Big, bold and beautiful: Colt's New Service: or one man's talent for swiping dad's guns

Guns Magazine, Sept, 2004 by Glenn Barnes

Here I am, a grown man 40 years old, I've got a wile, daughter, a really fat Chocolate Lab, car payment, huge mortgage and all the trappings going along with being grown up--and I felt just like a live year old kid caught with both hands in the cookie jar.

"What's that sticking out of your shirt boy," said a familiar voice. Glancing down, I saw the butt of the Colt New Service sticking out between the buttons of my shirt. "Uh, nothing," I replied. Boy, that was a smart thing to say, I even sounded like I was five. Dad shot me one of those "Dad" looks, reached down and yanked the big Colt from my pants. "Whatcha' planning on doing with this old gun?" Well, let's see if I can come up with a better, more mature sounding answer this time. "Uh, nothing," was all I could think to say. Besides, if he knew my real intentions I'd probably still be wearing a fat knot on my head.

Raw-Boned and Sexy

No other big bore double action six gun has ever intrigued and fascinated my narrow little mind quite like Colt's big New Service revolver. During its 1898 to 1944 production run, its been called everything from raw-boned ugly, to gracefully sexy. As is often the case, the truth lies somewhere in between. Military examples, with their plain walnut grips and dull finish, are about as raw-boned as it gets. On the other hand, a commercial model sporting a blued or nickel finish so deep you can see your future in it, along with factory ivory or pearl stocks, is clearly one of the sexiest handguns ever created.

Whether you consider it gruesome or gorgeous, it was without doubt one of the toughest double action sixguns on the market. Tank tough isn't tar off the mark when describing its ability to absorb abusive treatment, although John Wayne or Clint Eastwood-tough might be a better description. But what it really is, is plain old mother-in-law tough, and it doesn't get any tougher than that!

At one time or another in its 46-year production run, this formidable holster gun was offered in the most effective handgun cartridges of the day; which included everything from .38 Special to .476 Eley, with .357 Magnum, .38-40, .44-40, .44 Russian, .44 Special, .45 ACE .45 Colt, .450 Eley and .455 Eley in between. Over the years, Colt's New Service was offered with 2", 4", 4.5", 5", 5.5", 6", and 7.5" barrels. Of these, the most commonly encountered barrel length is 5.5", which seems to be rite best all-around length anyway.

Although the legendary Colt 1911 was the standard handgun issued to America's doughboys during World War I, Colt also produced some 151,700 New Service sixguns in the same caliber as a "substitute standard" due to the shortage of John Browning's most famous fighting tool. It was a very popular substitute, thanks in no small part to America's love affair with sixguns and lack of experience with the new-fangled auto.

Beginning of a Legacy

The first 50,000 or so "military" versions had chambers bored straight through and relied on steel half-moon clips to function properly. Subsequent models featured chambers bored with a "step" or "shoulder," so the rimless .45 ACP round could headspaee on the case's mouth, and could be fired with or without half moon clips. After the war had ended, many soldiers refused to give up their "substitute standards" and carried them home, where they continued serving their owners as house companions, hunting partners and fishing buddies. Some, who gave up a life in law enforcement to serve their country, returned home, dusted off their badges, placed them over their heart, and slid their trusted New Service into a duty holster, where it continued to serve and protect.

By 1944, more than 356,000 Colt New Service revolvers had been produced in a variety of calibers, the majority of which were reamed to .45 ACP, thanks to its popularity with Uncle Sam's street and trench-wise soldiers. Commercially, the .45 Colt was by far the most popular caliber chambered in the big sixgun, and clearly the top choice of discriminating shooters. Several top law enforcement agencies like the Border Patrol, The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, New York State Police and the Texas Highway Patrol, considered the New Service one of the best all-around handguns ever to grace a Sam Browne belt. And by all accounts, this sturdy six-gun served them well.

Target Shooters Too?

Although the Colt New Service was generally considered a fighting-man's sixgun, serious target shooters were quick to notice it was plenty accurate for taking home colorful ribbons and shiny trophies. Coil wasn't quite as fast on the draw, but their two target offerings were well worth the wait, The first was simply called the New Service Target. It featured a rear sight adjustable for windage and a front sight blade adjustable for elevation, standard barrel length was 7.5", and stocks were checkered walnut. Later, Colt offered the same target sixgun with identical features, but it bore the name Shooting Master. instead of New Service Target. Barrel length was shortened to 6" and the grip frame was slightly rounded at the bottom in an effort to make the gun more user-friendly to those with smaller hands.