Old Colt Warhorse - 1949

[doc540]

64 years young and punching paper at 50yds

"Officers Model Special" in .38

[Ozzieman]

WOW! That’s nice, is the bluing original because it’s very nice.
There has to be some history of that gun.

[Winchester_73]

Nice example of a scarce model. Those were only made from about 1949 to 1953? Or thereabouts? I always wanted one. The Officer's Model Match replaced it, it had a tapered barrel, different front and rear sights, and the OMM introduced target grips. The OMM overall was probably a better gun, but the OMS is much more scarce, and to me that makes it more desirable.

[guy sajer]

Nice one doc . Sounds like she's a tack driver

[Kev]

Beautiful old war horse

[doc540]

thanks

yes, '49-'53

[boa2]

doc540:

Nice OMS .38 you have there! Actually the OMS was produced for only four years from 1949-52. My OMS .38 pictured below was born in 1950. The original owner had changed out the original Coltmaster rear sight for the Accro type and had upgraded the gun with the wood stocks-although I have the original stocks like on your OMS. I also have the Coltmaster sight boxed and put away. I own a 1957 vintage OMM .22 LR revolver and IMHO I think that the OMS appears to be of somewhat better quality. Although this is purely subjective.

[doc540]

Very nice!

Shot it for the first time Monday.

8" steel practice target at 50yds.

Pinged it 4 of the first 6 shots.

Shoots as well if not better than the Python and 629.

VERY accurate old pistol.

[LynnTX]

Good grief that is a beautiful old revolver.
I would consider it a real classic in every way.

Congratulations!

[RickB]

The original owner had changed out the original Coltmaster rear sight for the Accro type

Do you know if that required additional machining, or a lucky coincidence that the dovetails match? Is there still a little half-a-hole where the Coltmaster windage screw was located?
Since both sights are long out of print, I don't know that it would be practical today to do such a conversion, but I broke the windage screw on my Coltmaster, and it took years for me to track down a replacement.

[boa2]

RickB:

As I recall I don't think that there was any machining done? However, it's been quite awhile since I'd last seen the the rear sight on my OMS so, I'll dig it out of my safe and will report back here to post whatever I find out regarding this?

[Winchester_73]

Do you know if that required additional machining, or a lucky coincidence that the dovetails match? Is there still a little half-a-hole where the Coltmaster windage screw was located?

I don't think the later accro sight used a traditional dovetail. Rather there was a groove in the topstrap and the sight rested in there, held in by a pin, with a screw and a spring which adjusted for elevation. In addition, the rear corner of the top strap on the latter OMM was removed, so the bottom of the sight could rest below the top strap level. The maching was totally different on a OMS, with what looks to be a traditional dovetail, although I don't have a OMS in my collection. I'm not sure how you could swap the two different sights without much grief.

[KyJim]

Those beautiful Colts are starting my lust glands to activate!

[RickB]

Quote:
Do you know if that required additional machining, or a lucky coincidence that the dovetails match? Is there still a little half-a-hole where the Coltmaster windage screw was located?

I don't think the later accro sight used a traditional dovetail. Rather there was a groove in the topstrap and the sight rested in there, held in by a pin, with a screw and a spring which adjusted for elevation. In addition, the rear corner of the top strap on the latter OMM was removed, so the bottom of the sight could rest below the top strap level. The maching was totally different on a OMS, with what looks to be a traditional dovetail, although I don't have a OMS in my collection. I'm not sure how you could swap the two different sights without much grief.

Here is an OMM rear sight, the "accro" type

Any Colt Accro or Elliason rear, or the current Kensight knock-off, will fit in the original "slot" on the later guns. I was interested in the earlier Coltmaster installation (late '40s - early '50s) which is a transverse dovetail, very unusual for revolvers, but with a rather complicated windage adjustment that has half the screw in the frame and half in the sight base.
With the windage screw removed, the sight will slide right out of the dovetail, but replacing the sight with something else would require a lucky match in dovetail dimensions, or machining the orginal dovetail to match whatever is installed in its place.
Once the Micro sight was in place, unless the dovetail was cut deeper to accommodate, the half-hole in the frame from the original windage screw would remain; I can't tell from the pic if that's the case.

[Slopemeno]

I *think* (and I'm going way back in my memory here) that High Standard also used that dovetailed rear sight shown in the first post. My first 1911 was a frankenstein with one of those. According to the guy who built mine- don't take them apart.

The Accro I have has a dovetail base that is much smaller- it's probably meant to install on the stock 1911 rear dovetail.

[RickB]

Yeah, there is an Accro sight that fits a standard 1911 dovetail, and I think there's an Elliason (and a Triangle, (original) Kensight, and probably some others) that fit the 1911 dovetail, too. Most people today know the Accro and Elliason only from their use in Colt pistols and revolvers, and they shared the same slot and pin installation in those applications.

[grizz223]

Nice love Colts.

[Old Stony]

Are we talking Accro sights here, or Micro sights. Micro sights were very common replacements for Colts, and were made by the Micro Sight company from Belmont California, and Elliason sights were available as options from
Colt if my memory serves me right.

[RickB]

Are we talking Accro sights here, or Micro sights.

Yes!
The OPs gun has the original Coltmaster rear sight, then a pic was posted of similar gun that had had the Coltmaster replaced with a Micro. Mention was made of later Colt models that had Accros, and the thread has sort of swirled around the topic of sight that do, or can, fit Colts.

[prm]

Great looking gun. I've always liked the vintage Colts. One of my personal favorites is a Police Positive Special that I upgraded with pre-ban elephant ivory grips.

It's great to be back on the "Firing Line," I've regretfully spent a lot of my time on one of the other forums the last few years. The signature tag lines on FL are refreshing to see... Not so much the content, but the fact you are allowed a measure of personal thought and expression. Do that on THR and you'll have a PM warning and infraction listed in your profile. Some things need saying... LOL

Politician's are like dipers.
You need to change them often,,,,, for the same reason!

[doc540]

How about some real, wood Fitz targets?

[doc540]

It likes the 148gr wadcutters.

5 shots, 25yds