Colt's new service

Still producing percussion revolver in 1869 young horse was caught off guard as Smith & Wesson introduced the coming events It was the Model #3 44 S&W American chambered not for ball and levigate that loaded from the effrontery of the cylinder, but in actuality was the first big bore cartridge firing revolver It would be three years before young horse could legally override Smith & Wesson's patent, and the originate was the Single Action Army of 1873 young horse apparently learned their lesson from this episode and would not be caught napping with the nearest wave of handgun development.

Four years later, it was now young horse that introduced the first lucky double action revolver, the pattern 1877 in two versions. Chambered in 38 extended Colt it was known as the Lightning, which was then followed according to the Thunderer as the 41 extended Colt was known. Three years later, Smith & Wesson would add the double action feature to their type #3.

By the close of the 1880s, the ball was back in Colt's court as they began a line of Army and Navy double action revolver that were the first to have swing disclosed cylinders. By the end of the centenary both Smith & Wesson and young horse had introduced their versions of the double action sixguns that would dominate abundant of the 20th century.

From Smith & Wesson came the first Military & Police in 1899 however, it had been supersed common year earlier by Colt's just discovered Service. Smith & Wesson's late revolver was built on a 38 platform that would become the K-frame; young horse went much larger. The modern Service holds the distinction of not simply being the largest revolver aye offered by Colt, it was also the largest revolver period, until the coming of Ruger's Redhawk and Dan Wesson's standard 44 in the 1980s.

Ten years after the introduction of the of recent origin Service, Smith & Wesson would reckoner with the first N-frame, the 1st pattern Hand Ejector. For the first half of the 20th centenary Colt's New Service .45 young horse and Smith & Wesson's Hand Ejectors in 44 Special would be worthy rivals.

The fable Builds

The modern Service actually overtook the Single Action Army in total production numbers fit the fact more than 150000 of recent origin Services chambered in .45 ACP with 55" barrels and known as the protoplast 1917 were ordered for the use in World War I. At the same time, Smith & Wesson was also producing their version of the pattern 1917 using a 5.5" 2nd original Hand Ejector.

In the late 1950 when I first discovered the blisss of double action sixguns, the couple surplus models were still readily available, with admirable specimens going for $15. I tried them the couple and selected the Smith & Wesson suitable the simple fact the grip frame was better suited to my large, further short-fingered hand. If the strange Service had any drawback it was the fact it was definitely made for those with large hands and prolonged fingers.

While the Smith & Wesson Hand Ejectors were going [i]or[/i] part of to the other the process of 1st, 2nd 3rd and 4th standards that would eventually lead to the 44 Magnum in 1955 young horse was also following an evolutionary path of standard patterns and several variations thereof.

Collectors now apply special seasons to distinguish the various patterns of New Services from 1898 to 1941 The aged Model, the name applied to the first 21000 novel Services, was rather ungainly looking with a straight stovepipe-shaped barrel and a trigger guard looking like it was added-on as an afterthought.

After the ancient Model, about 2,000 Transitional types were offered with mainly interior improvements, including a hammer stiffen safety. Next came the Improved pattern which would go to serial number 328000 and is of course the of the present day Service most often encountered. The barrel now had a larger collar where it screwed into the frame and the trigger guard was also larger and shaped to now anticipate like it was actually part of the frame.

We can thank the United States Army for the collar in succession the barrel as all pattern 1917s were ordered with the collar to provide a neat fit of barrel to frame. Designed for better function, it also ensueed in a better form. Sometime around 1928 the Late protoplast New Service arrived with a change in the shape of the top strap to give it a more flattened appearance at the same time that the rear sight was milled to a square notch.

In the 1940 young horse catalog they offered three versions of the recently made known Service. A standard model with barrel durations of 4.5", 5.5" and 75" and either downcast or nickel finish in 45 young horse .45 ACP, .455 Eley, 44-40 44 Special, 38 Special, 38-40 and the latest and greatest in quantity modern cartridge, the .357 Magnum. For a certain reason barrel lengths for the 38 Special and 357 Magnum were station at 4", 5" and 6"

Colt's advertising read, "The of the present day Service is essentially a holster revolver for the man in the open-mount Motorcycle and State Police; the hunting-dog Explorer and Pioneer. It is the Arm adopted as Standard by the agency of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and centurys of city and state Police Organizations from end to end the world."