Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! This Colt New Service Smoothbore revolver represents one of the rarest production variants in American firearms history—a factory smoothbore .44-40 that exists in regulatory limbo between legality and prohibition. Only five such revolvers are specifically exempted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and listed by serial number in the Curio & Relics registry. Manufactured in 1921 and shipped as a single gun order to hardware companies in St. Louis, this smoothbore New Service was likely intended for exhibition shooting. By the 1920s, the great Wild West shows had largely ended, but individual exhibition shooters remained popular attractions, often sponsored by major firearms manufacturers to demonstrate their products’ capabilities. The smoothbore barrel served a specific purpose in trick shooting—it allowed the use of shot loads for breaking aerial targets while maintaining the appearance of a standard revolver. Audiences believed they were watching shooters hit clay pigeons and glass balls with solid bullets, making the feats seem far more impressive than they actually were.
What makes this revolver legally fascinating is its exemption status. Under normal circumstances, a smoothbore handgun would fall under National Firearms Act restrictions as an “Any Other Weapon.” However, the BATFE specifically recognized the historical significance of these five factory smoothbores, granting them Curio & Relics status and exempting them from NFA requirements. The revolver features standard New Service markings and construction, with matching serial numbers on frame, crane, and grips. Its blue finish and hard rubber grips represent the standard commercial configuration, making the smoothbore barrel the only deviation from normal production. This represents a unique intersection of firearms manufacturing, entertainment history, and modern federal firearms law—a true collector’s paradox.
“BATFE Exempted Smoothbore .44-40 Colt New Service Revolver.” Rock Island Auction Company, https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/4094/3083/batfe-exempted-smoothbore-4440-colt-new-service-revolver. Accessed 26 May 2025.
Writer | TheFirearmBlog
Writer | AllOutdoor.com Instagram | sfsgunsmith Old soul, certified gunsmith, published author, avid firearm history learner, and appreciator of old and unique guns.
Trending Products
