.32 Police Ctr

[725]

Had a chance tonight to view a Colt Police Positive revolver and it left me with a question. Along the barrel where I normally look for the caliber/cartridge markings were the words ".32 POLICE CTR". I was expecting to see something like .32 S&W or .32 Spec. or .32 LONG. I've never seen the notation of .32 Police Ctr. Is there a special thing to know about this revolver or is it just a .32 S&W as I expected? Curious. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks, 725

[Outpost75]

Expect gun is .32 Colt New Police, same as .32 S&W Long. Got pics?

[725]

No pictures. I thought it would be something like that even though the barrel is roll stamped with Colt Police Positive. I've just never seen or heard the .32 Police Ctr. I need to do some computer research on this one.

[Outpost75]

The barrel is roll marked ".32 Police Ctg" but the roll die was mis-aligned and the "g" was not fully formed.

[725]

Thanks, outpost75. I love that trivia info. So many knowledgeable guys here

[MT Gianni]

IN the 30's the 32 long was known as the 32 S&W long and there is no way Colt was putting a competitors name on their gun. They changed ftheir factory ammo to a fn and called it the 32 New Police with the same dimensions as the 32 S&W Long.

[glicerin]

I have a .32 colt, using .32 S&W brass, but cylinder will not accept .314 reputed to be size for s&w. I cast and size rcbs 85 gn rn at .312 size.

[725]

I can see the bean counters at Colt wondering how to increase the bottom line and thinking that putting a S&W stamp on a Colt would be awkward. It's a neat old gun. I hope he lets me shoot it.

[Walkingwolf]

I have a .32 colt, using .32 S&W brass, but cylinder will not accept .314 reputed to be size for s&w. I cast and size rcbs 85 gn rn at .312 size.

The case diameter should be around .337, a .314 bullet would be oversize for the .32 S&W long. IIRC the bore is .311, factory bullets were usually .312. Probably should slug the barrel, then use the proper bullet diameter. If the barrel slugs above .312 then the cylinder will have to be reamed. I reamed the chamber throats on my police positive special to .3125.

[Outpost75]

The SAAMI cartridge and chamber drawings indicate bullet diameter as .315" -0.005"/+0.000, so a .314" bullet is correct.

Ideal bullet diameter for his revolver should be determined by measuring the cylinder throat diameter of the "ball end" of the chambers, either by using gage pins or by carefully tapping soft lead buckshot through the disassembled cylinder, so as to avoid bending and misaligning the crane arbor or "yoke."

[Nueces]

Colt's seeming squeamishness about putting a Smith marking on their 32 guns is odd, since they, at first, marked their SAAs and New Service barrels in 44 Special: 44 Russian and S&W Special. Wonder why the difference.

[rintinglen]

Consistency is the hobgoblin of narrow minds.






Colt eventually gave up on the "New Police" cartridges which were simply the 38 S&W and 32 S&W Long cartridges with flat point bullets and marked their later production guns with their rivals cartridge label. Savage initially did not mark their 1899 Rifles with "30 WCF" and that is where we got the 30-30 moniker. Selling guns was a pretty cut throat enterprise back in the day.