I have been watching this one languishing for several months in an online auction with no takers. The seller couldn't negotiate because it was an estate consignment in his shop. It was overpriced by about $100 maybe a $125.

Well.... the other night, I got tired of seeing it lingering there.




It is a Colt Official Police .38 Special that dates to 1943.



Should make for an interesting letter.

Best,
Charles

Here's the letter!



Anyone know what duties the Inspection Division performed?

Charles, in 1942, my mother worked at the Treasury Department. She was an accountant, though, I don't think she inspected anything. Other than columns of figures, anyway. But it's neat to think that every day, when she went to work, she may have passed an office or an officer who was carrying that revolver.

Just by coincidence, I have a daughter-in-law who works for a government agency that used to be a part of the treasury department, also in Washington, D.C..

Very cool aquision, I'm still hoping you'll pick up that little .32 2" you posted in another thread!!!

Best Regards, Les

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

That is neat! I have another Colt O.P. that is actually marked "Treasury Department Secret Service" on the backstrap. It was made in '39. I also have a Police Positive from '35 that is marked "U.S. Mint". I am very curious what the Inspection Division did.

Best,
Charles

P.S.,
You are a bad influence! I had ALMOST talked myself out of going back for that .32.... We'll see!!!!!

Charles:

They may well have inspected whatever was procured . Seriously, I would think this was not the part of the Treasury Department to whose employees the guns were issued, but where orders for the department were received and inspected before being distributed to whoever had ordered or requested them. So it likely ended up someplace else, with any subdivision of Treasury that fielded armed agents or officers.

Google does produce some interesting reading at time. You may find this 1939 publication interesting. I scanned a few pages on your question and think you will enjoy this reading.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/files/...s/16816_05.pdf
Since there were 45 guns in the order and we were beginning a war, could this gun been one of 45 that went to the Secret Services to protect FDR? look around pages 10-12 in the document for info.

Thanks for the link!!! I really appreciate it.

This one is probably not a Secret Service gun. They marked them. Here's mine:





Best,
Charles

That is very possible! Rereading the verbiage of the letter, I believe you are exactly right.

I have a Colt OP 5" that was produced and shipped about two weeks after yours, #696000.

It went to a civilian vendor, Murta-Appleton, but the shipment was almost certainly for the Pennsylvania State Police. By that time, the stop order for civilian sales had been in force for some months, and no guns in service calibers shipped for commercial sales. M-A had a history of volume sales of .38 Colts to PSP.

Attached Images

	696-1942.jpg (66.1 KB, 24 views)
	Snip 1942 OP Murta 30.JPG (69.3 KB, 29 views)

Congratulations on another great find!! However, upon reading, I was a little disappointed that you weren't talking about the little 2", .32. Glad there was no one around to make a wager with.... regards, hardcase60

__________________
You want me to do what?

According to a friend of mine @ Treasury, the Inspection Division is the old Internal Affairs Division at the IRS. This is now under the Treasury Inspector General which is what he does.

NICE SCORE!