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Comparing Colt Ace .22 LR Magazines to Colt Service Model Ace .22 LR Magazines

Three two tone Colt .22 LR magazine types - the magazine on the far left is the earliest style magazine for the Colt Ace .22 LR pistol with solid breech.  This early variation has a small hole at the top rear (see photo below).  The second style of Colt Ace .22 LR two tone magazine has the same characteristics as the early type, except the small hole at the top rear has been eliminated.  The magazine on the right is for the Colt Service Model Ace .22 LR with floating chamber.

Primary differences between Ace and Service Model Ace magazines:

  • The size of the indented groove on each side of the magazines.  SM Ace groove is larger than the Ace. 
  • The SM Ace has an exposed floor plate as found on the early Type I 1911 magazines. 
  • The groove used by the magazine loading button on the Ace magazine is parallel to the tube of the magazine and is diagonal on the Service Model Ace magazine. 
  • The loading button on the Ace magazine is in a bullseye configuration and on the Service Model Ace magazine is grooved.
  • The follower on the Ace magazine is folded steel and the follower on the Service Model Ace magazine is milled steel.
  • Magazine loading groove on the Service Model Ace magazine is longer than on the Ace magazine.
  • Configuration at the top of the magazine is different between the Ace and the Service Model Ace.

Early and Late Ace magazines:

  • The early two-tone Ace magazine has fewer spring coils than the later two-tone Ace magazine.
  • The early two-tone Ace magazine has a small locating hole at the top rear of the magazine.  The later style of two-tone Ace magazine does not have this hole.

Service Model Ace Magazine:

  • Earliest type of two-tone Service Model Ace magazine is marked Ace on the base plate (as on the solid breech Ace model).  This was eventually changes to "ACE" over "SERVICE MODEL" (pictured below)
  • Later pre-WWII and WWII variations were not two-tone but were full blued.

Right side view of Ace and Service Model Ace two-tone magazines.

Right side view of Ace and Service Model Ace two-tone magazines to show attachment of base plates.

Top view of Ace and Service Model Ace two-tone magazines to show variation in magazine followers.

 

Bottom view of Ace and Service Model Ace two-tone magazines to show base plate markings.

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