[tashton]

A friend of mine's dad recently passed away. My friend is not interested in guns. He found an old Colt revolver in a shoe box in his dad's closet. He gave me the gun.
On the barrel it is marked "Colt DA 45". The serial # is XX176. In the box were some old 45 LC bullets. The weapon resembles the Colt Double Action New Army, Model 1905, but the front sight is not a round blade, but fin shape like a shark's top dorsil. Is this a civilian verison of the New Army? Could this relvolver shoot 45 LC?

 

[natty bumpo]

No.. Bushrod

 

[SRG]

Tashton,
Without seeing it, what it sounds like you have is a Model 1878 DA. Does the trigger guard come off? What length is the barrel? Sometimes the barrels were changed out. If it is a 6" barrel it is referred to as Alaskan/Phillipines model. (Large loop trigger guard for gloved hands). Sounds like a keeper. And yes, it will shoot .45 Colt.
By the way, value in 50% condition is about $1000.

 

[italiansport]

If this pistol has a lanyard ring in the butt tell us what's marked around it. Is this a swing out cylinder revolver? Are the grips smooth walnut?

 

[tashton]

If this pistol has a lanyard ring in the butt tell us what's marked around it. Is this a swing out cylinder revolver? Are the grips smooth walnut?

Thanks for your reply to my inquiry re: whether this relvolver would shoot 45 LC.

The barrel is 6" and the cylinder swings out. The cylinder crane has a different serial no. (XX817) than the frame (XX176).

The grips are checkered wood. There is no lanyard loop in the butt, but it appears to have been plugged where the loop would have been.

I suspect this is a civilian version of the military/RCMP model manufactured around 1905.

 

[italiansport]

Tashton:
From your description I'd guess you have one of the early Colt swing out cylinder revolvers in 45 LC. These revolvers could also be used with 45ACP ammo with half-moon clips. Yours obviously has been modified over the years with civilian checkered grips and removal of the lanyard ring.
IMO: It would be possible to fairly easily restore this revolver to it's original military configuration provided it hasn't been refinished.
Jim