I just have this old thing....
Colt New Service .455 ELEY, first date stamp on the barrel is 1884, second date stamp is 1900, third date stamp is 1905. It has the Birmingham Armory stamp BC5, which I was informed, by a member on another forum that....
"The proof mark dates from 1952. Thre was a mistake with the early 1952 marks. The 1950 was AB ( B for Birmingham) over a number which identified the person conducting the proof. 1951 was BB and when they cut the stamp die for 1953 they forgot which letter was the date letter. So early 1952 marks read BC instead of CB. It was corrected to CB after the first die wore out. So if your mark reads BC it was an early 1952 mark."
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