The guns of the Real "Indiana Jones"

Jaredraptor · Post by **Jaredraptor** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 9:57 pm

While I was visiting family in Colorado, I read my granddad's 2005 issue of Gun Digest. In it, there was a very interesting article on Roy Chapman Andrews. Apparently, his favorite handgun was:

The Colt Model 17 New Service.

Now, on it's own, not too terribly interesting, right? Well, there was another part of the article, mentioning one of the many times his gun saved his life. In this case, during a car chase in Bejiing. While reading the excerpt from his autobiography, I realized something: either Lucas and Spielberg were REALLY influenced by RCA's adventures in Asia when making ToD, or this is just one freaky coincidence.

hunter1 · Post by **hunter1** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 9:47 am

after reading this i went to amazon and ordered a couple of books by chapman..thanks for info

retrojess · Post by **retrojess** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 6:58 pm

Very interesting info. Thanks for posting.

J_Weaver · Post by **J_Weaver** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 7:36 pm

He was an very interesting guy. I saw a show on teh history channel about him a while back. He was indeed a real life Indy.

Jaredraptor · Post by **Jaredraptor** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 12:28 am

hunter1 and retrojess: You're quite welcome. Just doin' my duty as a COW member.

J_Weaver: Indeed he was. Although, RCA did say that adventures are for fools. Ironic, considering all his expeditions always ended up being adventures.

Post by **Michaelson** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 8:02 am

The only complaint issued about the New Service was the position and exposure of the ejector rod. If the revolver was ever dropped, or anything occur that would bend the rod, it became impsossible to eject spent shells from the cylinder after firing the gun.

Considering this was orginally created for use by the U. S. Military, you kind of wonder who was on break at the time this design passed through for approval?

The New Service has been around since just before the 20th Century, and proved it's battle worth during the Moro uprising in the Phillipines. They issued the big Colts to the troops too fast, though, and it actually outstripped the Colt factories ability to supply guns in a timely manner. It became necessary for the Army to re-issue the old Colt 1872 Peacemaker (cowboy gun) single action revolvers to the troops after them being reworked by the armory to a shorter barrel from 7 1/2" down to 5" for easier carry by foot soldiers

If you take another look at the Smith and Wesson 1917 version, its ejector rod is clipped to the barrel at the end, and later models actually housed the rod in a shroud under the barrel. That's how they're make to this very day.

Otherwise, the New Service was built like a tank. I've handled a few, and have to say the Colt fits my hand better than the Smith. They're both VERY heavy belt revolvers, but I'd say Chapman proved in the field that the New Service was more than a match for the areas it found itself in.

More information that you probably wanted to know, I'm sure, but I'm still working on my first cup of morning coffee, so I'm rambling......

Regards! Michaelson

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 10:15 am

Yeah, but that was a GOOD ramble.

The ejector rod is the only thing I don't like about the Colt, though I've seen a few locally in good condition which gets me thinking...

hunter1 · Post by **hunter1** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 11:06 am

Michaelson wrote:The only complaint issued about the New Service was the position and exposure of the ejector rod. If the revolver was ever dropped, or anything occur that would bend the rod, it became impsossible to eject spent shells from the cylinder after firing the gun.

Considering this was orginally created for use by the U. S. Military, you kind of wonder who was on break at the time this design passed through for approval?

The New Service has been around since just before the 20th Century, and proved it's battle worth during the Moro uprising in the Phillipines. They issued the big Colts to the troops too fast, though, and it actually outstripped the Colt factories ability to supply guns in a timely manner. It became necessary for the Army to re-issue the old Colt 1872 Peacemaker (cowboy gun) single action revolvers to the troops after them being reworked by the armory to a shorter barrel from 7 1/2" down to 5" for easier carry by foot soldiers

If you take another look at the Smith and Wesson 1917 version, its ejector rod is clipped to the barrel at the end, and later models actually housed the rod in a shroud under the barrel. That's how they're make to this very day.

Otherwise, the New Service was built like a tank. I've handled a few, and have to say the Colt fits my hand better than the Smith. They're both VERY heavy belt revolvers, but I'd say Chapman proved in the field that the New Service was more than a match for the areas it found itself in.

More information that you probably wanted to know, I'm sure, but I'm still working on my first cup of morning coffee, so I'm rambling......

Regards! Michaelson

i have a colt new service and a s&w model 22 of the 1917 both are 45acp an the colt just seems massive next to the s&w..if you have a larger hand the colt is the gun ya want..god made man, sam colt made them equal...

Jaredraptor · Post by **Jaredraptor** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 11:30 pm

Michaelson wrote:The only complaint issued about the New Service was the position and exposure of the ejector rod. If the revolver was ever dropped, or anything occur that would bend the rod, it became impsossible to eject spent shells from the cylinder after firing the gun.

Considering this was orginally created for use by the U. S. Military, you kind of wonder who was on break at the time this design passed through for approval?

The New Service has been around since just before the 20th Century, and proved it's battle worth during the Moro uprising in the Phillipines. They issued the big Colts to the troops too fast, though, and it actually outstripped the Colt factories ability to supply guns in a timely manner. It became necessary for the Army to re-issue the old Colt 1872 Peacemaker (cowboy gun) single action revolvers to the troops after them being reworked by the armory to a shorter barrel from 7 1/2" down to 5" for easier carry by foot soldiers

If you take another look at the Smith and Wesson 1917 version, its ejector rod is clipped to the barrel at the end, and later models actually housed the rod in a shroud under the barrel. That's how they're make to this very day.

Otherwise, the New Service was built like a tank. I've handled a few, and have to say the Colt fits my hand better than the Smith. They're both VERY heavy belt revolvers, but I'd say Chapman proved in the field that the New Service was more than a match for the areas it found itself in.

More information that you probably wanted to know, I'm sure, but I'm still working on my first cup of morning coffee, so I'm rambling......

Regards! Michaelson

Actually, you just saved me a load of time on Google.

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 11:34 pm

And you just saved me a lot on my car insurance.

Jaredraptor · Post by **Jaredraptor** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 11:35 pm

binkmeisterRick wrote:And you just saved me a lot on my car insurance.

Geico.com: So easy a Meter Maid can do it.