4digit Serial Number

[M14fan]

Did Colt ever use a 4digit serial number? I have a piece supposed to have been built in 1968. The barrel and slide are serial numbered and marked with NM. I have seen others with the SAME serial numbers so I suspect these may refer to something else. The receiver has only 4 numbers on the right side of the frame. There are no letters and no other identifying marks of any kind. This piece is supposed to be all Colt. I like it and plan to keep it even if it is not all colt as it is very well put together. I would just like to satisfy my curiosity.

Thanks,

Anthony

[wetidlerjr]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v114/wetidlerjr/worthless.gif

[dakota1911]

I would wait for Monday and call Colt's 800 number and ask them. Its free. And it would be good to have a picture of the pistol.

[wetidlerjr]

I would wait for Monday and call Colt's 800 number and ask them. Its free. And it would be good to have a picture of the pistol.

Didn't somebody say that ? :D

[Jim Watson]

Colt used 4-digit serial numbers in 1912.

A number seen on other guns is not a serial number. In combination with NM, the barrel and slide are likely military match parts.

Colt used 4-digit serial numbers in 1912 (took them til 1914 to get to 10,000 on commercial models) but a military issue gun would have a "No" prefix and a commercial model would have a "C" prefix.

A receiver with ONLY a 4-digit number is probably an aftermarket frame completed with surplus military match parts.

When you get a picture up, we can see how close my lightly supported speculation is.

[Doran]

Early Ace and Super.38 serial numbers did not have prefixes or suffixes, the NM numbers are part numbers.

[Jim Watson]

You are right, it could be military match .45 parts on a first or second year .38 Super frame. I knew a guy who did that, although not to that early a gun.

Original Ace .22s did not have prefixes but I don't think the receiver would accept a centerfire upper. Service Model Ace serial numbers are listed as starting with SM 1.

[Hill]

Are there any electro-etched numbers on it?

The armory match prepped guns often have the slide, barrel, bushing, and sometimes more marked with the last three or four digits of the pistol's serial number. sometimes stamped, sometimes etched - I guess it depended on the in house practice at the time.

If the numbers don't match up with the frame serial number then they could be part numbers (not so often) or the pistol could be a mishmash made up of spares left after being found undesirable for any of several reasons for use on the first build.