Police Positive in .38 Special, made in 1928

[Trooper Joe]

Found this old (1928) Police Positive in .38 Special today. Looks like it has sat in a dresser draw for the last 69 years. (Photo a little washed out from the light reflection.)



(Different angle)



Dealer thought this was a .38 Long Colt or something until I pointed out this marking on the barrel.





This is really nice. Don't know if I will have enough nerve to actually shoot it.

(Guess my new "Cobra" will have to wait.)

Trooper Joe

[TRX]

Sweeeeeet!

[Mike Irwin]

Just to be a pedantic toad, you've actually got a Police Positive Special.

The Police Positive was a smaller gun that wouldn't chamber the .38 Special cartridge.

It's in absolutely beautiful condition. I'm jealous.

What did you have to give for it?

[Trooper Joe]

Mike,

I wasn't going to mention that but, I got it for $400 plus tax. I almost kissed the dealer. I even asked him if he was sure.

He was.

Trooper Joe

[Mike Irwin]

Nice!

I picked up a 6" Official Police a couple of years ago for IIRC $379.

I nabbed a Police Positive in .32 New Police for $300 year before last.

And I also managed to pick up a nice PPS in .32-20 2 or 3 years ago for about $300.

What I've not been able to find, however, is a nice condition .38 Police Positive Special for a realistic price.

I'd like a 4" barrel and hard rubber grips, but so far, nothing.


I will say I did have a chance to grab one back in late 2013 or early 2014, but I had a choice...

In the case was a very nice 4" PPS with wood grips, very much like yours.

And right beside it was a 3" Model 36 S&W.

Both were roughly the same price, and I couldn't afford both.

I agonized for a few minutes, but finally had to go with the S&W, as Smith revolvers are my primary interest.

As I was filling out the paperwork on the Smith, a guy came over, complimented me on it, and we got to chatting. Long story short, he bought the Colt...

[FITASC]

Don't know if I will have enough nerve to actually shoot it.

That would be quite a waste of $400 then........

[Trooper Joe]

Mike,

You should have bought the Colt and the S&W model 36 like I just did. All you gotta do is max out your home equity loan .

MODEL 36 3" HEAVY BARREL PICKED UP A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO





Can't let my wife see these posts.. However, she does remind me sometimes, "So many guns, so few good wives".

Trooper Joe

[Mike Irwin]

Sweet!

About 15 years ago I bought a 3" Model 36 square butt (kind of rare or at least uncommon).

It was nickle plated, and I just never have been able to warm up to shiny guns.

I ended up selling it to a friend's Father, who wanted to be able to take it along on his sailboat but not have to worry about the finish.

[Jim Watson]

Just to be a pedantic toad, you've actually got a Police Positive Special.

I know, but it is kind of hard to argue with what is actually written on the gun barrel.

[Trooper Joe]

Jim,

Good observation about the barrel markings. I did see one post on the net last night that actually called these 1928 (2nd change guns) the "Police Positive .38 Special" instead of "Police Positive Special". Maybe a little later, Colt changed the barrel markings to "Police Positive Special".

Kind of like my CZ PCR which stands for "Police Czech Republic". I have a PCR that is only marked "CZ-D (for decocker) model and not PCR.

Thanks again,

Trooper Joe

[Mike Irwin]

Yeah, the barrel marking/model name is a bit of a conundrum, but as far as I know, that's how the PPS in .38 Special was marked through its entire life.

Supposedly Colt was worried that if they used their traditional markings on it, people would thing that it was the Police Positive Special in .38 Long Colt or .38 New Police, and if they marked it the Police Positive Special .38 Special, it would just look weird.

With the ones chambered for .32-20 the model name and cartridge marking are a lot clearer...

You can get a sense for how the .32-20s were marked in the second picture down on this page

http://www.bootleghillfirearms.com/_...l%2032-20.html

[44 AMP]

no sign of holster wear on the bluing, and those grips are pristine, great score!!!

