In my rookie year of cop world, which would be 1971, there was a 'special' Colt .38 Revolver that I was to find out about 17-years later by way of a Massad Ayoob gun magazine article. Oh, I had seen pictures of it in various publications, but I really didn't know that much about this compact frame .38 Colt. After reading Ayoob's well-written report on the Police Positive Special (PPS) I started beating the pawnshop bushes in my search for one. For some reason, the post war PPS was 'never' marketed in west central Georgia region. In 1971, there should have been a bunch of these Colt's on the gun shelves for sale. I never saw one period, and that's coming from a fella who lived in the local pawnshops, waiting for Colt treasures to arrive by way of pawn or via a handgun distributor. The only Colt's in this area to be had was the Python, Trooper MK III, Lawman MK III, Detective Special/Agent/Cobra and the Official Police. No PPS six-guns marketed and because of that I didn't get introduced, up close and personal, until 1988 and that was by way of Shotgun News and a Century Arms ad. There were none on the shelves here, almost like this fine Colt never existed. My Dad's FFL and a check for 100-dollars sent to Century Arms and a week or so later my "first" Police Positive Special arrived. It was a surplus arm from the government of Colombia, the National Police of Colombia, and so stamped on the top of the 4-inch 'wispy' barrel. Devoid of it's original blue finish, courtesy of hard, rough police wear and tear and a brutal hot wet tropical climate that took the finish, almost completely away. I removed those awful aftermarket plastic grips that came with it and replaced those with the black rubber Pachmayr Presentation Grips of that 1988 time period. I was really excited about my second-hand post war Colt PPS and after checking it out for proper cylinder timing, which was good, I hurried off to the range with a small brown bag of .38 wadcutters. I shot enough to be confident of packing it on duty, but first ,I had a matt-blue finish applied to my PPS. I located a black leather basketweave duty holster that was sized for the 2.75-inch S&W Model 66. It fit my PPS perfect! At that time, 1988, I was a police chief in a small Georgia town (Bibb City PD) and my PPS started going to work with me at the desk I rode in City Hall. My compact 4-inch PPS was perfect for a desk bound cop! I did use it one time to dispatch a rather large dangerous looking snake that had slithered up from the Chattahoochee River and was causing a large commotion with the town folks. As a Chief in a small town PD I also patrolled as much as I could, but life was simple and easy in Bibb City during those years, and Bibb City was much like Mayberry on the Andy Griffin Show. I really took to liking that PPS and as my knowledge of the history of the PPS grew I was puzzled to the "why" the postwar PPS wasn't introduced to the Georgia market. The S&W Model 10 was standard issue with the PD in 1971 and remained so for several more years until replaced by the S&W Model 66.
The pictured PPS was from an estate sale and I give 335-dollars for it in March 2011. This PPS had the appearance of not having been shot 'at all' and had been left in a drawer maybe. Too bad it wasn't kept from moisture as there was minor rust issues in several areas. The original Colt Service Grips had no scratches, dents, or chips and I replaced those with the black rubber grips you see in the picture. Since 1988, I tried to make up for loss time and acquired a couple more PPS Models, this one being number three in 4-inch barrel length and postwar time period. In the pre-war years of the 1930's the PD of Atlanta, Georgia issued the blue steel 4-inch PPS as the duty sidearm of Atlanta Police Officers. In researching the PPS its sales peaked out in the pre-war years but was still selling in 'some' good numbers in post war times. I just wished Colt Corporate had sent some distributor to my PD in 1971, with some .38 PPS Models to "show and tell" as our Department was to pack the .38 for years to come. Maybe had Colt sent someone in late 40's and 50's to this .38 Special loving portion of Georgia. I guess I could maybe myself away! In short, it was too good not to market properly. They (Colt) were wrong not to come! I hope you forgive the length and enjoy the picture. Thank you my friends!
David
