Help Needed To Decipher Markings on Colt New Service Revolver

Magnum PI

Magnum PI

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An American friend purchased a Colt New Service revolver recently. It is serial # 3683 which he tells me dates it somewhere around 1902 and is chambered for 455 Eley. Left side of frame has the Canadian Broad Arrow stamped just below and left of the the Colt proof mark.

The backstrap has been stamped P.P.C.L.I 4 .E. 27 and further up towards the hammer there is a 9.

Would any of you have an idea what the "4 .E. 27" and the "9" might indicate? PPCLI has to be the Princess Pat's, I would think. I read that the original New Service Colts bought by Canada were in 45 Colt although the RNWMP/RCMP had them in 455 Eley.

By the way he got this and another New Service for $300. He says there is nothing remarkable about the second one.

Your observations and comments will be appreciated.
 
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4th Company of The Loyal Edmonton Regiment, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, weapon No. 27. During WW1 they were attached to the 49th Bn, CEF.

Back in WW1, the Loyad Edmonton was actually broken into two Regiments; The 1st Bn (The Edmonton Regt) and the 2nd Bn (The Edmonton Fusiliers). Hard to say which it was issued to, but in general they appear to have fought together at the same actions.

Hope that helps.
 
Claven2 said:
4th Company of The Loyal Edmonton Regiment, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, weapon No. 27. During WW1 they were attached to the 49th Bn, CEF.

Back in WW1, the Loyad Edmonton was actually broken into two Regiments; The 1st Bn (The Edmonton Regt) and the 2nd Bn (The Edmonton Fusiliers). Hard to say which it was issued to, but in general they appear to have fought together at the same actions.

Hope that helps.
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While the PPCLI was a sister regiment in the same Brigade to the 49th/Edmonton Regiment during both WWI and WWII, however they were not actually linked until 1954 when the Edmonton Regiment was turned into the reserve 4th Battalion of the PPCLI.
 
Kirk1701 said:
Also you've got the chambering backwards. The RCMP had the 45 Colt, the CEF had 455.
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A Colt New Service with that serial number predates the Canadian Military useage of the .455 cartridge.

All of the M.1878 and New Service revolvers purchased for useage by the Canadian Government during both the 1885 Riel Rebellion and the 1901-1903 Boer War were chambered in .45 Colt.
 
I am going to have to read this over again and over again and over again and.......

I have a New Service, but it is a 1915 gun, .455 and a great shooter but otherwise indistinguished.

I would REALLY like to see photos of this PPCLI revolver.

4 Batt, Coy E, number 27? Or 4th Engineering section, Coy E, Number 27, PPCLI?

As mentioned previously, I am rather terribly confused right now.......
 
Magnum PI said:
Gentlemen,

Thanks for the information. I tried to copy his photo over here but no luck with that.

PI
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Can you get a picture of the bottom front of the frame where the crane swivels?

In this picture you should see a projection on the bottom of the cylinder crane from the earlier gun. This was changed in 1908/1909 along with the trigger bow width.
106zgwo.jpg


Notice also the front of the top strap, the earlier gun is very similar to a SAA, while the later frame has a scallop to it. This was changed in @1905.

The gun with no grips is a Canadian Contract Boer War gun, the one with grips is a Canadian private purchase WWI gun.
35a0mj7.jpg


The Canadian Contract Boer War .45 Colt gun is at top, and the .455 marked barrel is a British private purchase Boer War New Service marked to a member of Paget's Horse.
a5obd.jpg
 
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Kirk1701 said:
Well, that completely messes things up! I'm going to have to get BOTH now.
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I'd like to get just one Boer War vintage Colt New Service! It is the only "primary-issue" piece missing from my collection of Canadian military handguns up to the Inglis High Power. (The images I just posted are a revolver owned by someone else. The "place" in my collection has long been held by a WWI-vintage .455 revolver.) I

Say .... if you have one of correct vintage chambered in .45 Colt .... or.455 .... perhaps you should sell it to me and then wouldn't have to worry about supplementing it with the other!. :p :evil:
 
GrantR said:
I'd like to get just one Boer War vintage Colt New Service! It is the only "primary-issue" piece missing from my collection of Canadian military handguns up to the Inglis High Power. (The images I just posted are a revolver owned by someone else. The "place" in my collection has long been held by a WWI-vintage .455 revolver.) I

Say .... if you have one of correct vintage chambered in .45 Colt .... or.455 .... perhaps you should sell it to me and then wouldn't have to worry about supplementing it with the other!. :p :evil:
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I have neither. Both are becoming less easy to find.
 
Colt New Services are great, aren't they?

Love mine, though it's only a 1917-made example. Still, getting hard to find ANY of these in decent nick.





Had her out last month and put 5 of 6 rounds onto a 20m NRA pistol target set at 100m, kneeling unsupported. Not many handguns will do that in my hands, or in anyone else's. My shooting buddy was slack-jawed when we retrieved the target. We were using old, corroded Dominion Mk2 factory loads :)
 
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