1924 Colt Police Positive

FWIW, the old New Army and New Navy Colts made after 1903 (about #200000) were chambered for .38 Special; Colt simply drilled the chambers straight through. That means that they will also accept .357 Magnum in most loads, but it is definitely ungood to fire them with the latter round.

Colt didn't mark the guns any differently, though. No way would they put "38 S&W Special" on a Colt.

Jim

Miata Mike, you do NOT have a Police Positive chambered for .38 Special.
You have a Police Positive Special, chambered in .38 Special.
The PP had a shorter frame/cylinder than the PPS.
People often get the two confused.
Please, don't take my reply as condescending or rude. It was NOT intended to be either. Only to be informative.

BB also has .32 S&W Long defensive ammo. Now, I can carry my 31-1 as a backup defensive gun or a trail gun.
Guess I could handload and do the same thing. In fact, I can load it hotter than what BB loads it, since the same gun was chambered in .32 Mag later on.

Funny thing, the BB .32 Long and .38 S&W ammo are moving out at the same velocities as current .32 H&R/.38 Spl ammo.
Too bad, Magtech doesn't load their .32 Long JHP ammo hotter. If it was loaded to about 900 fps, it would be pretty good defensive stuff.

The problem for ammunition manufacturers is the large number of inferior quality revolvers still out there that are chambered in .32 S&W Long and .38 S&W. Combine this with the "I shoot everything I got" crowd and the liability implications become obvious. It is quite true that owners of Colt Police Positive's can safey load both cartridges to higher levels, but it's unlikely you'll find them on a retailer's shelf.

Aim Surplus carries Privi Partisian 145 gr l rn for about $18.00 a box of 50.