Colt M1917: Difference between revisions

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The Walther PPK is a compact German semi-automatic pistol chambered most commonly in [[.32 ACP]] (7.65×17mm), with variants also produced in calibers such as [[.380 ACP]] and [[.22 LR]]. It is a blowback-operated, double-action/single-action design intended for discreet carry while retaining the core safety features of the larger Walther PP. The PPK is best known for its concealability and its long service life with police, military, and civilian users worldwide.
The Colt M1917 is a U.S. double-action revolver chambered in [[.45 ACP]]. It was adopted during World War I as a wartime expedient to supplement shortages of the [[M1911A1|M1911]] pistol, using half-moon (and later full-moon) clips to fire the rimless cartridge and enable rapid reloading. The M1917 is best known for combining a large-caliber service cartridge with revolver reliability and for its distinctive use of moon clips.
=HISTORY=
=HISTORY=
Walther introduced the PPK in 1931 as a shortened version of the Walther PP intended for plainclothes and investigative police use (the “K” referring to ''Kriminal'' in Walther’s naming). By reducing barrel and grip length while keeping the PP’s DA/SA mechanism and safety/decocker, the PPK offered a practical balance of portability and safe handling for close-range defensive roles. It became widely issued and purchased across Europe before and during World War II, particularly among police and government users.
When the United States entered World War I, demand for M1911 pistols outpaced production capacity, prompting the U.S. to procure .45-caliber revolvers from Colt and Smith & Wesson. Colt’s New Service revolver was adapted to accept .45 ACP using stamped steel half-moon clips that both provided proper headspacing and allowed fast extraction of spent cases. These revolvers were issued broadly to U.S. forces during the war and continued in various roles afterward, with many remaining in government stocks between the world wars.


After 1945, production continued through a mix of postwar manufacturing arrangements and later renewed commercial production, keeping the PPK family common on the law-enforcement and civilian markets for decades. In the United States, the 1968 import-point system led to the related PPK/S configuration, which helped sustain the design’s popularity and availability. The result is a compact pistol pattern that remained relevant far beyond its original 1930s role and is still one of the most recognizable small service pistols of the 20th century.
In later decades, M1917 revolvers persisted through reissue, surplus sales, and limited secondary service, and the moon-clip concept they popularized remained influential. During the Vietnam era, U.S. forces generally issued semi-automatic pistols as standard sidearms, so any M1917s encountered would most likely have been legacy weapons in private hands, older police inventories, or rare holdovers rather than common frontline issue. Even so, the M1917 remains an iconic U.S. service revolver associated with wartime procurement and the practical solution of using .45 ACP in a revolver.
<br>[https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30036238 Imperial War Museums – Walther PPK (collection entry)]
<br>[https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30029342 Imperial War Museums – Colt Model 1917 revolver (collection entry)]
<br>[https://royalarmouries.org/collection/object/object-16059 Royal Armouries – Walther Model PPK (collection entry)]
<br>[https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object/nmah_410403 Smithsonian (National Museum of American History) – Colt Model 1917 revolver (collection entry)]
<br>[https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object/nmah_1116101 Smithsonian (National Museum of American History) – Walther PPK Semiautomatic Pistol (collection entry)]
<br>[https://royalarmouries.org/collection/object/object-12471 Royal Armouries – Colt Model 1917 revolver (collection entry)]
<br>Ian V. Hogg, ''Pistols of the World'' (Krause Publications)
<br>Bruce N. Canfield, ''U.S. Infantry Weapons of World War I'' (Andrew Mowbray Publishers)
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Latest revision as of 07:03, 25 February 2026

Factions Weapon Icon Classes Ammo

US
Colt M1917		 Gunner
Radioman
 6 / 18
Damage Base Headshot × Chest × Stomach × Leg × Arm × Reload Speed
44 ×3.7 = 162.8 ×2.4 = 105.6 ×2.3 = 101.2 ×1.3 = 57.2 ×0.95 = 41.8 2.66 Seconds
Designation Weapon Type Fire Modes Fire Rate Bullet Spread ° Range Modifier Muzzle Velocity Projectile weight Weight
M1917 Revolvers Single+Double+Fanning 400 RPM 8.5° & 1.3° ADS 0.85 231 m/s 14.9g (229.9gr) 1 kg (2.2 lbs)
Full name Caliber Place of Origin Date Manufacturer Barrel Length Total Length Weapon Script Name
Colt M1917 Revolver .45ACP USA 1917 Colt 14 cm (5.5 in) 27 cm (10.8 in) weapon_m1917


The Colt M1917 is a U.S. double-action revolver chambered in .45 ACP. It was adopted during World War I as a wartime expedient to supplement shortages of the M1911 pistol, using half-moon (and later full-moon) clips to fire the rimless cartridge and enable rapid reloading. The M1917 is best known for combining a large-caliber service cartridge with revolver reliability and for its distinctive use of moon clips.

HISTORY

When the United States entered World War I, demand for M1911 pistols outpaced production capacity, prompting the U.S. to procure .45-caliber revolvers from Colt and Smith & Wesson. Colt’s New Service revolver was adapted to accept .45 ACP using stamped steel half-moon clips that both provided proper headspacing and allowed fast extraction of spent cases. These revolvers were issued broadly to U.S. forces during the war and continued in various roles afterward, with many remaining in government stocks between the world wars.

In later decades, M1917 revolvers persisted through reissue, surplus sales, and limited secondary service, and the moon-clip concept they popularized remained influential. During the Vietnam era, U.S. forces generally issued semi-automatic pistols as standard sidearms, so any M1917s encountered would most likely have been legacy weapons in private hands, older police inventories, or rare holdovers rather than common frontline issue. Even so, the M1917 remains an iconic U.S. service revolver associated with wartime procurement and the practical solution of using .45 ACP in a revolver.
Imperial War Museums – Colt Model 1917 revolver (collection entry)
Smithsonian (National Museum of American History) – Colt Model 1917 revolver (collection entry)
Royal Armouries – Colt Model 1917 revolver (collection entry)
Bruce N. Canfield, U.S. Infantry Weapons of World War I (Andrew Mowbray Publishers)




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