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Is this a Colt?

2K views 17 replies 8 participants last post by  ampaterry 
#1 · (Edited)
Can anyone tell about this pistol? It's a .38 Special. The serial number on the edge of the inner grip starts with GW or 6W and the 4 numbers. There is another number A002 under the frame.
No manufacturer info on the pistol, just the two different numbers in the photos.
Firing pin is not on the hammer. It's a very old looking and appears to have 'black powder deterioration' in the inner frame and cylinder rear.
A Great Western expert told me it not a Great Western. It can't be a Colt. It looks older then 50 years old. The firing pin is not on the hammer.
See my pics.
Please contact me if you know about this pistol.
 

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#2 ·
I'm going to take a wild guess and say it's a Great Western. The
hammer and hammer spur sure look like one, and the lack of markings
along with the serial number isn't saying Colt. Might even be a kit gun,
Great Western made a few for Hy Hunter.
 
#4 ·
Let's play a little "what if" here.

If it is a Great Western, it sure isn't marked as well as it should be, and from
what I can find most of the Great Western serial numbers began with GW.

The guns were made in the 50's/60's---and this one looks far older.
Could it have been artifically aged--say for use as a movie gun?

One of the main spokesmen for Great Western was Audie Murphy, and he used
their guns in more than one movie.

WHAT IF Sn A002 stood for AUDIE #2. One of at least 2 guns made by
Great Western for use in some 1950's cowboy movie. Wouldn't that be a hoot.
 
#5 ·
Colts have ways to permanently show it. They have stampings and parts and in general there is really no way to copy a real Colt even today.

Take this for instance, a reproduced Colt .44-40 Frontier Six Shooter shooting the .44-40 WCF I picked up somewhere around 2005:



It shoots on target and it is a simple repro from Colt but it shoots and acts like a Colt.

Take another Colt Reproduction:



It's the 01918 from WWI and I have shot more rounds through this repro 1911 than any 1911 I've owned and it still shoots without a problem.

Take another example:



Just a real Colt .22LR/.22WMR Sixgun. It shoots perfectly to date with .22 LR and with the other cylinder in .22 WMR.

Colt has a history and people have chided that history but Colt delivers the best all along the way in handguns. I even have a .32-20 CSAA to throw another picture:



As well as a Modern sort of thing in .45 ACP 1911:



Yeah it's the Colt New Agent with Tritium Sights. It shoots PERFECTLY along with ALL the rest of MY COLTS.
 
#6 ·
It does look like a Great Western going by the hammer. The trigger guard also looks rounder than a Colt which also points to GW. Last thing I see is the GWxxxx assembly number which should make it an earlier Great Western from what little I know about them.

I dunno about the lack of relief cuts by the cylinder stop notches. Might be an indicator of the early ones? The GWs I've seen have all had relief cuts by the notches.

Not sure what to make of the A0002 serial number either...might've been part of a series at one time but I think the serial stamping looks like it was redone after an UGLY job of removing most of the markings and pickling (fake antiquing) the parts.
That serial number is what concerns me the most. It just doesn't "fit" the rest of the gun.
 
#9 ·
92m, I am not infracting you for that insulting post strictly because you just joined and may not understand the civility of this group.
The OP asked if this pistol was a Colt.
BillM responded that it did not sound right for a Colt, but theorized it was a Great Western.
You responded that there is no way to copy a real Colt, and posted pictures showing excellent copies of colts.
Bindernut responded to the OP, agreeing with BillM and describing features that spoke Great Western to him.
You accuse BillM of being OFF topic while you are ON topic?
You are new here, 92m.
You need to take a deep breath, back off, and realize that there is PLENTY of expertise on this forum, and none of it deserves insult.

And -

Welcome to TFF!
 
#10 ·
Colts have ways to permanently show it. They have stampings and parts and in general there is really no way to copy a real Colt even today.

Take this for instance, a reproduced Colt .44-40 Frontier Six Shooter shooting the .44-40 WCF I picked up somewhere around 2005:



It shoots on target and it is a simple repro from Colt but it shoots and acts like a Colt.

Take another Colt Reproduction:



It's the 01918 from WWI and I have shot more rounds through this repro 1911 than any 1911 I've owned and it still shoots without a problem.

Take another example:



Just a real Colt .22LR/.22WMR Sixgun. It shoots perfectly to date with .22 LR and with the other cylinder in .22 WMR.

