.38 Detective Special 1925??

[Hubert37]

I have a Colt .38 Detective Special with a serial number of 320xxx. I am showing that as a 1925 version. But there seems to be some question regarding it based on what I have read. It is like a polished chrome color with the black plastic grips that have the diamond ribbing. However the also only have the 'Colt' at the top and does not have the curling vine or arrow that I have seen in a few pictures. I bought it from a little old lady (really). Husband died and he had it forever. Trying to find out what it is worth. It is a little beat up cosmetically, but a really nice gun. Does anybody have any insite?

[Oyeboten]

...images?

Close-ups of the sides and top of the Barrel, too...

[twaits]

I have a Colt .38 Detective Special with a serial number of 320xxx. I am showing that as a 1925 version. But there seems to be some question regarding it based on what I have read. It is like a polished chrome color with the black plastic grips that have the diamond ribbing. However the also only have the 'Colt' at the top and does not have the curling vine or arrow that I have seen in a few pictures. I bought it from a little old lady (really). Husband died and he had it forever. Trying to find out what it is worth. It is a little beat up cosmetically, but a really nice gun. Does anybody have any insite?

Not a detective special with that serial number. Colt didn't start making Detective Specials until 1927. If it has a DS barrel it has been rebarreled.
Beat up rebarreled PPS would be worth between $175-$225 in my opinion, but as oyboten says, pictures would be helpful.

[Hubert37]

Here are a couple of pictures of the gun.

100_1663.jpg100_1659.jpg

[dfariswheel]

You revolver is a Colt Police Positive Special made in 1925, re-barreled with a later Detective Special barrel, and probably a non-factory nickel plate finish.

Due to the non-original issues value will not be high and will largely depend on the actual condition.
With a non-original Colt it's hard to assign a value, which is basically what someone is willing to pay for it.
I'll make a wild guess of $200 or so.

[BigRix]

Original, probably not. But I find this gun to be quite attractive and if you ever want to sell it, give me a ring.

I gotta thing for nickel.

[Collects]

Hulbert37, welcome to Coltforum, and thanks for showing us your Colt revolver.

If you spend a few hours with Flitz polish, the revolver and a microfiber cloth, you could polish that piece up so that it really looks nice. Rus some searches for "Flitz," and you will learn the technique, frequently discussed here.

IMHO, perhaps worth what you are paying for my opinion (nothing), your revolver's value is around $350, +/- a little.

[twaits]

I like it. Pictures aren't great but if there are no mechanical issues I think it would easily sell on Gunbroker for $300 or more.
Snubnoses are hot it seems. Even the rebarreled or cut down ones.

[Hubert37]

I did a little research and I found another 1925 era Colt that had a similar barrel, but the serial number again shows as Police Positive. Is it possible that this was common from the manufacturer around that time? Is there a way to research it from Colt.

Thanks for everyones help and input.

[dfariswheel]

This isn't from Colt. Colt didn't make any Detective Specials until 1927.
If you spend the money for an Archive letter from Colt, the letter will show the gun as a Police Positive Special with a 4", 5", or 6" barrel. If you want to be certain, a Colt Archive letter is $75.00.

http://www.coltsmfg.com/CustomerServ...eServices.aspx

The situation is this: A lot of people wanted 2" barreled guns like the Detective Special without having to buy one.
Since there were plenty of longer barreled used Police Positive Specials available, and a Detective Special barrel uses the exact same threads, it's not extremely difficult to install a DS barrel on a PPS frame.

These turn up all the time, and often cause confusion because the barrel plainly says Detective Special, but the serial number says Police Positive Special.
Bottom line, the serial number doesn't lie.
People want to think that these guns are some sort of Colt oddity or unusual model instead of what they are: a re-barrel job.

As far as is known, the only time Colt ever used PPS frames with Detective Special barrels was during WWII as an expedient method of getting guns out to the people who needed them.
These WWII guns use later 1930's PPS frames with the square butt, fitted with DS barrels. All these guns have later 30's serial numbers and US military stamps.

So, what you see are old PPS frames that somewhere from the 1930's to even today people have installed a DS barrel on.