial number search came up empty---but this may explain it. Read the part about "two serial numbers":


"Colt built their Model 1917 on the large New Service frame.

It was a standard New Service with a 5 1/2" barrel and a dull brushed blue finish. The early version had chambers that were bored straight through and these couldn't be fired without the flat clips since the cartridge case would fall into the chamber too far. Later production guns had chambers cut to allow the cartridges to head space in the chamber and these could be fired by loading individual cartridges without the clips, but the gun couldn't eject them. To eject a stick or rod was needed to push each case out.

The Model 1917 had two serial numbers. The official US Military serial number was stamped on the butt, but Colt also stamped a Colt factory serial number on the frame below the barrel where the cylinder crane seats, on the cylinder crane, and inside the side plate.

This causes some argument among collectors about which number is the "Real" number.

The government used the butt number as the serial number and when the Model 1917 was sold as surplus in the 1960's, the butt serial number was on the government paper work."

The Model 1917 was made from 1917 into 1919.

Well the serial number search came up with quite a few different firearms 4 of which were these:
1907
Model
NEW ARMY & NEW NAVY MODELS (DA 38 AND DA 41 WITH SWING OUT CYLINDERS, MODELS OF 1892, 1894, 1895, 1896,1901 & 1903) - SERIALS ON BUTT
Year of Manufacture
1918
Model
MODEL 1911 MILITARY
Year of Manufacture
1918
Model
M1903 POCKET HAMMERLESS (.32 AUTOMATIC)
Year of Manufacture
1920
Model
NEW SERVICE AND NEW SERVICE TARGET MODELS (AND US ARMY MODEL 1917 MODELS