I don't know about your dealer, but if I wanted to kiss mine, he'd charge me extra!

Congratulations on a finely preserved piece, and a great deal in today's dollars!

[McShooty]

Yes, Police Positive Special is the best name. The Police Positive, made for .38 S&W did not have a long enough cylinder for the Special. I am not sure why it would take nerve to fire it. They are quite strong. Note that the Police Positive action allows the cylinder stop notches to be placed in a thicker part of the cylinder, relative to the chambers.

[lamarw]

They are nice little revolvers. When I say little, I am referring to how small it feels in your hand compared to equivalent revolvers. Mine is also a Police Positive Special (First Issue) in .38 Special. It was manufactured in 1921 and for its age is in amazing condition. It does show some wear but the gun has not been abused.

It is the perfect revolver for someone with small hands and wants to use a full size caliber revolver.

[chaim]

Nice gun. I had a Colt PPS for a while, I probably never should have sold it (especially for what I sold it for). Yours is in absolutely beautiful condition, and I love the grips. Pristine original grips, if mine had those I may have kept it. Oh, and be sure to shoot it (just avoid +P).

[Trooper Joe]

Well, I just got back from the range with the 1928 Colt Police Positive Special (.38 Special). We had a little ceremony at my gun club since this was probably the first time this was shot in it's 89 year life.

Used some real nice, 158 grn, Federal, LRN ammo (makes my heart sort of "fuzzy" just thinking about that ammo).



Had a nice group at about 10 feet but a little low. I think at about 15 yards, the sights would be right on (same thing happened to my 1973 Colt Detective Special at the range).



The gun cleaned up perfectly after the range session.



You guys and gals who voted to shoot it were right. It makes it even more fun to own it. I think if I had decided not to shoot it, it may have been tempting to just turn it and double (or more I am being told) my money.

This way, the gun is truly going to be a keeper.

By the way, the guys with the plastic guns at the range, were very nice, but also seemingly a little sheepish with their new toys.

Thanks for all the support gang.

Trooper Joe

[5thShock]

Graceful and lethal, there's a kind of art getting those together.

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

The way Colt marked the Police Positive Specials varied over the years. This one was made in 1952.






This one was made in 1922.






Still a Police Positive Special because of the longer cylinder, this 32-20 PPS was made in 1926.






Not a Police Positive Special, this little 32 Police Positive left the factory in 1917.

[Mike Irwin]

I was familiar with the early marking on the .38 PPS, and the .32-20 marking, but I wasn't familiar with the post WW II marking.

Thanks for the information, Driftwood.

[rep1954]

My son bought this 38 special about 6 years ago and he carried it for a while. Now he carries a Sig P6 police trade in.

[Fullclip610]

Nice! Looks great, I got my great grandfathers a few months back. It's like a 1929 with the leather holster. Yours sure as heck looks a lot better. He was a phila police officer in the 20's. Got his billy club too. If it could talk (looks well used)

[tallball]

I think mine is from 1921 and says "Army Special". It has black grips that are hard rubber or something like that. I will try to post a picture. Congratulations on a great find!

[mk70ss]

Your Colt is a beauty and has me all fired up to find another vintage Colt. Good luck with it!

[Driftwood Johnson]

I think mine is from 1921 and says "Army Special". It has black grips that are hard rubber or something like that. I will try to post a picture. Congratulations on a great find!

Howdy

The Army Special and the Police Positive Special were two very different models. The Army Special was built on a larger frame than the Police Positives or the Police Positive Special. In this photo, the large revolver at the upper right is an Army Special. Directly below it and slightly to the left is a Police Positive Special. You can see the Army Special is larger, and the trigger guard is shaped quite differently.



In 1927 Colt changed the name of the Army Special to Official Police. Same gun, new name, reflecting Colt's desire to market the gun to law enforcement agencies.

[tallball]

Thank you Driftwood. You are very good at putting me on the correct path.