THE COLT NEW SERVICE

THIS IS A COMBAT HANDGUN! COLT NEW SERVICE IN .45 ACP CALIBER. SIX ROUNDS.

As George Castanza on Seinfeld once proclaimed himself King of the Idiots, sometimes I feel the same way.

I've known for decades about what a great gun the Colt New Service in .45 ACP was a gunfighting man's gun in wartime, and later in peacetime when lots of cops used them. Some cops cut them down into snubnoses. Just like the Model 22 of 1917 Smith and Wesson, which I've recently discovered might be the finest shooting revolver (this includes my hallowed Python) I ever owned.

The above picture is from http://inlinethumb08.webshots.com/22471/2446050970067835264S600x600Q85.jpg in a thread at one of the most excellent gun forums around, The High Road. Here's the thread with the post on this gun, and this is the kind of gun I'd like to stumble upon for a reasonable price in reasonable finish shape but great operating condition. Something a little holster worn, but not worn out as a shooting iron. It's a beaut, isn't it? From this thread right here: http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=6262325

I'd like to shoot a New Service. I've become quite enamored with my father's 1917 Brazilian Contract Smith, as has everyone else who has shot it. It's coke can accurate at 20 feet, so what more do you want from a defensive revolver?

Well, as I've written elsewhere, what I'd like is to be able to buy a NEW gun made the old way (except for the transfer bar, great idea that transfer bar) as a Colt or S&W Model 1917 that had the Fitz treatment except no cut off triggerguard. Just a regular trigger guard, but a bobbed hammer that can still be single action cocked, a combat action job, and a barrel somewheres from 2" to 3". Personally, 3" is perfect but 2 1/2 would do. Relocate and resize the height of the front sight to compensate for the reduced barrel length. Get bold and put hi-vis lo profile front sight on the bad boy.0

It doesn't have to be historically accurate, although seems like custom shops would be making some of those as well, and indeed, some custom revolver smiths do still make historical recreations or actual old mods on old guns.

Here's a great article I found on the New Service, much better than I can write.
http://hunting.about.com/od/guns/ss/colt_new_service_model_1917_army_doubleaction_45acp_revolver.htm

Makes me think what I need to be doing is cruising some gun shows right before Christmas with some cash in my pockets looking to make a deal on a New Service or 1917 that can be a project gun. Or get real lucky and find one modded already with a good barrel and action.