Colt New Service .455 WWI British Contract Webley Pistol

[varifleman]

Here are photos of my Colt New Service .455 Webley pistol serial number 125149 which was 1 of 500 shipped to the London Armoury Company on December 26, 1916. It has a very interesting service history since it has British military acceptance, proof and property marks and AEF acceptance cartouche on the grip and stamp on the bottom of back strap. Any ideas about the C154 mark (Canadian)? Shoots flawlessly after almost 100 years and still in the original .455 chambering!



AEF stamp and US flag






broad arrow and inspector's mark on the left side of the frame above the cylinder catch.

 

[Sharps '63]

Nice! I've got a commercial model of the same vintage in 95% original condition.

I find it a difficult gun to shoot DA, but SA mode, it's a delight.

 

[cigar_man]

Very nice.

I'm still on the hunt for one of these beauties.

 

[mkrnel]

You may already know this but I think you may find the A.E.F. stamp on the butt and grips may refer to the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) who fought along side the British during WW1 with the AEF also using some French and British equipment with some AEF troops even being issued British Lee Enfields and French 8mm Lebel rifles. -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Expeditionary_Forces

 

[purple]

The New Service is an excellent revolver. I have a slightly earlier one, Colt s/n 1102XX, with Brit military marks and the earlier Guta Percha Colt grips. This is an interesting one with the AEF stamp in addition to the Brit military markings. I don't know about the C154 stamp. It doesn't have any other Cdn markings.

 

[Lee Enfield]

You may already know this but I think you may find the A.E.F. stamp on the butt and grips may refer to the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) who fought along side the British during WW1 with the AEF also using some French and British equipment with some AEF troops even being issued British Lee Enfields and French 8mm Lebel rifles. -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Expeditionary_Forces

Considering that those grips are not original I really don't think they are significant to the history of the gun.

 

[mkrnel]

Considering that those grips are not original I really don't think they are significant to the history of the gun.

And how do you know the grips are not original? Did you not know that they also came with plain walnut wood grips on some of the military contract ones?

Also what about the same A.E.F. also stamped into the base of the metal butt as also stamped on the wood grips?

Here is another British contract Colt New Service Revolver, manufactured in 1915, serial # 80405, in cal. 455 Eley with the same grips!

And some more .455 Eley ones with plain wood grips -

 

[varifleman]

mkrnel; thanks for the information. I thought the A.E.F. stamps did refer to the American Expeditionary Forces especially with the U.S. flag motif on the grip. Here's a very informative book about AEF units who fought under British command with British equipment. Also thanks for the numerous photos of the Colt New Service WWI British Contract .455 Eley pistols with wooden grips.

 

[mkrnel]

mkrnel; thanks for the information. I thought the A.E.F. stamps did refer to the American Expeditionary Forces especially with the U.S. flag motif on the grip. Here's a very informative book about AEF units who fought under British command with British equipment. Also thanks for the numerous photos of the Colt New Service WWI British Contract .455 Eley pistols with wooden grips.

Your welcome!

 

[Lee Enfield]

And how do you know the grips are not original? Did you not know that they also came with plain walnut wood grips on some of the military contract ones?

Also what about the same A.E.F. also stamped into the base of the metal butt as also stamped on the wood grips?

Here is another British contract Colt New Service Revolver, manufactured in 1915, serial # 80405, in cal. 455 Eley with the same grips!

And some more .455 Eley ones with plain wood grips -
]

Well actually I do know that AMERICAN military contract New Services were fitted with walnut grips from the factory.

That doesn't change the fact that the grips on the OP gun are not original to that gun, based upon the thumb relief contour at the top of the grips.

Model 1909 US Army revolvers were fitted with smooth walnut grips
Model 1909 US Marine contract revolvers have a unique round butt frame, but were fitted with checkered walnut grips.
Model 1917 US Army revolvers were fitted with smooth walnut grips.

WWI Era 455 new services were fitted (pretty much exclusively) with molded hard rubber grips, whether they were military contract or commercial private purchase.

I have seen grips almost identical to the OPs on British rebuild/refurbished (FTR) guns.

The OP revolver show British Military property Inspection markings, and a postwar release from British Military ownership by sale, (2-broad arrows pointing towards an "S").