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Here are some pictures of my 22 cal Official Police .
Official Police 22 cal
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It shoots as well as I can hold it on target. I really like its feel in double action mode. It reminds me of my Pre-model 45 S&W that I own. Both guns are fixed sight double action guns with the 6" bbl. I put pictures of the S&W on an earlier Thread.
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Very nice revolver!
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I failed to show a picture of the end label on the box, but it says 'Wood' for the grips. These are very plain grips, but they appear to be original to this gun.
In its day, such a gun was probably very reasonably priced for the 'common man,' so I suspect that uncheckered wooden grips were one way to keep down manufacturing costs. The economical grip that followed was probably made of plastic.
Hopefully, some of the experts on this Forum can comment on this very pain set of wood grips.
In its day, such a gun was probably very reasonably priced for the 'common man,' so I suspect that uncheckered wooden grips were one way to keep down manufacturing costs. The economical grip that followed was probably made of plastic.
Hopefully, some of the experts on this Forum can comment on this very pain set of wood grips.
In my opinion, the gun appears to be a Post-War gun in a Pre-War box. Black boxes were used briefly Post-War, but usually just for "transitional" guns, which this one does not appear to be. Does the serial number on the bottom of the box match the gun's serial number? What is the serial number range of the gun?
In my opinion, the stocks are not original to this gun. Colt did not make smooth stocks like those pictured, except for the Model 1892 et seq military revolvers of the late 1800s. The left escutcheon appears to be the Colt style, but the right one does not. (I am not sure what the right escutcheon on a Model 1892 looks like without checking, so I am not sure that the right escutcheon is non-Colt.)
Colt did not use plain stocks on anything to "keep the cost down for the common man." Stocks were machine-checkered for most of the twentieth century, so the cost of checkering was not an issue. No "modern" Colt used plain, un-checkered stocks, except for the early automatics and military revolvers.
(Apologies to anyone offended by my "delivery.")
In my opinion, the stocks are not original to this gun. Colt did not make smooth stocks like those pictured, except for the Model 1892 et seq military revolvers of the late 1800s. The left escutcheon appears to be the Colt style, but the right one does not. (I am not sure what the right escutcheon on a Model 1892 looks like without checking, so I am not sure that the right escutcheon is non-Colt.)
Colt did not use plain stocks on anything to "keep the cost down for the common man." Stocks were machine-checkered for most of the twentieth century, so the cost of checkering was not an issue. No "modern" Colt used plain, un-checkered stocks, except for the early automatics and military revolvers.
(Apologies to anyone offended by my "delivery.")
But it is a wonderful gun nonetheless!!
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JudgeColt and Colt-SL: I take no offense and I certainly bow to your knowledge on this revolver. I have never owned one of these before, so they are not my forte.
The serial number on the revolver is 44670. There is no number on the bottom of the box. There is an area where a piece of tape was removed that tore some material from the box bottom. It is similar to the damage shown in the pictures I posted where the top was damaged in a similar manner. There is a sticker on the end of the top of the box towards the end which has the label that reads "This revolver is equipped with the new Colt embedded Head cylinder. Adapted for the .22 Long Rifle High Speed and High Velocity Cartridges."
I obtained the gun-in-box at a gunshow from a dealer who had many of the older types of guns. If the box is not correct, than I assume he either put it in the box because it fit or he may have bought it form a customer who had it in the box. Such events are far from rare! Your comments/help on the grip and box information is greatly appreciated. In response to your comments about the grips, I did remove them from the gun to see if they were numbered to it. They were not, however they appeared to have been on this (or another Colt with the same grip configuration) for a very long time based on their discoloration pattern being the same as the metal grip pattern. Also, your comment about the grip escutcheon caused me to view it more closely and I found that it did not have the serrated pattern that I have seen on most older Colts. There were no serrations, so that seems to indicate someone changed it so time ago.
Again thanks for the comments/help. Today, so many guns are not what they first appear to be.
The serial number on the revolver is 44670. There is no number on the bottom of the box. There is an area where a piece of tape was removed that tore some material from the box bottom. It is similar to the damage shown in the pictures I posted where the top was damaged in a similar manner. There is a sticker on the end of the top of the box towards the end which has the label that reads "This revolver is equipped with the new Colt embedded Head cylinder. Adapted for the .22 Long Rifle High Speed and High Velocity Cartridges."
I obtained the gun-in-box at a gunshow from a dealer who had many of the older types of guns. If the box is not correct, than I assume he either put it in the box because it fit or he may have bought it form a customer who had it in the box. Such events are far from rare! Your comments/help on the grip and box information is greatly appreciated. In response to your comments about the grips, I did remove them from the gun to see if they were numbered to it. They were not, however they appeared to have been on this (or another Colt with the same grip configuration) for a very long time based on their discoloration pattern being the same as the metal grip pattern. Also, your comment about the grip escutcheon caused me to view it more closely and I found that it did not have the serrated pattern that I have seen on most older Colts. There were no serrations, so that seems to indicate someone changed it so time ago.
Again thanks for the comments/help. Today, so many guns are not what they first appear to be.
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The embedded head cylinder was (from memory) only used on the OP .22 for the first year or so (1930). That would help date your box. The gun is post-war. I have a similar one that gets used quite a bit; the balance for me at least, is just right.
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According to Proofhouse your Official Police is from 1960. I would agree with other comments that the box is earlier, possibly mid-1930's. If memory serves me correctly, the first year or so the cylinder was flat and at some point early on the 'embedded head', or recessed chambers were incorporated as a safety feature for high velocity 22 long rifle ammunition.
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DodgeCity, you are right - I had it backwards. Non-embedded the first year, embedded thereafter. That's what I get for trusting my memory...
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