Colt Police Positive Special 1977 Mfg. Help please?

[Biginge]

Boys,

I got a call from one of the favorite Lgs here a few minutes ago. "Bill, got this just in you, can have it for $350." They sent me a phone pic, I went there, came back and took pics. Can someone tell me if the "Herrets look" grips are common to that year. My main Colt book only goes to 1970. .38 Special.

It has been fired and put away I believe. Just a tad of shine on the muzzle and only the faintest of a turn line. Not a spec anywhere else. I've had a good day. Old Colts are nice too.

 

[DocB]

I thought they quit making that model in the late 1960's. Oh well, shows what I know. I don't remember seeing grips like those when I was buying handguns back in the mid to late 1970's. Definitely after market grips. Maybe you can find an original pair to replace them with.

 

[Biginge]

I thought they quit making that model in the late 1960's. Oh well, shows what I know. I don't remember seeing grips like those when I was buying handguns back in the mid to late 1970's. Definitely after market grips. Maybe you can find an original pair to replace them with.

Hey Doc,

I've got a set of brand new gold medallion checkered that will fit it, already tried, but if memory serves me correct (and that don't happen much anymore) I think these are the period grips that where used. Someone will know.

 

[kcwheel]

Guys, I bought a Detective Special about that time that came with those grips.

Ken

 

[824tsv]

This is a pretty good website on Colt revolvers. Check the link for info on the P.P.S.
According to the website your P.P.S. should be wearing walnut service stocks with Colt medallions.

Police Positive Special

 

[MP1983]

I'm not an expert, but I do know in the 1970's Colt had a 4" alloy frame revolver called the "Viper" which came with grips like those (those grips are factory 1970's Detective Special grips...I have two).

The Police Positive of the 70's was essentially a 4" DS w/ no ejector shroud (the Viper was on the Cobra frame). Same action, same cylinder, same stubby grip frame.

The original Police Positives came out in the 1920's, but the name continued on several variations of Colt revolvers up until a Colt Mark V version in the early 1990's I believe. The name was a good seller and all those that I've seen and read about certainly do their job.

I would pay $350 at my LGS for it.

 

[STCM(SW)]

I paid that for a 1972 DS with the same grips a few years ago.

 

[alwslate]

My 1975 Shooter's Bible shows a Colt Detective Special with grips that
look just like those. I would say they are original Colt grips of that
era.

 

[muzzleblast]

Definitely factory grips, not Herrets.

 

[Goblin]

I agree that they're not original to the gun, but original. I believe when they went to the heavy barrel and shrouded ejector rod is when they changed to those grips. Same grips on my Viper.

Nice score. I have one purchased about twenty years ago for $190, and I still use it often as a car gun.

 

[Wyatt Burp]

I have always associated that style of Colt Detective special grips with the later guns with ejector shroud. I'd have jumped on that gun at that price if it didn't have any grips on it at all. And of all Colt grips, the service grips usually seen on these guns are very affordable.

 

[L Pete]

I have always associated that style of Colt Detective special grips with the later guns with ejector shroud. I'd have jumped on that gun at that price if it didn't have any grips on it at all. And of all Colt grips, the service grips usually seen on these guns are very affordable.

I agree with that. Please don't judge me, as I'm working with a sometimes faulty memory. I seem to remember that those late Police Positives had an ejector shroud very similar to the Detective Specials of the same time era. Looking at that gun makes me think that its a earlier version Police Positive with later Detective Special factory grips on the gun. Maybe someone with a better and more clear memory will chime in on this thread.

 

[Shorty 45 MK2]

Congrats on your new Colt!

It sure is a nice one at a good price too.

 

[shawn mccarver]

Who cares about the grips. At that price, buy the gun. Assuming it is in proper condition, it is a fantastic deal.

 

[kaaskop49]

I agree with that. Please don't judge me, as I'm working with a sometimes faulty memory. I seem to remember that those late Police Positives had an ejector shroud very similar to the Detective Specials of the same time era. Looking at that gun makes me think that its a earlier version Police Positive with later Detective Special factory grips on the gun. Maybe someone with a better and more clear memory will chime in on this thread.

You're doing well, L Pete! The bbl on the 1970s PPS WAS shrouded. As to the grip, it had the same general shape and look as the 1970s DS grip, but was a smidge longer, to approximate a service-style grip. IIRC, the idea behind the PPS (of any generation) was to provide a smaller frame service revolver. The Viper was the aluminum-framed model.

Personally, I've never cared for the gun. Of the many PPs and PPSs I've handled, exactly ONE was correctly timed. YMMV.

Kaaskop49
Shield 5103

 

[jimmyj]

IIRC (?) those type grips were standard on Colt Revolvers in that era

 

[L Pete]

You're doing well, L Pete! The bbl on the 1970s PPS WAS shrouded. As to the grip, it had the same general shape and look as the 1970s DS grip, but was a smidge longer, to approximate a service-style grip. IIRC, the idea behind the PPS (of any generation) was to provide a smaller frame service revolver. The Viper was the aluminum-framed model.

Personally, I've never cared for the gun. Of the many PPs and PPSs I've handled, exactly ONE was correctly timed. YMMV.

Kaaskop49
Shield 5103

Yeah but I had a mid-70s 4" Diamond Back that was timed correctly. I used it for a duty gun back then. I was a nice carry as it was lighter than a K-frame. Duty rounds were Remington 125 gr. SJHPs. It was a good round then, and is a good round now. That round worked really well on a feller that was trying to shoot one of our guys. One round of that 125 Remington stuff just under the Adam's Apple did the trick. Autopsy X-rays showed what looked like a lead butterfly at his spinal column.

It was one of the few Colt revolvers that I ever cared for. As you can tell, I'm not a big Colt DA revolver fan......I have no desire for a Python.......Although, the officer mentioned above did use a Python with that load mentioned..........When the boss decided on a duty load, I either carried that Diamond Back or a M-13. No N or L frame needed for those loads, and both are too heavy for duty carry.....make mine a K-frame or smaller....I'm just too lazy for all the weight.............