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Colt New Army .38SPL questions

Fatstrat
I have acquired one of these today. Has some problems w/it that a friend didn't want to spend the $ to fix. Doesn't time reliably in DA mode. Has thin crack in forcing cone, likely from out of time firing. Otherwise appears in decent condition.
Questions:
#1. Serial number is 42815x. Can anyone give me the approx DOM?
#2. Would crack in cone make it unsafe to fire? Or is barrel replacement nessessary?
#3. I know gun is unsafe w/modern heavy.38SPL loads. Would mild wadcutters be OK. Or should I get lower powered loads.
Thanks.
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Comments

5 comments

Date Votes
  • beantownshootah
    quote:#2. Would crack in cone make it unsafe to fire? Or is barrel replacement nessessary?
    There is "unsafe" and there is "unsafe", but I'd consider a cracked forcing cone unsafe to fire.

    More shots will only cause the already damaged forcing cone to wear (and likely break) further. Then you don't know when the next shot will cause a chunk of metal from the forcing cone to come off. Gas leaking around/from the forcing cone crack can't be good for the frame (or your nearby hand) either.

    Sure, if you *had* to shoot it, lower power rounds would be better, but really, why take a chance here?

    A good smith might be able to remove the barrel, cut off the broken part, cut a new shoulder, and rethread it, but that doesn't fix the timing issue.

    The proper fix to this problem is a new barrel.
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  • rufe-snow
    1917 DOM, per my reference. It would be a "Army Special" at that late date. As the New Army & Navy name was used on a earlier version that had ceased production years previously.

    Unless you bought it real cheap, it's likely to cost more to fix it then it's worth. Timing the old Colt revolvers is going to require some guy thats really knowledgeable.
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  • Fatstrat
    I stand corrected. Army Special it is. Don't know where I got New Army. I did get it cheap.
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  • ruger41
    Hope you can fix it--I have my grandfathers Army Special with a 5" barrel. It LOVES 148 grain full wadcutters and 158 grain standard pressure semi wadcutters.
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  • Fatstrat
    quote:Originally posted by ruger41
    Hope you can fix it--I have my grandfathers Army Special with a 5" barrel. It LOVES 148 grain full wadcutters and 158 grain standard pressure semi wadcutters.

    This one has the 5" barrel as well. Anyone know of a Colt-smith in Tulsa area?
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