Colt Police revolver; a little info needed please

[Blackhawker]

Yesterday I came across an old Colt 38 revolver.  The sales person called it a Police special or something similar to that.  To be honest, I wasn't paying much attention to the name so much as the condition and workability of the revolver.  When I saw the name "COLT" and the asking price, I becme insterested.  I Googled Colt Police Special and came up with several articles on it and low and behold, it's the revolver I was tinkering with yesterday.

I have no idea of the age of this revolver and to be honest, it's a bit on the "rough" side but very much a shootable piece.  The finish is somewhat worn and the worst things I had seen were two rectangular areas on each side of the cylinder that were pitted.  It almost looked as if someone had a sticker on the cylinder for years and years and the metal below started to corrode.    The other thing that takes away from any value is that it has no original wooden grips and instead has a rubber grip (looks like a Pachmyer)

I don't know double action revolvers at all, really and don't really know much about old Colts to boot.  I was wondering if any of you might be able to give me an idea of what something like this could be worth and/or if it might be worth talking down to a price around $150.  It's currently priced at $199. 
Thanks!

[Blackhawker]

OK, a little additional info.  I just found these grip panels on an auction site and it says they are original Colt Official Police grips.  These are the exact grips the revolver I found had.  Perhaps that might give any of you Colt buffs an idea of the age of the revolver. 

[alacharger]

Colt Official Police were made from 1927 to 1969.  About 400,000 were made.  Those grips that you pictured don't appear to be factory grips.  As far as I know, they came with black plastic grips up until the end of WWII, plastic "Coltwood" grips until '54, and walnut after that. 

If the cylinder is timed correctly, and it locks up like it should, it is worth every bit of the $199, even if it doesn't have any finish left on it.  I'd buy it for that just to have another shooter. 

You need to make sure the Official Police is what you were looking at, though. Colt made the Police Positive, the Official Police and the Colt New Police.  There may have been more with "Police" slipped in to the name, but that's all I can think of at the moment.  All three are vastly different.

[Blackhawker]

Thanks for the input alacharger!
To be honest, I'm not sure which model it is.  It might be a "New Police".  I don't think it's a Police Positive.  To me it looks like it might be from the 1960's all the way to the late 70's maybe, due to the rubber grip.    I asked the sales person if it was from the 50's and he said maybe a bit later than that.  He didn't know though. 

Those grips were found on Gunbroker and being sold as "Official Police" but anyone can sell anything and say it's whatever they want it to be and not actually what it is.  We all know how that goes!   

I'll have to take another look at it. (if it's not gone already)  Truthfully, all I was looking for was a shooter at a low price.  The fact that it's a Colt made it a little more desireable to me.  It's definitely not perfect but it seemed to function well and had a pretty light and smooth trigger pull.  Any other things I can describe that might be identifying to the model would be that it has fixed sights and the ejector rod is exposed (not shrouded) and has a knurelled end on it.  The front sight, as I recall, is a simple blade, somewhat like one would see on a cowboy style single action.
Thanks again,
Blackhawker

[alacharger]

I have one of the Wilson books that dates colt firearms.  Post the serial number  (123xxx format) and I can tell you when it was made.

It should say on the barrel either "Police Positive", "Police Positive Special", "Official Police", or "New Police".   

Also, is it a .38 special?  Or .38 Colt? 

[Blackhawker]

Wait....SHHHHHHH!
Can you hear that thump, thump, thump noise?
That's ME kicking myself in the behind over and over!

I went back to the store today, not more than 18 hrs later, and it's GONE!  Sold!  Some other person go it!
DARN!!!

I guess that's water under the bridge now. 
Lesson learned:  If you find a Colt revolver that has a fantasticly smooth and light double action to it and it appears tight and to be in mechanically good shape AND the price is $200 or less:  BUY IT!!!

[NickSS]

I bought an Official police in 38 spl a couple of years ago in good serviceable condition for $350 and thought I got a good price on it.  One with no finish and some light pitting for $200 I would have jumped on.

[GRIMJIM]

That's too bad, they're cool little guns. I was given my great-grandfather's police positive a couple of years ago. I'm kind of afraid to shoot it though. It's from 1912 and almost like new but I don't want to blow it up.

