COLT DA 38 / M1892 .38 SPECIAL

The Colt New Army, or M1892, was the first general issue double action revolver issued to the U.S armed forces. Being produced from 1892 through 1907, it served with distinction, with the only complaints coming from its use in the Philippines, where it was noted that the somewhat low pressure .38 Long colt ammunition had a difficult time stopping the rather zealous Filipino rebels with a single shot. The M1892 was later brought back into service during the first world war as a secondary standard sidearm for rear echelon troops.
This example was a commercially sold New Army, marked DA 38, manufactured in 1907 at the end of the production run. At some point in the life of this firearm it was sent back to the colt factory where it was overhauled and fitted with a cylinder off of the later Official Police model, which shared the same frame but was chambered for the .38 Special cartridge. This factory alteration is made evident by the presence of a star stamped into the right side of the trigger guard web as well as the fact that the cylinder has stepped chambers, a clear indication of the .38 Special chambering.
Overall condition of this revolver is fair to good, with light finish loss where it rode in a holster and light freckling across much of the rest of the finish. Internally, the timing and lockup appear very good, with only mild wear. Of note there are markings inscribed by the previous owner which have not been deciphered.