1922 colt police positive .spl

[SWAT1911]

So was at cabelas for the 19th time this week lol and wandering the gun library aimlessly, I happened upon a colt police positive in .38 mfd in 1922 with almost no finish and the right grip with a large crack. Now this generally would be hearsay but at 220$ would this be a good specimen for a duracoat or similar paint job. Yalls thoughts?

 

[OxBloodOiOiOi]

What's the difference between the Police Positive and a Police Negative? lol.

If the gun is in that bad shape, why even bother? Just seems like you could spend the money better elsewhere. But, I digress. It's your money.

 

[il_10]

Why not try your hand at a cold blue? It'd be cheaper and less heretical. If the timing and lockup is good that's a great price for a colt. If timing or lockup aren't good then don't dump your money into it; colt's pistols can be money pits and most smiths don't know how to work on them. Smiths are less temperamental... but colts sure are pretty

What's the difference between the Police Positive and a Police Negative?

They have a positive hammer-block safety which prevents them from going off if they're dropped. And external wear is not really indicative of overall condition. If it's in shooting condition, an old colt is a good enough shooter to warrant well over $220.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

Is it in 38 Special or 38 S&W? If it's the latter-and I suspect it is-that's not exactly a "hot" or even versatile catridge. Sounds like a better candidate for a reblue/restoration.

 

[SWAT1911]

Not sure on the .38 spl vs .38 s&w, outta my norm.I don't own any revolvers besides my nagant lol. Always been a rifle guy but treading into new turf.
Looks like I'll be making another trip to cabelas lol it's bad when they know you by name in the gun library

 

[evan price]

Painting a revolver is a bad idea. Why? Because there are more moving parts and the cleaarances are critical.

IMHO your better bet would be to do a hot-oven cold blue. Take the gun apart and wipe it squeaky clean with 90% or better isopropyl alcohol. Put it in the oven set to 250 degrees or so for about 20-30 minutes. Apply Brownell's Oxpho-Blue to the hot parts with a cotton ball. You want the parts hot enough that they sizzle when you put on the Oxpho-Blue. I do one part at a time and the other parts are in the oven while I work.

Keep applying the bluing until the part cools. Wipe it lightly with 0000 steel wool to remove any salts deposits, then back in the oven. Do this until you no longer see a color change in the parts.

When done give it a good wipedown with oil- I like motor oil- and really rub the oil into all the surfaces. Let it sit a bit then wipe it down with a clean rag and reassemble.

It did wonders for a couple old guns (including a Colt Army Special) and while it isn't a good hot blue job, it's great to keep a range gun from looking too trashy, and surprisingly it stays on better than most cold blue jobs.

 

[woad_yurt]

Colt Police Positive Specials were either .32 Long or .38 SPL.

Note that there are no aftermarket rubber grips available for that gun, just repros of the originals. I know because I have one.

 

[SWAT1911]

Random ? What used the .38 long colt?

 

[sixgunner455]

Swat - the .38 Army Revolver used the .38 Long Colt.

 

[rcmodel]

This sold for $250 bucks:
http://www.gunauction.com/search/displayitem.cfm?itemnum=10427950

rc

 

[MMCSRET]

As far as "painting" a Colt. I purchased a Trooper 357 last year that had lain in a leather holster on its left side for more than 30 years. It was pitted so deep that it could never be refurbished in the Colt manner. I stripped the lock work, rear sight, stocks out of it and had it blasted and duacoated dark blue. Not real purty, but it is protected and has become my favorite belt gun. I let the finish cure for several months and then cleaned it all up and reassembled and put it to work. Great gun, shoots like the Colt it is, just doesn't look quite right, but the rust and pitting are effectively neutralized.

 

[SWAT1911]

Pictures?
Anyone else have duracoated or similar revolvers?

 

[PRM]

Police Positive in .38 would have been the .38 Colt cartridge

Police Positive Special would be a .38 Special

The Police Positive Special was an improvement on Colt's earlier Police Positive model, differences being a slightly lengthened cylinder and elongated and strengthened frame to allow the chambering of the longer, more powerful .38 Special cartridges.

 

[Old Fuff]

The .38 Police Positive and Police Positive Special are almost identical, except the "Special" has a longer frame and cylinder, and is usually found chambered in .38 Special or .32-20 Win.

The Police Positive has a shorter (1.250") cylinder and is usually found chambered in .38 Colt New Police (identical to .38 S&W) or .32 Colt New Police (identical to .32 S&W Long).

The .38 Police Positive is far less popular today, because of the expense and difficulty in finding ammunition.

In both cases, finding repair parts for the pre-World War Two models is not easy, nor is it any easier to find a gunsmith that's qualified to fix them.

Therefore I strongly advise that one avoid the "beaters," unless in perfect mechanical shape, because if something is wrong (or goes wrong) you may pay as much to get it fixed as you paid for the gun.