Colt D.A. 38 U.S.A. Model 1894 SN 4870

[SUB VET II]

Acquired this several yrs ago. It has been rode hard and put away wet. Is

their any chance of finding parts. Cyl. does not rotate every time on cocking

and numerous other parts exhibit excessive wear. Barrel and forceing cone

are good. Grips are of wood. Have no intention of shooting it but would like

to have it in working order. Thanks for "ANY" info.

Information

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[Iceman66]

It sounds like you have a Colt Army & Navy revolver. It was the first DA, swing-out cylinder revolver adopted for U.S. military service, originally by the Navy in 1899 and then later by the Army. There were a number of changes and each had a different Model year. They are very difficult to work on and finding a qualified armorer has become almost impossible. Parts are equally difficult to find. The design was flawed and led to major changes in Colt DA revolvers.

It's .38LC cartridge was seriously questioned by the Army during the Philippine-USA War and led to the emergency call for a .45 revolver which resulted in the Colt M1909 which was in service for only 3 years when the Colt .45 M1911 was adopted.

[thorin6]

I was able to get some parts from them for a M1894 about a year ago; they seem to have parts for old Colts and might be able to help.
Web site is Antique Firearms & Colt Parts for Old Guns
Phone Number is (775) 575-6205

[Jim K]

Those guns are a nightmare to try and fix. Like the Model 1877, you can't replace or fix one part without throwing something else off. A big problem is timing. Colt never did come up with a good way to keep the cylinder from rotating backward, though the use of the latch is ingenious.

The springs are mostly thin flat springs and break easily; the problem you mention is probably due to a broken hand spring, a common problem.

As Iceman says, there are few people who will work on those guns and the work would cost more than the gun is worth. Most gunsmiths simply won't touch them at all, at any price.

Jim

[SUB VET II]

Thanks much for the info. Sounds like the best course of action is to return it to the safe.

[Emri]

Those guns are a nightmare to try and fix. Like the Model 1877, you can't replace or fix one part without throwing something else off. A big problem is timing. Colt never did come up with a good way to keep the cylinder from rotating backward, though the use of the latch is ingenious.

The springs are mostly thin flat springs and break easily; the problem you mention is probably due to a broken hand spring, a common problem.

As Iceman says, there are few people who will work on those guns and the work would cost more than the gun is worth. Most gunsmiths simply won't touch them at all, at any price.

Jim

Keep the pistol for a keepsake, you won't shoot it anyway. No sense in putting money into it just to look at; and the outcome (functionality) is quite doubtful. ALL those pistols have the same inherent problems and fixing one just invites more (problems).

FWIW,

Emri

[gunsmokeTPF]

I own many guns, but just my luck I have the 3 of most delicate colts ever made. I have a near mint colt 1877 Thunderer 41LC that I'd never shoot. My colt 1878 DA 44-40 is another potential problem child, but I've put probably 3, or 4 hundred black powder rounds through it with no problems other than the cylinder slowing down due to the black powder fowling. It's dead on at 70 yards away striking a steel plate about the size of man's chest. Not bad for 125 years old. A few spins and it loosens up again. My 94 army ser#11xx is better than 90%. It was reworked in 1904 and then later was sent to the Bridgeport Arsenal in Conn., which is indicated by LEB stamped on the upper left side of the frame. Many of those ended up in the navy during WW1. The cylinder had been changed, but that's common. I've got the original 1904 dated Rock Island Arsenal holster and 04 dated cartridge case stamped Co. A Virginia artillery. Both are in exc+ condition. I've been lucky cause it's been shot many times with no problems and works well, but I prefer single action due to a slightly hard double action. I guess shooting it is taking a chance, but the 38 LC is very mild and that revolver is fun to shoot and at 25 yards is pretty accurate. It hasn't been shot for at least for 7, or 8 years, so maybe it's retired like me now.

[joem]

I have one that I think is from 1896 in .38 LC. I do shoot it it a few time a year. Double action has about a 25 pound trigger pull, but single action is smooth.

[gunsmokeTPF]

There's just something hard to explain about shooting anything that's been around better than a hundred years. I always wonder where it's been and who had it. I kinda get that funny feeling in the pit of my stomache, like I did at Christmas time when I was a kid waiting for Santa. Guess I'm just a gun nut. When possible I try to get a colt, winchester, or S&W letter for my own curiousity and it sure doesn't hurt the value. I've had a couple of wonderfull surprises over the years reading some of those letters. It's funny though how I didn't letter my 1898 in all the years I've had it, but I'll take care of that this week. I would think it was a first year manufacture since the serial# is just over a thousand. I'm glad that others enjoy shooting theirs as well with good results. After all that's what they were made for and they seem to have a greater longevity than we have.