Colt NS bore size

[PJ Hardtack]

I was recently informed that it wasn't until 1918 that Colt made calibre-specific bore sizes in the New Service .45s. Prior to that, it was a 'one-size-fits-all' .454 bore.

Can any one confirm or refute that? According to the Madis serial # booklet, my .455 NS was made in 1914, so it ought to have a .454 bore. I'll slug it and mike the chamber mouths while I'm at it. I do know that a .452 bullet just falls through the bore.

Since Dominion Colt .455 ammo was loaded with the 265 HB bullet, obturation would take care of any difference in bore size. My cast RCBS .455 HB bullets fit the muzzle as per a Sharps 'Xmas Tree' bullet - i.e. the nose goes in until just above the base ring.

According to the book, my NS was made in 1914. It has no martial markings, so I'm fantasizing that it was a Canadian Officer's 'private purchase' as a sidearm. It was obviously holster carried and seldom fired. In cleaning and inspecting it, I found what I believe might be original factory grease/cosmoline in the frame hammer/firing pin recess and other nooks and crannies.

It resisted Hoppe's #9, only softening to the point where I could dislodge it with a dental pick, Q-Tips and compressed air. This leads me to think it was cosmoline or a similar compound.

[St. George]

You might be surprised, but a 'lot' of stuff is resistant to Hoppe's #9, so try nail polish remover, or lighter fluid, instead.

Never heard of the caliber-specific boring - and I'd thought I'd heard it all.

It'll be bored like that of a Colt Single Action Army of the time frame, and .454 is about right.

As to 'private purchase' - every personally-owned .455 piece I've seen was engraved with the owner's name, and often his Regiment and/or rank.

Of course, that statement covers but a few dozen, but it was likely a service offered by the retailer and would've been popular, since the big Colt had a sterling reputation for being tough.

Should you be beset by the dastardly Huns - one-handed shooting will suffice, because you'll never feel the recoil, and probably won't hear the report.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[PJ Hardtack]

According to Smith's book of Pistols & Revolvers", the .455 Colt NS had the same bore dimensions as the .45 Colt - .445" -- .001; groove .452" -- .001. That's good enough for me. .45 ACP was .444" -- .001; groove .451" -- .001.

If the gun likes them and the bullets go where they oughta, I'm a happy camper.

I doubt that most Officers had their names, Regt's or service #s engraved on their personal, 'private purchase' guns. It would give away too much intelligence info if captured. After the Victorian era, I don't think regimental markings were applied to service rifles for that reason.

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[St. George]

Actually - Unit markings were applied at least through 1930.

The weapons I mention as being so-marked - I have either personally seen or owned.

In pretty much every conflict, the good guys and bad guys already knew who was facing them.

These had the name - sometimes name and rank - and even name and Regiment, since in the British system, the Officer had a parent organization to which he belonged.

In the American military - individuals often marked their custom knives with their name and SSAN, or serial number, and Vietnam saw a lot of that.

My Randall Model 1 is so-marked.

Scouts Out!

[PJ Hardtack]

I was a Regular for 12 years. Our orders in the event of capture were to offer name, rank and Regimental number - period.
Anything else is aiding and abetting the enemy in gathering intelligence.
 Pistols were issue Inglis-made WW II era 9mms, to Officers and Sr. NCOs - only. Personal weaponry was strictly prohibited. Anyone who put an identifying mark on a weapon was in contradiction of Standing Orders.

I'm not disputing your claim to the contrary, but I'd like a reference if possible.

[St. George]

You're talking about a 'much' later time frame, now - the rules are different - and it's comparing apples to oranges to ascribe today's tactical/intelligence practices to those of the past.

Pre-WWII saw the heyday of personally-owned arms by Officers.

(Officers were traditionally expected to provide their own kit (including personal sidearms) at their own expense, a state of affairs which continued through the First World War; even during the Second, it remained an option for Commissioned Officers to carry privately-purchased sidearms. Accordingly, a wide variety of pistols were carried; however, to maintain necessary military standardization, it was a requirement that they be chambered for approved service ammunition. During the First World War at least, many officers purchased their pistols from the "official models" in Government stores, and the great majority of Second World War officers settled for "issue" sidearms.)

As to markings - why not take a look at:  "Small Arms Unit Marks' - available through Service Publications - and handy for identifying different Commonwealth units.

The AATTV used the old Inglis pistols, by the way - as did the Paras - always reliable...

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[PJ Hardtack]

St. George

You're right about the WW II era and Officers being allowed to purchase sidearms of an approved model. I remember seeing a beautiful pre-war 1911 commercial model in the museum of the 2nd Bn Queen's Own Rifles. It belonged to one of their Colonels whose name I don't recall.
No name or unit markings on that one!

ATTV? I'm unfamiliar with that ...... ?

[St. George]

Australian Army Training Team in Vietnam...

Sine Pari.

Out