Colt has a history and people have chided that history but Colt delivers the best all along the way in handguns. I even have a .32-20 CSAA to throw another picture:



As well as a Modern sort of thing in .45 ACP 1911:



Yeah it's the Colt New Agent with Tritium Sights. It shoots PERFECTLY along with ALL the rest of MY COLTS.
I'll trade slides on my Colt New Agent for yours, mine has trench sights and won't hangup in your pocket.
 

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#11 ·
OP, I guess nobody has taken a run at your other question,
caliber.

If ( and I know this is by no means established) it is indeed a
Great Western, they were made in 38 special, 357 magnum
and 357 Atomic on the 38 size bore. No 38 S&W or 38 Long
Colts, so if it is marked 38 it's probably 38 special. That kind
of shoots my movie gun fantasy in the foot---even back then
most movie guns were chambered in a caliber that would allow
the use of 5-in-1 blanks, which were built on a larger case than 38 special.
 
#15 ·
Bindernut avoided the issue after I posted on the issue.

Perhaps Bindernut can explain to us why he avoided the issue going back to fake Colts instead.

Your original question was a real Colt. Not a Western.
Hmmm... Lemme see...I went to bed. I woke up this morning and went to work. I came home, showered, and ate supper. Now I'm here and I get accused of "avoiding the issue" by a new guy that doesn't know me?
S'allllllllllllgoooooood... :D

I didn't say "No, it's not a real Colt" because that was clarified by earlier posts. I filled in what blanks I knew as did a couple of other members.
It's always nice to know what something is once it's been determined what it's not. :)
 
#16 ·
92m, I am not infracting you for that insulting post strictly because you just joined and may not understand the civility of this group.
The OP asked if this pistol was a Colt.
BillM responded that it did not sound right for a Colt, but theorized it was a Great Western.
You responded that there is no way to copy a real Colt, and posted pictures showing excellent copies of colts.
Bindernut responded to the OP, agreeing with BillM and describing features that spoke Great Western to him.
You accuse BillM of being OFF topic while you are ON topic?
You are new here, 92m.
You need to take a deep breath, back off, and realize that there is PLENTY of expertise on this forum, and none of it deserves insult.

And -

Welcome to TFF!
I can see why you are the staff chaplain and, my Lord, you put me into my place without a hair on my head plucked!

I am sending you a thank you into your PM mail (if I can).

Sincerely,

CH (MAJ) John H. Carr II USA (RET/DIS)
 
#17 ·
I'll trade slides on my Colt New Agent for yours, mine has trench sights and won't hangup in your pocket.
You are Swift!

I got the Tritium Colt New Agent in KY in E Town. I walked in, looked at what they had, and focused on the Colt. I held it. I liked it. I knew all along it was less than an older Officer's Colt because it had only a 3" Barrel. I could have argued myself out of getting it simply by the velocity loss of a Full Length or Commander Length (or even the Officer's Length) but it was so lightweight and handy. A very small .45 ACP package in 1911 Model. I had seen the Trench Sight versions but I need a post or blade or bead to really feel all safe in front of a V or notch (whether U or square notch) because I want to be able to shoot with some decency of accuracy around 50 yards with any handgun (true).

I brought it home and later fired it at the Knob Creek Gun Club here in KY north of Fort Knox. I started by putting the front tritium sight in the notch thinking the black part of the top of the sight was where the bullets (all FMJ 230gr and HP USA White Box) and I was shooting low. Then I just focused on the tritium bull's eye (covering my targets) and all rounds shot straight and true. With this gun the front bull's eye Tritium has to be placed in the wide V rear and then you COVER the target with the front sight with the Tritium in THE CENTER to shoot THERE.

I've owned a lot of 1911s besides the WWI Repro (also perfect by the way in function and accuracy--little sloppy sounding with the slide on the frame but it shoots impressively) I pictured and basically sold them all off in time.

I later found out this Tritium New Agent was 1 of 500 and no longer produced. There was an agent (yes AGENT) that wanted to buy it from me and I said I'd think about it and I looked it up seeing what I bought back then is no longer available and I gave him the bad news it was not for sale.

Or TRADE!
 
#18 ·
I can see why you are the staff chaplain and, my Lord, you put me into my place without a hair on my head plucked!

I am sending you a thank you into your PM mail (if I can).

Sincerely,

CH (MAJ) John H. Carr II USA (RET/DIS)
Most gracious, sir -
And THANK YOU for your service to our country!!
 
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