In House Shipping:
Make: Colt
Model: Army Special
Serial Number: 477604
Year of Manufacture: 1920 (
https://www.colt.com/serial-lookup)
Caliber: .32-20 Winchester Center Fire
Action Type: Single and Double Action Revolver with Swing Out Cylinder
Barrel Length: 6”
Sights/ Optics: The front sight is a rounded blade with a rectangular base fixed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a "U"-notch in the top strap at the rear.
Grip Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered black hard rubber “fleur-de-lis” models with "COLT" in an oval at their tops, a stylized "C" around the grip screw escutcheons, and “fleur-de-lis” accents at the top and bottom of the checkering. The inside of each panel has the matching serial number "477604" hand-scribed. The grips have light handling wear with some nicks and scuffs in the smooth borders. The checkering is well defined. There are no external chips or cracks, but there is cracking around the grip screw hole on the interior of the left panel. Overall, the grips are in Very Good Condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is semi-bright with sharp rifling. There is some light erosion and scattered stubborn fouling in the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates about 7 out of 10.
Overall Condition: The pistol retains about 93% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at most edges. There are some scattered spots of minor oxidation, easiest seen on the side faces of the hammer. There are some scattered minor nicks, scuffs, and scratches. The action shows operational wear including a thin turn-line on the cylinder. The screw heads range from sharp to lightly tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this revolver is in Very Good Condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The cylinder locks with no play when the trigger is depressed. The double action trigger pull is smooth, the single action is crisp. We did not fire this handgun. As with all previously owned firearms, thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box Paperwork and Accessories: None
Our Assessment: The Colt Army Special was introduced in 1908 as the successor to the New Army and New Navy models, and can be quickly distinguished from its predecessors by the more modern frame profile, the rounded cylinder release thumb latch, and the grips which were hard rubber “fleur-de-lis” models until 1923. The action also debuted Colt's "positive lock", which continued to be used in Colt revolvers all the way into the Serpents! The “Army Special” was superseded by (or really just renamed) the “Official Police” in 1928 after Colt discovered the US Army was more interested in their semi-automatic offerings, but that various police departments around the country still preferred revolvers.
This Colt Army Special Revolver was made in 1920 and is in Very Good Condition. It features a 6” barrel, 93% of its original, lustrous commercial blued finish, gorgeous two-piece, serial number matching, checkered black hard rubber “fleur-de-lis” grips with "COLT" in an oval at their tops, a stylized "C" around the grip screw escutcheons, and “fleur-de-lis” accents at the top and bottom of the checkering, and a semi-bright bore with sharp rifling (there’s some light erosion and scattered stubborn fouling). This is an elegant revolver chambered for a snappy cartridge, and the fleur-de-lis grips distinguish this piece as a full bloom beauty. Lastly, this revolver comes from the personal collection of inventor, founder, and President of Universal Firearms, Abe Seiderman, and should be of additional interest to collectors for that ownership lineage. A signed Certificate Of Authenticity from the Seiderman family will be included with this piece.