As the United States entered World War II, the demand for small arms with which to fight the war was extreme, and the United States found itself strapped to adequately arm stateside security personnel and special military units that demanded simple and reliable sidearms. While the contribution of Smith & Wesson in providing Victory Model revolvers to meet this need is fairly well recognized (and has been previously addressed on this forum), less is known about Colt's efforts in this arena. Not often found today, the Colt Commando revolvers are no less an important part of our wartime history and deserve attention for the classic handguns they are.
In August of 1942, the U.S. War Production Board issued an urgent request to the Defense Supplies Corporation for 20,000 Colt Official Police .38 Special revolvers with 4-inch barrels. This request was for the requirements of "police departments, defense plant guards, civilian guards, and law enforcement agencies." Colt responded that the lowest price they could come up with for these commercial revolvers was $28.00 apiece. The government then asked Colt to design a similar gun that could be had for $25.00 or less. The Commando revolver was the answer to this request. Several cost-cutting measures were implemented which set it apart from the Official Police model. First, it had a dark matte blue Parco-Lubrite finish instead of the normal polished blue. This finish appeared very close to black in color. The checkering on the cylinder latch and trigger was eliminated, and there was no special matting on the top of the frame. Plastic stocks with a molded-in Colt medallion were used instead of wood, and there were no brightly polished surfaces.
On the government's assent to this new revolver and its attendant lower price, Colt responded with dispatch and shipped the first prototype Commando revolver on September 21, 1942. Serial number 717520 in the Official Police serial range was conveyed by a Colt representative to a Captain Baker in the War Department. After testing and approval of a few more prototypes, full scale production began in late November of 1942, and a new serial number range was established beginning with the number 1. Some early Commandos were evidently shipped with wood Official Police-style grips, which would have been natural until the specified plastic grips could be provided. Two-inch barreled Commandos were also made, and the first of these was shipped to the War Department on the first year anniversary of the Japanese Pearl Harbor attack, December 7, 1942.
The Commando revolver was produced in substantial numbers, with an estimate of over 48,000 having been manufactured through August of 1945. While most went to stateside guards and other non-military people, a significant number did indeed see military use. Over 16,000 Commandos were used by our armed services. 37,906 were bought under direct Army contract and should bear Army inspection marks. Military and Defense Supplies Corporation guns bought under Army contract were marked the same, which makes it difficult to determine if any specific piece saw war service. Very few guns (1,814) went to the U.S. Navy, although the Navy requested more following a deadly accident with a dropped S&W Victory Model. About 3,450 2" barreled Commandos were specifically ordered for the military, while very few 2" guns were destined for stateside civilian use. Most of the military "snubbies" were used by military intelligence personnel and military police. The bulk of the 2" gun deliveries began in March, 1943, at about serial number 9,000. Several thousand 4" Commandos were converted to two-inch after the war, and may be distinguished primarily by a ramped front sight rather than the "half moon" wartime sight. "U.S. PROPERTY" may be found stamped on some backstraps after serial number 24,000, and most of those with this marking went to The U.S. Maritime Commission. These were used on U.S. merchant ships, and under the Lend-Lease program, on Victory ships provided by the U.S. to its allies in the war. U.S. maritime shipments totaled 8,996. Only a few went to the Army Air Force in the final days of the war.
The OSS (Office of Strategic Services, forerunner of the CIA), used quite a number of Commando revolvers, with 7,193 documented as having been shipped to them. Only one of these had a 2" barrel. The compact, reliable and sturdy Colt was nearly ideal for undercover work. In testament to its efficacy, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in Europe and future U.S. President, is reported to have had one for his personal defense.
Serial numbers on the Colt Commando revolvers ran from 1 to 50145, and then skipped some numbers to begin again with 50203. The last batch of guns was assembled in January 1945. The highest number noted in available records was 50280, probably actually shipped in January or February of 1946. The revolver illustrated for this article has a serial number in the mid-15,000 range, and was shipped in 1943. It bears the "Ordnance bomb" stamp on the upper left frame, indicating military procurement and acceptance. Serial numbers can be found on the frame under the yoke, on the inside of the yoke, and inside the sideplate. A "VP" in a triangle on the left forward trigger guard web is the factory inspection mark. Revolvers made for the military after about serial number 24,000 are usually stamped with the inspection mark "G.H.D." on the upper left frame. These were the initials of Lt. Col. Guy H. Drewry, and may be found on many other military firearms of the era. On all of these revolvers, the left side of the barrel was stamped "COLT COMMANDO / .38 SPECIAL."
Commando revolvers were shipped mostly in a brown Kraft box with the serial number written on the bottom near one end in pencil. Some later guns, above serial 41,000, had light green craft boxes with staple-reinforced sides. Later boxes had finger cuts on the top's sides and an end label stamped with the serial number. A twisted wire bristle brush in a brown paper envelope and an instruction sheet were packed with each revolver. Revolvers kept for long-term storage after the war were often dipped in Cosmoline, wrapped in heavy paper and returned to their craft boxes.
Colt Commandos continued to be issued sporadically for many years after the war. A friend of mine recalls one being issued to him when he was in the USAF during the Cuban missile crisis. It was his personal armament preparatory to his mission of dropping a stick of 82nd Airborne troopers over Cuba. Luckily for all of us, that mission was canceled.
While surprisingly little has been known until recently about these special wartime guns, the Colt Commando revolvers were a significant contribution to the World War II effort. As such, they deserve very honorable mention as classic handguns. They are generally scarce on the collector market right now, but can be found here and there for comparatively reasonable prices. However, if the gun is complete with its original box, instructions and brush, you can expect a pretty hefty asking price. Colt Commandos represent an interesting piece of U.S. history and are desirable collector's items today.
John
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