Colt Army Special

[Tascosa Joe]

is the Colt Army Special NCOWS legal or is it too late? 

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Specifically ... what is a "Colt Army Special?"

[Steel Horse Bailey]

OK, Mr. Google helped.

What I saw was that it was made/developed in the 1890s from one of their DA pistols, and the name was a marketing ploy.

1890s sure sounds NCOWS legal; of course, I don't know about any specific models that might have been made AFTER 1900 ... which that gun might be.  What I saw says they changed the name to something like Colt Police (or thereabouts) and made it until 1969 or so.

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[St. George]

Except for the fact that the Colt 'Army Special' was developed in 1908...

Dates seen atop the barrel are merely changes in Patents - not dates of initial issue.

The 'Army Special' would morph into the 'Official Police' in about 1924.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Well, I was hoping St.G. would chime in here.  He's got a LOT more reference pieces than what I found online.

[Tascosa Joe]

OK, Mr. Google helped.

What I saw was that it was made/developed in the 1890s from one of their DA pistols, and the name was a marketing ploy.

1890s sure sounds NCOWS legal; of course, I don't know about any specific models that might have been made AFTER 1900 ... which that gun might be.  What I saw says they changed the name to something like Colt Police (or thereabouts) and made it until 1969 or so.

Jeff:  They changed the name to Official Police somewhere along the way.  The one I have was made in 1922.  It is a nice old gun, except for the initials LB scratched in the side plate.  The scratching is real small but it is still there.  I hate you LB whoever you are!
Joe

[St. George]

The name change to 'Official Police' occurred at serial number 513216.

The serial numbers for 1924 start with 502000, while those for 1925 begin with 514000.

Serial numbers would overlap with the 'Army Special' throughout the 540000 range during 1925, 1926 and 1927.

The 'Army Special' serial numbers would continue until 1927 - at 540000.

Colt 'Army Specials' were pretty much a cop gun in America - though they were purchased by several foreign militaries.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[JimBob]

Some information that may be of interest http://www.coltautos.com/DA/ArmySpecial/ArmySpecial.htm

[Montana Slim]

Colt Army Special...yeah, pretty sure my Dad brought one along on his last visit to my house...maybe it was a 32-20. It is surprisingly similar in appearance to the Model 1892 Family...interestingly, the side plate is near identical, but was mirrored in design and moved to the left side of the frame. Also recall the cylinder lockup on the A.S. is via the conventional cylinder stop instead of the hand/cylinder retainer....and the cylinder turns the "normal direction, too. Mechanically, the A.S. is a dream compared to the earlier 1892 series.

BTW, I have a model 1903, which has been considered part of the "old-model" family, approved for NCOWS. It's been to the Nationals a time or two, just for visiting purposes.

Slim

[Tascosa Joe]

Looking at the pictures, they pretty much look the same except for the chess pawn vs L shaped cylinder release.  I was hopeing to shoot it against some of the guys Schorfields but if it is not legal I cant.  Not a big deal.  You cant have too many guns. 

T-Joe

[Tjackstephens]

I believe the Colt DA in 38 colt long was the side arm that our Military carried up till the Colt 1911 45 acp became our side arm. It was the handgun that Teddy caried up that hill. It was said to have come off the battle ship Maine. Tj

[St. George]

TR's Colt Returns...
« on: June 15, 2006, 08:32:02 am »     

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sixteen years after it went missing, a revolver that Teddy Roosevelt carried during the Spanish-American War has been returned.

The Colt revolver, which disappeared in 1990 from a display case that police said had been jimmied open at the Sagamore Hill National Historical Site, was returned to the museum Wednesday.

It was recovered by the FBI after someone called the museum with a tip in September, according to Robert Goldman, a former Assistant U.S. Attorney in Philadelphia who led the Justice Department's investigation along with the FBI's Art Crime unit.

The pistol was originally salvaged from the wreck of the USS Maine, whose mysterious sinking in Havana's harbor fueled the public outrage that led to war.

Roosevelt got the .38 caliber gun from a brother-in-law who served as a Navy Captain, and carried it with him when he rode to war with the Volunteer Cavalry Regiment he helped form.

They were better known as 'the Rough Riders', and my GG Uncle rode with them in 'G' Troop...

Scouts Out!


The pistol became a valued family heirloom, and was later given two inscriptions noting its origins on the USS Maine and its use by Roosevelt, then a Colonel, at San Juan Hill.

[Tjackstephens]

St. George, Thank you. That's a lot of history for one handgun. I have one that I sometimes use at NCOWS matches. Very accurate, alful double action though, much better single action. still in pretty good condition. Tj

[JimBob]

Colt Army Special...yeah, pretty sure my Dad brought one along on his last visit to my house...maybe it was a 32-20. It is surprisingly similar in appearance to the Model 1892 Family...interestingly, the side plate is near identical, but was mirrored in design and moved to the left side of the frame. Also recall the cylinder lockup on the A.S. is via the conventional cylinder stop instead of the hand/cylinder retainer....and the cylinder turns the "normal direction, too. Mechanically, the A.S. is a dream compared to the earlier 1892 series.

BTW, I have a model 1903, which has been considered part of the "old-model" family, approved for NCOWS. It's been to the Nationals a time or two, just for visiting purposes.

Slim

The M1903 was just a variation of the M1889,they changed some odds and ends on them along the way.The Army Special was very different mechanically.It pretty much corrected all the failings of the M1889 such as the cylinder falling open upon cocking on worn guns.Colt designated them the .41 frame and was the basis for about all Colt's DA revolvers,including the Python till they dropped the Official Police in 1969.I've got a 4 inch .32-20 and a 5 inch .38 Special.For those of you who have Army Specials it is not recomended to shoot +P ammo in them or hot loads.

The "Army Special" designation was an attempt by Colt to garner military contracts at a time when most militaries were testing and adopting self loaders.It didn't work but police departments took to it hence the name change to "Official Police" which reflected where the market lay in reality

[Tascosa Joe]

I suppose I will start looking for a 1903 in 32-20.

[St. George]

The Model of 1903 was chambered most often for .38 Long Colt.

These are marginally interesting revolvers - my first gun was a Colt Model 1901 with belt, cartridge box and holster ($10 for all) and the trigger pull is both heavy and over-long - offering little by way of ergonomics.

The lock-up is not as strong as it should be - a design flaw later corrected as the 'Official Police' developed - and the front sight is a thin blade, and spares are difficult to find.

Still, it's an interesting gun, because of the niche it occupied in military history.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[JimBob]

A little timeline and info on the various New Army/Navy Revolvers:

Model 1889 Navy-1st Swing out cylinder model

Model 1892-Cylinder design improvement on the M1889-Basic model.

Model 1894-Manufactured with hammer and trigger locks.Many M1892 recalled and reworked to M1894 improvements.

M1895-No change but barrel markings.

M1896-No change except barrel markings.

M1901-Butt swivel for lanyard;last of production included improved 1903 grips.

M1903-Diameter of bore reduced for accuracy.Improved design with thinner grips.

.