Colt New Service .38-40

[CraigC]

For years I've wanted a New Service, 1917 or if I was really lucky, a nice Shooting Master. Missed out on some deals, one in particular I remember was a 1917 cut to 4" with Micro sights added and some really nice stags for $250. Still kick myself for that one. I also remember an engraved .44Spl at Dixie Gun Works several years back. I encountered this 7½" .38-40 on Gunbroker a while back and decided it was time. It has what is left of the original finish with a good bore. Certainly doesn't hurt that it has old ivory on it. It chambers one of my favorite cartridges and I really need to get out and see what it'll do.

 

[wcwhitey]

Very Nice, enjoy!

 

[horsemen61]

Looks killer I want to see your holster to go with it?
Nice find!

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Wow!

 

[bannockburn]

CraigC

Very nice! Those ivory grips are like the icing on the cake!

 

[DocRock]

Handsome gun indeed and a great cartridge! Real ivory really does stand out against the imitation stuff.

 

[JONWILL]

The New Service is one of my favorite guns

 

[Pat Riot]

If someone told me they just bought this gun and didn’t show a photo my attitude would have been “Eh…ivory grip panels on a New Service…not my thing.”

With photos…”Wow! Nice!” <<< this is green with envy

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

I have two of them. The one at the top with the long barrel is chambered for 45 Colt, the one at the bottom is chambered for 44-40. I don't know what the story is with the 'fire blue' trigger on the 45. These are probably a little bit older than yours because the trigger guards are not smoothly blended into the frame as they were with the later ones and the 1917 model. The trigger guards are not separate pieces, that's just the way they were profiled. The 45 left the factory in 1906, the 44-40 in 1907.






Have you noticed how huge your New Service is? That 45 is the largest revolver I own, the frame of a New Service dwarfs the frame of an N frame Smith and Wesson. Here is the 45 with an N frame Triple Lock.

 

[CraigC]

Yeah, I'm not real up on New Services either. I do know at a glance that yours are an older iteration than mine but no more than that. Mine has the fire blue trigger as well, though you can't tell in the pic.

I need to do some measuring but I always thought the big Colt DA's were closer in size to the Redhawk.

Believe it or not, I hadn't even thought about making a holster for it yet. I would definitely carry it afield.

 

[.455_Hunter]

My 1908 .38 WCF 5 1/2" shoots like a champ. It had barely been shot when I got it, but had spent most of its life in a humid environment, making it finished challenged. Out the door at the LGS for <$500. The New Service chambers seem to be cut more generous that Ruger's .38-40 offerings, and I have never had any issues with current production ammo, unlike the newer guns.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I am glad it found a good home! So many of those guns ended up being butchered for truck guns - and worse! Congratulations and if you ever think about getting rid of it, call Driftwood. He’s missing a .38-40WCF in his collection.