Colt Police Positive, When Made?

[NVcurmudgeon]

Just bought an old Colt Police Positive, but I won't get to keep it because my wife thinks it's "cute." The seller called it a "first issue." Serial no. is 188,XXX. Barrel is 4", with half-round sight. Frame has a rampant colt dodging two spears behind the cylinder latch. Barrel is marked on the left side:

POLICE
OSITIVE 32 POLICE CTG
The "P" extends downward enough so that it is shared by both "POLICE" and "POSITIVE"
"32 POLICE CTG" is positioned half a line below "POLICE" and half a line above "POSITIVE"

Grips appear to be checkered black hard rubber. At the top of the grips is "COLT" in a cartouche,
with a bit of scroll extending downward a short distance. A similar scroll points upward a short distance from the bottom of the grips. There is an oval cartouche surrounding the grip screw.

Thanks in advance, Bill

[scrapcan]

Bil

there is a good list of serial numbers for colts at

www.proofhouse.com

Looks to me like around 1923.

I have a similar one that Nueces gave me a barrel to replace a damaged one. Nice little guns if one can work on the v spring to give a better trigger pull. Also you may need to watch the timing on the cylinder as they can have issues with the hand/star engagement geometry.

[9.3X62AL]

Bill--

Yours is close in age to my PP x 4" in 38 S&W--1920 here.

Whatta little jewel. When Marie fired mine, and the 1933 DetSpec--she like both a lot, and for the same reasons Fran enjoys your (her) PP--small, well-made, and "cute". Whatever that last term means. It's a chick thing.

[smkummer]

You may know that it is chambered for the still produce 32 S&W Long. Colt had an "issue" with putting S&W on its products so they called it 32 police or 32 Colt new police. For awhile the 32 Colt New police was produced with a 100 grain flat point bullet compaired to the 98 round nose bullet of the 32 S&W long. I used to have a nickel 32 detective special I would refer to as a ladies or training gun. It does its purpose of a low recoil, confidence building training weapon. But since I am a reloader, I am able to load 105 grain 38 bullets going out at 700 FPS to simulate 32 powered ammo so the 32 Det. Special was traded off for a 38 special even deal.

If you stocks are in good shape you may want to get a set of rerpo grips produce by NC ordnance because if you drop your gun they will most likely chip and that will be a sad day.

[bob208]

i have 2 p-p's both are the special which means longer frame. one is a 6" .38 special the othe is a 4" .32-20

[NVcurmudgeon]

Thanks to all for the informative replies. Yes, I knew .32 Police=.32 S&W Long. I priced the only available ammo in Winnemucca, NV and found it priced at $31/50 for .32 S&W RN lead(not long, I passed.) As BruceB said at the time, "And they wonder why we handload." Good advice on the repro grips, SWMBO is somewhat less concerned about original grips than I am.

[9.3X62AL]

Bill--you gonna need a "CARE Package" of RCBS-98-SWCs for that little beast? How ya fixed for brass?

Being a Colt, I'll bet the throats run tight--.311" or so, with the grooves about .310". "6-lefts" rifling form, so a basic micrometer can do the measuring without a V-block or tri-poise mic. If that is the case, the Lee 100 grain RN will fit the critter well. They run about .311"-.312", depending on alloy.

[scrapcan]

My PP really likes the 3118. It is a bit much for plinking but it does well with it. It also does ok with the 311252 for a plinker. I have Catshooter GB 32 Keith but have not loaded any up yet.

I bought a set of aftermarket wood grips from gunbroker and put them on to keep the colt stocks form becoming damaged in use. The older PP have the long butt and the newer short butt stocks will not fit and are not long enough to modify. the wood replacement stocks get your hand down and that helps with the heavier bullet.

I agree with Al that the throats will liekly be tighter than other 32s.

Fun gun and easy to carry, pain in the butt ot rework for lighter trigger pull.

I just had to add a S&W 3rd model 32 HE to the stable also.