[Blackhawker]

Ever since I saw that revolver at Cabela's just before Christmas, I can't get it out of my mind.  I would really like to have a little 38 like that.  I've tinkered with some new 38's in some shops (including S&W) and NONE come even close to the double action trigger pull of that Colt I had looked at.  I'm not a fan of double actions because of such heavy trigger pulls but that little old Colt really turned my head.  Are they all like that?  Can I expect a trigger pull like that from any or all old Colts or is that just specific to one of the many models with the name "police" on it?
For that matter, which is best; Positive Police, Special Police, New Police?  It seems so confusing or misleading. 
Are there any other 38's out there that have decent trigger pulls?  (Ruger Security Six or GP, SP's, S&W, etc) 

By the way, I'm not looking for a snubby, I'd rather a 38 with a minimum barrel length of 4 inches.   Any advice is much appreciated.

[spruce]

I too have always liked the feel of the older Colts.  Typically, they will have a very smooth double action pull with a slight "stacking" (pull increases slightly) just before the hammer falls.
The older Colts have the same basic style of action as the Python, even though they were made in different frame sizes.  This style of action was used up until about 1969 or 1970 when Colt introduced the Mk III style of lockwork.  While the Mk III style is very durable and reliable it's not as smooth as the older style.

I would not recommend the New Police/New Army/New Navy models as these don't have a hammer block as the newer models do.
The Police Positive is the "small" frame .38 and the Detective Special is simply a Police Positive with a 2" barrel.  It got it's name from the "positive lock feature" (hammer block safety mechanism) introduced in this model.
The Official Police model is a "medium" frame .38.  It was also made in an Officer's Model with adjustable sights.

If I were looking for a shooter I would search for an Official Police model.  They are accurate, durable, and usually more reasonably priced than the other old model (pre-1969) Colts.

Hope this simple explanation helps!

[Blackhawker]

I too have always liked the feel of the older Colts.  Typically, they will have a very smooth double action pull with a slight "stacking" (pull increases slightly) just before the hammer falls.
The older Colts have the same basic style of action as the Python, even though they were made in different frame sizes.  This style of action was used up until about 1969 or 1970 when Colt introduced the Mk III style of lockwork.  While the Mk III style is very durable and reliable it's not as smooth as the older style.

I would not recommend the New Police/New Army/New Navy models as these don't have a hammer block as the newer models do.
The Police Positive is the "small" frame .38 and the Detective Special is simply a Police Positive with a 2" barrel.  It got it's name from the "positive lock feature" (hammer block safety mechanism) introduced in this model.
The Official Police model is a "medium" frame .38.  It was also made in an Officer's Model with adjustable sights.

If I were looking for a shooter I would search for an Official Police model.  They are accurate, durable, and usually more reasonably priced than the other old model (pre-1969) Colts.

Hope this simple explanation helps!

Yes, that does help.  Thank you very much.  At least now I know which model is which and what each offers.  
What about Smith and Wesson or the Ruger security models; do any older model 38's of theirs compare to the old Colts as far as trigger pull or accuracy?

[spruce]

As you know individual specimens of any make/model will vary somewhat in smoothness and/or accuracy, so we're speaking in generalities here.

The S&W's tend to have nice actions also.  Although smooth, by their lockwork design they have a different feel than a Colt.  The advantages/disadvantages of each design has been debated for decades and both have their good and bad points (at least in theory!).  Some people prefer the "feel" of Colts, some prefer the "feel" of S&W's.  As far as accuracy I'd say it just depends on the individual gun. 
The S&W model 10 is the equivalent of the Colt Official Police in that they were both no-frills models with fixed sights and both were widely used as duty guns by police.  Model 10's can usually be found for less money than the Colts.

The Security Six (adj. sights) and the Speed Six (fixed sights) are slightly larger and heavier.  Their actions aren't bad, but in my opinion aren't quite up to the older S&W or Colt in feel.  They are, as is typical for Ruger designs, very robust and durable and are a good choice for heavy use.
I like all three and wouldn't pass up a good deal on any of them, but if pressed I'd have to admit a good Colt makes me smile every time I pull the trigger through it's double action cycle!

[tobster]

The corrosion on the cylinders was probably from being in a holster where the leather was against the metal for a long period of time. I bought one cheap years ago thinking I would sell it and make a few bucks. After playing with that silky smooth action a few times, I decided it was a keeper.  As the saying  goes "They don't make 'em like that anymore"!

[Mohawk]

I did have a Smith 19-3 that had an amazing smooth trigger. Also very light for a DA. My model 28(no dash) is also quite smooth and light. However my 19-5 and 10-7 are much heavier. Smooth but heavy. I think it varies more by gun than manufacturer. My 1922 .32-20 Hand Ejector has a better trigger than most new Smiths. By the same token, I met a collector in Vegas that owns two Smiths used in the "Untouchables" movie and handled one of them(pre 10's). Awful triggers!