Can it be changed back to the original barrel? If so, it's your gun and have at it if you want. Post #10 looks nice to me. But, so does the gun in post #1 just the way it is. Your gun, your choice, but really, I like variety, and I really like that gun as is. Good luck.
Make a Colt Police Positive into a DET Special? Updated
- Thread starter GeoJelly
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Modified
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This is the right choice, that gun is way too nice to molest. There should be plenty of these in rough shape floating around that will make for a much better platform for your mods.
Personally, I don't think its worth doing without the full job on the grip too (to pocket positive dimensions). I would never have it done, but to find an old one with the job for the $200 it cost me has made it one of my "never going anywhere guns".
Hanging onto the barrel and just looking for the right donor gun (preferably one with a bulged barrel), would be just awesome. Hell, you may even ask on the Colt Forum if anyone has a bulged barrel gun to sell you. Who knows? Someone may have one kicking around the back of their safe.
old tanker
Member
Feasible? Yes.
I have one...
I love it to pieces.
The smith who modified it took it a bit further and modified the grip to more or less match a pocket positive so that pocket positive grips would fit it. There are more pictures of all the modifications in that old thread of mine on it.
It's absolutely one of those guns that should have been made. Would have been a popular little seller I bet.
That looks like a "regular" Police Positive, not a Police Positive Special, like the OP mentioned. The Bankers Special with Pocket Positive grips would have made a nice addition to the Colt line back in the day. As far as I know the all the Pocket Positives were .32s. The Bankers Special was Railway Mail Service revolver. The Pocket Positive was a maiden aunt's sock drawer pistol.
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smithra_66
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That PPS is in superb condition. Don't hack it up!
Modified
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I am very ignorant of Colts. When I was single and could buy guns like mad ~10-15 years ago, the only ones I could afford had been "butchered" examples like this one or my King modified Colts. Or uh, this beauty:
Which came out of a Miami pawn shop, I paid a whole $85 for it.
This one is in .32, but I figure this isn't an example one should emulate. Also pretty sure that this thing was used to whack at least 1 wiseguy...
rockquarry
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I am very ignorant of Colts. When I was single and could buy guns like mad ~10-15 years ago, the only ones I could afford had been "butchered" examples like this one or my King modified Colts. Or uh, this beauty:
Which came out of a Miami pawn shop, I paid a whole $85 for it.
This one is in .32, but I figure this isn't an example one should emulate. Also pretty sure that this thing was used to whack at least 1 wiseguy...
Truly horrible, but what's that on the end of the barrel?
Inland7-45
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If I had not just picked up a nice S&W .32 Regulation Police I would make you a very generous offer on your Police Positive. Unfortunately I need to wait awhile for another purchase.
This is a real nice Colt from what I see. I would keep it as is if it were mine and be on the look out for an older DS. It will only be original once. I have a late 60’s Cobra, blue W/ 2” barrel. I love the look of the older Colt snubby, but the 4” Police Positive and Special point nice and have nice profile too. I have 1917 vintage Police Positive in .38 S&W. Real nice gun and fun to shoot.
Just my opinion but I would either enjoy it as is and wait for a nice DS or sell it and put the money toward a DS. If you keep it it will look nice next to the DS.
This is a real nice Colt from what I see. I would keep it as is if it were mine and be on the look out for an older DS. It will only be original once. I have a late 60’s Cobra, blue W/ 2” barrel. I love the look of the older Colt snubby, but the 4” Police Positive and Special point nice and have nice profile too. I have 1917 vintage Police Positive in .38 S&W. Real nice gun and fun to shoot.
Just my opinion but I would either enjoy it as is and wait for a nice DS or sell it and put the money toward a DS. If you keep it it will look nice next to the DS.
Modified
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Hah. Horrible? You mean glorious don't you?
The end of the barrel was threaded, then a big steel nut was threaded on. The nut was then milled on the top to create a serrated ramp front sight.
Wyatt Burp
Member
Before I scored a 2 1/2” 19-4 I saw a nickel 2 1/2” Model 19 barrel in EBay and thought of turning my 4” nickel 19-4 into a square butt snub. But the idea of spending money to change the originality of a great shooting gun just to have something cool and different didn’t seem worthwhile. I think your gun is too nice to change, but if you did you could always change it back. but by then the original barrel might look newer than the rest of the gun.
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Don’t do it. That Police Positive will retain its value in original condition, but not once that kind of work is done.
Quick update - I listened to the opinions here and kept the Police Positive. Picked up this Det Special off of GB for a tad over $650. It isn't pristine at all, but it's very nice except for a ding on the left grip. Looks like it may have been reblued - the prancing pony is a little light on the sideplate - that said, at my age, as the Germans say machts nichts!! The only problem I have now is a huge empty spot in my spending money for a coupla months ... 
Well done sir ! ----- I believe you have saved yourself from having some serious regrets just a little further down the road 
Looks pretty nice!
Congrats!
Now you can have your cake and eat it too, for not much more than if you would have factored in the total cost of a barrel swap.
Congrats!
Now you can have your cake and eat it too, for not much more than if you would have factored in the total cost of a barrel swap.
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