Help with S/N

[elliotf]

I am trying to find the date of manufacture of a 2.5" Colt Police Positive, .32 new police cal.

Proofhouse has choices for Police Positive .22, Police Positive heavy frame, Police Positive special, Police Positive .32 and Police positive .38

The S/N I am trying to get a date for is 3150XX

It is not a .22, .38 or a Heavy Frame and Police Positive Special was only made in 4 and 6" barrels.

It should be under the Police Positive .32 list but the S/N's only go up to 238628

The Police Positive Special list says Police Positive Special and Detective Special and under that list the S/N shows a 1925 DOM.

I am trying to determine if this PP is ligit before I purchase it. Would a 2.5" PP in .32 new police cal. with the above S/N be correct for a 1925 DOM?

P.S. It does have the checkerd wood grips which should be correct for a 1925 1st issue and the last patent date on the barrel is 1905.

[Oyeboten]

Wish we had some pictures...

Is it the 'short' Cylinder? Or the 'long' Cylinder?

[elliotf]

Wish we had some pictures...

Is it the 'short' Cylinder? Or the 'long' Cylinder?

Here is the best I can do at the moment, I do not own this yet. Just trying to see if it correct and what year it is. Thank you

[A1A]

It appears to be a 32 on a 38 frame (introduced in 1927 and numbered from 300000 up, per TBOCF). Neither the book nor the charts are crystal clear with the early numbering, however as the 300000 number is mentioned, but also that a new series of numbering was started for the Police Positive 38 at 329000 shared with the Bankers Special and the 32 on a 38 frame. It is not clear to me where this serial would fall between 1927 and 1930. Perhaps thecoltguy or someone else has a better idea of that breakdown. They are listed as available in 2, 4 and 6", but there are some other threads which may address other lengths. I will look if someone doesn't jump in first. HTH

[A1A]

Here are some:

Another "what is it" thread :)

Serial Numbers on colt Police Positive

Colt Police Positive .38 transitional model

Police Positive puzzle

Newly acquired PP questions

[elliotf]

"It appears to be a 32 on a 38 frame (introduced in 1927 and numbered from 300000 up, per TBOCF)"

Thank you A1A you are spot on as usual. I just got off the phone with Colt, as I have been trying to get the "-M" suffix problem fixed on the Marshal's. I will reply on a different thread for the Marshal problem.

The historian explained to me that the PP in question is a "Model 3" manufactured about 1927 - 1929 and is in fact a .32 in a .38 frame. The problem with these is that Colt is the only one who has the DOM.

More interesting is that these do not even fall into the Blue Book descriptions, as it has a last patent date on the Barrel of 1905 (1st issue) and a serrated top strap (second issue).

This collecting thing is getting to be a lot of work.. :-)

Thanks again.

[ar15ed]

did you buy it?!

[elliotf]

I have made an offer and it should be here in a week. Hopefully it is correct. You would think with over 175,000 PP produced there would be more of the 2.5" snubs available.

[Abe Anglin]

"It appears to be a 32 on a 38 frame (introduced in 1927 and numbered from 300000 up, per TBOCF)"

Thank you A1A you are spot on as usual. I just got off the phone with Colt, as I have been trying to get the "-M" suffix problem fixed on the Marshal's. I will reply on a different thread for the Marshal problem.

The historian explained to me that the PP in question is a "Model 3" manufactured about 1927 - 1929 and is in fact a .32 in a .38 frame. The problem with these is that Colt is the only one who has the DOM.

More interesting is that these do not even fall into the Blue Book descriptions, as it has a last patent date on the Barrel of 1905 (1st issue) and a serrated top strap (second issue).

Mine falls into a much higher serial number range that appears to overlap the Bankers Special to some degree ...... ?

* SN 384XXX

I've called in for a letter, so it will be very interesting to see what they say about these "Model 3 PP's"

[Abe Anglin]

@ A1A, a tip of the cap ...... ... .. with the above post alone,
it should be apparent to anyone here that your nickname "The Searcher" is well earned.