In House Shipping:
Make: Colt
Model: New Service
Serial Number: 322421
Year of Manufacture: 1925 (https://www.colt.com/serial-lookup)
Caliber: .45 Colt
Action Type: Single and Double Action Revolver with Swing Out Cylinder
Barrel Length: 7 1/2”
Sights/ Optics: The front sight is a rounded blade 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 deluxe checkered walnut with silver-colored Colt medallions, smooth diamonds around the screw escutcheons, and decorative borders. The inside of each panel has the matching serial number "322421" hand-written. The grips have minor handling wear with a few small nicks. The checkering is well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Very Good to Fine Condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright with sharp rifling. There is infrequent faint erosion in the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 9 out of 10.
Overall Condition: The pistol retains about 87% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. The most notable finish wear is on the sideplate and the right of the frame behind the cylinder. Each of these patches of finish wear have some minor erosion, and the wear is likely from cleaning. There are some scattered spots of minor oxidation and a few spots of minor erosion. The barrel has light finish wear at the muzzle on each side and a few other spots of minor scuffing. 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. 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: Colt’s New Service, introduced in 1898, was their largest frame swingout cylinder double action revolver, and the first such Colt revolver with a cylinder rotation to the right. With its rugged frame and hard hitting calibers, the gun in time became a favorite with the US military. When the US Army decided to adopt it in 1909, they were looking for a man-stopper to replace their New Army double action revolvers that had gained such a poor reputation in the Spanish-American War and the Philippine Insurrection that followed. The result was the .45 Colt chambered Model 1909. After the US Army adopted the Colt Model 1911 Semi-Auto, they wanted revolvers in the same caliber for the Great War, and the Model 1917 New Service was adopted, this time chambered in .45 ACP. During its production span from 1898-1944, the New Service represents one of the longest continuous runs of any double action Colt firearm. In addition to their military production, the New Service revolvers were also offered on the commercial market, and this is one such example.
This Colt New Service Revolver was made in 1925 and is in Very Good Condition. It features a 7.5” barrel, 87% of its original, lustrous commercial blued finish, gorgeous two-piece, serial number matching, checkered walnut deluxe grips with silver-colored Colt medallions, smooth diamonds around the screw escutcheons, and decorative borders, great mechanics, and a mostly bright bore with sharp rifling (there’s infrequent faint erosion). This is a robust revolver chambered for a stout 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.