What Is This Revolver and What Ammo Does It Shoot?

[dontallo]

Friends,

I inherited a revolver from my uncle and do not know what it is or what round it shoots.
It is double action and the wheel appears to have similar dimensions to my .44 Magnum. But it is labeled as a Colt Army.

Thoughts?
Thanks in advance.

 

[smokey]

45acp moon clips if it's a 1917

M1917 Revolver - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[38super]

This looks to have a Numrich conversion barrel from the 1950-1960's. It could be 45 Colt, 45 Acp 357 Magnum. Youl will have to measure the bore easiest way is to show the opened cylinder.

 

[dontallo]

45acp moon clips if it's a 1917

M1917 Revolver - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Thanks.
So, why is the wheel large enough to load a 44 Mag? And, the extractor is for something with a rim.

 

[smokey]

Thanks.
So, why is the wheel large enough to load a 44 Mag? And, the extractor is for something with a rim.

Amazon product ASIN B08T82PVLHYou have a picture of the cylinder from the back end?

 

[dontallo]

This looks to have a Numrich conversion barrel from the 1950-1960's. It could be 45 Colt, 45 Acp 357 Magnum. Youl will have to measure the bore easiest way is to show the opened cylinder.

Thanks. I added photos of the open cylinder to the original post.

 

[dontallo]

Amazon product ASIN B08T82PVLHYou have a picture of the cylinder from the back end?

I added to the original post

 

[Biggfoot44]

Originally, it was a M1917 in .45acp , as Smokey linked .

I have a suspicion 38Suoer is Half Right .

Indeed in the 1920s- 1950s , it was not uncommon to modify them for caliber changes.

But I'm suspecting the Barell is either original, or replacement of same as original.

Eyeballing the headspace , I suspect it was the Cylinder that was changed, and gun was converted to .45 Colt .

( .45 Colt was a Factory caliber for the New Service . But I would suspect the replacement Cylinder was a different caliber , subsequently bored out . Either by a Parts House , or by a gunsmith .)

 

[ken792]

It’s been converted to something. The cylinder doesn’t look original to an M1917. The crossed pennants look to be for a British Empire contract gun, which was in .455. It may well have been a .455 cylinder reamed to .45 Colt.

Colt DA 45 M1917 US Property w/ Holster! – .45 ACP | D4 Guns

Fine Used Guns for Sale

www.d4guns.com

colt new service .455 eley | lee-enfield

www.enfieldguns.com

 

[Biggfoot44]

Added after the open cylinder pics were added .

Definitely NOT .45acp chambers. Looks consistent with my above guess of .45 Colt .

 

[Biggfoot44]

It’s been converted to something. The cylinder doesn’t look original to an M1917. The crossed pennants look to be for a British Empire contract gun, which was in .455.

Colt DA 45 M1917 US Property w/ Holster! – .45 ACP | D4 Guns

Fine Used Guns for Sale

www.d4guns.com

colt new service .455 eley | lee-enfield

www.enfieldguns.com

Which definitely fits , and would be historically correct !

Surplus parts from British/ Canadian contract guns , reimported to US . .455 cylinders could be easily converted to the popular. 45 Colt just by rechambering .

( Yeah today Colt and Martial Arms collectors are rolling in their gravid at the loss of original M1917 and .455s in original condition. But back they , they were inexpensive shooters , and a demand for DA .45 Colts .)

 

[dontallo]

Thanks, everyone, for the great information. Seems like the consensus is 45 Colt.

 

[Biggfoot44]

Of course check it for proper headspace and timing, etc ( including from subsequent use ).

But if everything checks out , it should be as solid as a New Service originally made in .45 Colt . And a good shooter , without bothering your conscience about using a valuable original.

 

[joppaj]

It’s been converted to something. The cylinder doesn’t look original to an M1917. The crossed pennants look to be for a British Empire contract gun, which was in .455. It may well have been a .455 cylinder reamed to .45 Colt.

Colt DA 45 M1917 US Property w/ Holster! – .45 ACP | D4 Guns

Fine Used Guns for Sale

www.d4guns.com

colt new service .455 eley | lee-enfield

www.enfieldguns.com

I ran into one of those at the last Bel Air gun show I went to (several years ago.) I thought it was a very cool gun but they wanted a lot for it and I had other items on my shopping list.

 

[Biggfoot44]

Not a New Service. But one from these eras haunts me as one that got away.

An early Canadian Contract S&W Tripple Lock ( early with commercial blue and nice wood) , with an authentic 1920s conversion to .45 Colt . ( Yes , S&W collectors obsess over who did the conversion when and how . This was the most desirable one .)

Price was good for what it was at the time , but just couldn't swing it then .

 

[FN509Fan]

Not much room in that gap for 45 Colt rim.

 

[Biggfoot44]

. Countersunk

 

[calicojack]

Yeah today Colt and Martial Arms collectors are rolling in their gravid at the loss of original M1917 and .455s in original condition. But back they , they were inexpensive shooters , and a demand for DA .45 Colts .

My wife's grandfather bought a surplus M1903 Smith Corona and chopped the fore end on the stock to make it into a hunting rifle. (I was told he had to warm it up in the oven to get the cosmoline off of it). Although he did a very nice job, he ruined the collector value. Apparently in the 70's that's what you did to C&R rifles to make them "cool".

 

[6-Pack]

Thanks.
So, why is the wheel large enough to load a 44 Mag? And, the extractor is for something with a rim.

You 100% sure it’s not a 44 special?

 

[Rambler]

My wife's grandfather bought a surplus M1903 Smith Corona and chopped the fore end on the stock to make it into a hunting rifle. (I was told he had to warm it up in the oven to get the cosmoline off of it). Although he did a very nice job, he ruined the collector value. Apparently in the 70's that's what you did to C&R rifles to make them "cool".

Somewhere around here I have a book from that era showing many wars to ruin, I mean sporterize surplus military rifes.

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