DOB police positives, pictures added? new question?
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1. on the left side of the barrel there is a capital P. following the P in littler letters it says olice. and under that is small lettters it says ositive. Police Positive both words using the same P. following that it says 38 SPECIAL.
2. I also have a smaller Colt revolver. on the barrel it says COLT D.A. 32. it is six shot. Around the horse it says (above horse) COLT's , below horse NEW POLICE. Also cylinder release is different that on the 38 mentioned. It looks like a piece of flat metal with the end bent up. looking up from the bottom of the frame by the trigger guard it looks like a letter L. It does have checkering on the foot of the L. serial number 44100. on the hinge of the barrel swing out. it has a small capital B above serial number. Date of birth for the small 32?
Thanks. opr1945
2. I also have a smaller Colt revolver. on the barrel it says COLT D.A. 32. it is six shot. Around the horse it says (above horse) COLT's , below horse NEW POLICE. Also cylinder release is different that on the 38 mentioned. It looks like a piece of flat metal with the end bent up. looking up from the bottom of the frame by the trigger guard it looks like a letter L. It does have checkering on the foot of the L. serial number 44100. on the hinge of the barrel swing out. it has a small capital B above serial number. Date of birth for the small 32?
Thanks. opr1945
Again, according to Wilson, your New Police was made in 1906. According to the barrel marking it is chambered for the .32 Short and Long Colt, the case diameter of which is .02" less than the .32 S&W rounds. However, I ran across two revolvers with that barrel marking and the cylinders both accepted .32 S&W rounds. Either the barrels had been changed or mis-marked(?) or the chambers had been reamed out to accept the larger S&W cartridge. Those two guns taught me that the only way to find out for sure the proper ammo is to try each.
Colt began installing the Positive Lock around that time, so your barrel could also be marked "Police Positive." If that's the case, there should be a 1905 patent date on top of the barrel.
I love those little .32's.
Dick
Colt began installing the Positive Lock around that time, so your barrel could also be marked "Police Positive." If that's the case, there should be a 1905 patent date on top of the barrel.
I love those little .32's.
Dick
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Center top...and far Right images...show a 'Police Positive Special'.
Your early Nickel 'Police Positive' Revolver - are the Hammer and Trigger Nickel also? ( On my Nickel PPS circa 1913 - so not as early as yours - the Hammer Top is Blue, Hammer sides are in the White, and, the Trigger is Blue. )
neither the hammer or trigger looks nickle to me. They are sort of black and silver. silver like metal with no finish on it, not silver like nickel. I would say it looks like metal looks when all the blueing has worn off. What is the significance of the nickel or not? I can take it to a LGS if it makes a difference.
thanks.
thanks.
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Ahhhh...okay...I thought it was old somewhat worn Nickel.
Some Guns came from the Factory Nickel Plated, most came Blue....so Factory Nickel ( in 20th Century Colts anyway ) is relatively scarce compared to Factory Blue.
Most anyone's LGS will never be a source of good info on older Guns, no matter the delivery or mood or pitch or seeming confidence of the person giving the info.
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Very few LGS would be capable of forming an accurate or informed evaluation/determination for something like this.
As far as the older Guns anyway...
Generally yes - one can tell a Factory Nickel finish, from one done elsewhere and later on in a Gun's life.
Or, it is very rare to encounter a non-Factory Nickel finish, which is so good as to be hard to say if it is Factory or not.
There are various 'Tell Tales' which occur in non Factory Nickel finishes, and sometimes tiny 'Stamp' marks ( "N" for Nickel finish, for example ) which combine if need be, to allow one to tell which is which.
And most of the Tell Tales of non-Factory Nickel finishes have to do with damage being done to the Steel surfaces by over buffing or by prior rust pitting being ground/sanded/filed/Buffed away and so on, none of which would be present 'under' a Colt ( or S & W or Iver Johnson or most anyone else's ) Factory Finish.
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The Colt Police Positive and Police Positive Special Revolvers had an internal Hammer Block, which would help prevent an inadvertent discharge if dropped.
Just how positive and absolute the Hammer Block might be, if the Revolver is dropped a long way on to Concrete or something, I do not know.
Personally I am satisfied with the design, and, I myself would never worry about carrying 'Six'.
When at rest, the Hammer's Firing Pin is never is resting on a Primer anyway, but, is back a little, and, within the small space of it being back a little, the Hammer 'Block' is positioned inside and down a little ways to prevent it being able to move forward if struck.
As one cocks or cycles, the Hammer Block is retracted.
Just how positive and absolute the Hammer Block might be, if the Revolver is dropped a long way on to Concrete or something, I do not know.
Personally I am satisfied with the design, and, I myself would never worry about carrying 'Six'.
When at rest, the Hammer's Firing Pin is never is resting on a Primer anyway, but, is back a little, and, within the small space of it being back a little, the Hammer 'Block' is positioned inside and down a little ways to prevent it being able to move forward if struck.
As one cocks or cycles, the Hammer Block is retracted.
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That gun was never nickel plated. That was a blue gun that the finish is now worn off. The blue finish on the early Colts was not very durable and with a lot of use and carry this is what they would end up looking like.
The very small dark areas that are protected somewhat are traces of the original blue.
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I am not seeing any Nickel Plate either...looks like old more or less 'naked' Steel which has been scrubbed quite a bit through the years to where all the original Blue is gone.
Pitting on the end of the Barrel was likely from damp Holster or damp Storage or both.
I like how the Barrel says "POLICE POSITIVE" on the right side! And, has the "COLT DA 32" on the left side.
Very 'early' Police Positive, and, fun to see an example of one which is this early.
Pitting on the end of the Barrel was likely from damp Holster or damp Storage or both.
I like how the Barrel says "POLICE POSITIVE" on the right side! And, has the "COLT DA 32" on the left side.
Very 'early' Police Positive, and, fun to see an example of one which is this early.
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