Colt New Service
Colt's Manufacturing Company · Pistol · Discontinued · 1898
Also known as: M1909, M1917, Shooting Master
Overview
The Colt New Service was a large-frame, six-shot, double-action revolver with a swing-out cylinder, introduced in 1898 and produced into the 1940s. Chambered for powerful cartridges including .45 Colt, .455 Webley and .45 ACP, it served as the standard US service revolver as the Model 1909 and, in .45 ACP form using half-moon clips, as the Model 1917. It was also widely adopted by Commonwealth forces and law-enforcement agencies including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1130 g (39.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 270 mm (10.63") |
| Barrel Length | 140 mm (5.51") |
| Firing Mechanism | Double Action Single Action |
| Trigger Type | Double Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Rotary |
| Muzzle Velocity | 270 m/s (886 fps) |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .45 Colt · primary — also known as .45 Long Colt, .45 LC
- .455 Webley — also known as .455 Eley, .455 Enfield
- .45 ACP — also known as .45 Auto, .45 Automatic Colt Pistol
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Swing Out Cylinder, Half Moon Clip
- Safety mechanisms: Colt Positive Lock Hammer Block
- Features: Large I Frame, Swing Out Cylinder, Half Moon Clips For 45 Acp, Square Butt, Lanyard Ring
Variants
- Colt New Service M1917 — Military
- Colt Shooting Master — Target
Service history
Operators
- United States Army · adopted 1909 · as M1909 (.45 Colt) / M1917 (.45 ACP)
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police · adopted 1905
- British and Commonwealth Forces · adopted 1915 · as .455 Webley New Service
Conflicts
- World War I (1914-1918)
- World War II (1939-1945)
- Philippine-American War (1899-1902)
Production
Estimated total produced: 356,000 · Production years: 1898-1946
Includes roughly 150,000 M1917 revolvers produced 1917-1920 and tens of thousands of .455 Webley examples on WWI British contracts.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Carl J. Ehbets
Discontinued: 1946
Notes
The M1917 chambered the rimless .45 ACP by using half-moon clips that gave the extractor a rim to grip; the need to fire it without clips later led to the dedicated .45 Auto Rim cartridge. A premium target variant, the Shooting Master, was offered and from 1936 was available in .357 Magnum.
Background
The M1917 was a World War I improvisation: M1911 pistol production could not keep up, so Colt chambered its big revolver for the rimless .45 ACP and solved the headspacing problem with the spring-steel half-moon clip, two of which loaded all six chambers at once.