I'm always on the lookout for classic firearms, and today I found one that's not particularly rare, but it reeks of police action in the "Roaring '20s." This Colt Police Positive Special (first issue) with a 6" barrel was made in 1922, and is still in really nice shape and fully functional after 90 years. Most of these went to police departments, and they were pretty much the standard through the first 25 years of the 20th Century. Here are some photos:



Interestingly, my references say that wooden grips were not used as standard until 1923, but this one has 'em, perfectly fitted and with wear consistent with other parts of the gun. S&W wasn't the only manufacturer that used diamond pattern grips!







Guns such as this just exude early U.S. 20th Century history. Here's a pic, taken from an old movie still, showing a Police Positive Special in its native environment back in the day:



In the movies, James Cagney, Humprey Bogart and even Kevin Costner (as Elliott Ness) portrayed the use of these guns. The one used by Scarface Al Capone sold at auction for megabucks not all that long ago. I'm pleased to have an example, and I thought I'd share the pics with you!

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

Nice gun!

Oklahoma Highway Patrol in the image, although the real OHP, as opposed to the reel OHP, carried 38-44 HDs when they were formed in 1937.

Thats a nice old Colt. The barrel looks long...very loooong.

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C & L

Very nice.

Love the Police Positive and Police Positive Special (have a PPS in 32-20). Great guns but the cylinder spins the wrong direction.

I had a 1924 vintage PP 4 inch, wasn't as nice as yours. Cars pictured is a 1929 Ford Model A & a '30 Chrysler I think.

When did the Colt Official Police Model appear?

But this is either an Army Special or Official Police in the photo, maybe even a New Service. It is simply too large to be a PP Special.

Attached Images

Colt_police_positive_in_action.jpg (84.9 KB, 38 views)

It looks like the one "Mad Dog Cole" used in that movie...

I've got a 4"-er from the fifties, and I can see why they were used so long. Nice handling, minimal recoil, and Blue! TACC1

Jimmy-

In 1926, but it was just the Army Special (1908) wih a new name and (I think) slightly wider sights.

In high school, another boy sold me a Police Positive Special .38 that had been in his family for years. It had the four-inch barrel and the older gutta percha/hard rubber grips. It probably dated from about WW I-the early 1920's.
I think my mother paid his parents the lordly sum of five bucks. The right side of thr frame had some pitting, and the blue was badly worn, but the gun was mechanically okay.

I had it reblued and put Jay Scott "pearl" grips on it, and it was the only gun I owned that my mother found at all attractive. She hated guns.

Back in the late '50's until some point in the 1960's, the PPS was common on TV detective shows and in paperback crime books where the characters had identifiable guns on the covers.

I think using walnut grips from about 1923 classed up the Colt line a lot. I don't particularly like their older rubber grips.

The PPS gave good power-for-size , with a four-inch or longer barrel on that small frame, the same as they used also on the Det. Spcl. from 1926.

There's a lot of confusion today about the gun and a shorter-framed Police Positive (not Special) that took .38 S&W/Colt New Police cartridges and some .32 rounds. If you look at the frame, the PPS is about a quarter-inch longer, and it looks even longer, better in proportion.

Many here seem never to have read any of the basic handgun reference books and to be abysmally ignorant of Colt. Some actually seem to brag that they know N-frames but not even other S&W guns!

I wish that everyone would at least get a copy of the revised (1961) edition of Keith's, "Sixguns" or Haven & Belden's, "A History of the Colt Revolver, 1836-1940" or Geoffrey Boothroyd's, "The Handgun." It is a shame for a gun enthusiast not to know the basic history of firearms, let alone of a company once so prominent as Colt! Those books aren't expensive in reprint editions, and may well cost less than one dinner out, even a good lunch. "Sixguns" is in high demand and will cost more than the others. But other good gun books can be had at Barnes & Noble at times for under $30. Big, lavish, well photographed books...

The basic Colts of the last century are in many of them.

Now, some may ask why John's gun has a six-inch barrel on that small frame. The answer is, many trappers and other outdoorsmen liked the light weight, and wanted the ballistics of a six-inch .38 Special or .32-20. A five-inch barrel option was also available.

By the 1970's, it was just the Police Positive (the shorter gun having long been dropped from the Colt line) and had a heavier, half lug barel. The one I had wouldn't shoot to the sights (common on Colts unless a skilled gunsmith turned the barrel very slightly to correctly align the sights) and the action didn't wear-in as smoothly as I'd hoped. I got to thinking how fewer gunsmiths would work on Colts and how the cylinder timing wears faster than on S&W and Ruger guns. I sold the Colt and haven't bought one since.

But in its day, the PPS offered good power for size, and fit many ladies' hands well. Some cops back east, who had to wear their guns under a longer uniform coat, also used the PPS. I think Boston PD issued many.

They're a worthy part of US firearms history. As long as one times well and the sights are "on", it's a very viable gun even today. And from the 1930's, Colt "listed" it as being able to take even high-speed .38 ammo, although recoil would be tough and I wouldn't fire much of it lest the gun loosen up too soon.

If you saw the old TV show, "Phillip Marlowe", he had a tray in his car dash that slid out, showing both a PPS and a Detective Special. It starred Phillip Carey, who also played a season or two on a show about Bengal lancers. Anyone recall those shows? I was about 12 when I saw them, but remember them pretty well. I enjoyed seeing Marlowe's Colts. I think Humphrey Bogart may have also played Marlowe in a movie that featured that car gun tray.

What's with the black gaffer's tape on the grill?






Here's a pristine Colt PP from my collection. c 1924,

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Memory of Randy Freas-Rimfired

Police Positive 38 came out in '05,,Police Positive Special in '08(? maybe '09).

The 'Special' to handle the longer 32-20 & 38Special cases.

Detective Special is a Police Positive Special w/ (then) 2" BBl. Came out in '27 and had ser#s running in the same group along with the PPSpecial.

Police Positive 38 (38 Colt N/P)has it's own serial number range. Add to all these the Pocket Positive, Pocket Positive 32/New Police 32(& Target Models of each), Police Positive 22Target, Bankers Special and probably a couple more of the early 20thCentury small frame DA Colt's. Most had their own ser# range and many were being manufactured at the same time.

A confusing bunch for sure..

FWIW,,The PD in the town I grew up in used Colt Police Positive Special revolvers (4") till mid 70's. They finally switched to Mod 64 4" HB at that time. They just plain wore out and couldn't be kept running anymore.

John did you get that from the guy who had a table in the tent ?

No, he was in the building farthest East.

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

Here's Bogie reaching for his D.S. in "The Big Sleep:"



Steve

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CHL/NRA Instructor/RSO/Referee

To patch a bullet hole, silly.

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

Thanks, Steve! Can't be sure if that's a five or six inch barrel on the PPS. The barrel may be inserted in some device that looks here like the end of the barrel itself.

But the choice of guns was good, and they used the same ammo, if the longer one hit a little harder and was easier to shoot.

That's one of the better movie gun adaptations that I've seen, and might even be really practical, where legal.

Thanks for the photo. That was just like the gun I had, but yours didn't need refinishing. That paler old Colt blue was rather distinguished. I suppose grip preference is a matter of taste, although I think the wooden grips that came along just about then make the gun look more modern.

Thanks John, nice buy.

Had a good time but just bought some ammo.

Noel

That's a beautiful old Colt, and those stocks are beautiful. My one old Colt Army Special has the old plastic coltwood ugly brown ones.

Josh P