SOLD - New Service Colt Revolver

Description

5/12/20 - This is a Colt New Service Model in .38 special that was made in 1937.   It was sitting on a shelf at Colt (they were backlogged on sales) until war broke out in Europe following the British defeat at Dunkirk (If you saw "Darkest Hour" then you know how desperate things were in England).  In July of 1940, The British government placed an order with Colt for "all available handguns suitable for military use".   Along with some 1200 automatic pistols, every available New Service revolver was taken off the shelf and sent to England. It is estimated that this order had 1533 revolvers - this one included. There is a parkerized 38 Special, New Service, #340680 (very close to this one) documented in Bob Murphy's book, Colt New Service Revolvers.  There is a tiny British proof on the left side of the frame.  These are often found parkerized but I am not sure if that was done in the US or in England.   After the war, this gun came back to the US but there are no import marks on it.  This is a historical gun left over from the Battle of Britain.