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Old January 31, 2021, 02:35 PM   #7
44 AMP
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Join Date: March 11, 2006
Location: Upper US
Posts: 28,846
Quote:
I have been reading about those "bored through" 1917s for a long long time but have not seen a gun or picture of an actual example. Did they have a cylinder replacement/upgrade program?
the best info I have indicates that the initial batch of Colt 1917s had "bored through" cylinders, and would not work without half moon clips, while the S&W 1917s had the ACP headspace "ledge" or "step" in the chamber, and would work without clips

All subsequent Colt guns were made with headspace steps like S&W. And the initial batch of bored through guns was reworked in the 20s when replacement cylinders with headspace steps were fitted.

Its not impossible some of the first guns "escaped" rework, I have no idea, but if a few did, those are the only Colt .45acp you'll find with bored through cylinders and they'd be uber rare.

Always possible you can find a gun that was reworked/bored out by a previous owner, NOT the factory. Friend of mine got a S&W 1917 that had been nickeled, and "bored out" as he found out when a .45acp round would fall completely through the cylinder and out the front.
The gun would chamber .45 Colt, and likely would also fire ACP in clips, though my friend declined firing it, and passed it on to another collector, with full disclosure of what he found had been done to it.
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