Speaking of errors, it is amazing how the Canadian War Museum's "Experts" can pack so many errors into one little online entry like that -
In fact, the Model 1878 Colt Double Action revolvers acquired during the 1885 North West Rebellion, and used to arm Canada's First Contingent to South Africa, were chambered in .45 Colt (as already mentioned) and the
first Colt New Service revolvers purchased thereafter for Boer War service were also chambered in .45 Colt.
The
worst error on that CWM page, however, is probably that the revolver shown in the photograph on that web page is actually an Improved New Service Model, which was not introduced by Colt until
1909 - seven years after the Boer War! The most noticeable distinguishing feature is the triggerguard - note how the one in the CWM photo is as wide as the frame of the revolver - that was a feature of the 1909 model. Compare with the First Model New Service revolver shown below, on which there is a noticeable step down from the frame to its narrower triggerguard.
On the issue of the
chambering of Canada's Boer War Colt New Service revolvers, although Clive Law indicates in his
"Canadian Military Handguns, 1855-1985" that all of them were .45 Colt, there is now strong evidence that at least some of the revolvers shipped by Colt in April of 1900, and later, were actually chambered in .455. Indeed, after Canada's Second Contingent sailed, all subsequent Canadian Contingents were entirely funded by the British War Department, which may well have specified that their revolvers should be chambered in .455.
Here is one of the .455 revolvers shipped in April of 1900, along with a detail showing the caliber marking on its barrel, and a detail from the Colt Letter obtained on this revolver by its owner. (Capt. Benoit, the chap to whom this shipment of 350 revolvers was sent, was a Purchasing Agent for the Department of Militia & Defence.) -
