A Texas Rangers Super .38 Colt.

[John Holbrook]

This beautiful Colt was the carry gun of Texas Ranger Ralph Rohatch, a good friend of my father, Ernest Holbrook. During WW II, he worked out of the Ranger Station in Corpus Christi, Texas, and my father was the sheriff of San Patricio County, Texas, the adjoining county. He and my father worked many cases together.

Ranger Rohatsch was one of the early members on the Texas Highway Patrol which was integrated into the Texas Department of Public Safety in 1930. He was appointed to the Texas rangers in 1937. The letter from Colt states that the Colt was shipped to El Paso for Ralph Rohatsch in 1932 while he was a DPS officer.

Note the wear patterns on this Colt which is typical of a carried gun. Note the wear on the lower half of the right stock and the top of the slide, also the scratches on the front of the grip strap.

This is a Colt that was used for what it was intended!!!!

IF IT COULD JUST TALK.

 

[VHinch]

Another great looking piece of history. I envy your collection!

 

[saltydog452]

Mr. Holbrook, and Rembrandt, post some real neat stuff.

Thank you.

salty

 

[DRYHUMOR]

Sweet pistol.

 

[MagnumDweeb]

Sixty plus years old and still beautiful, bet it still shoots sweet and if doesn't probably a quick $150 in new parts to see that it does. I just wonder why it wasn't a .45 ACP, thought they were more common is all. Still a great piece of history, another 1911 that shows the model can survive the years.

 

[Geno]

What a cool thread! I really should get letters like that for my Colts. My .38 Super is awesome to fire. It's accurate and mild in recoil. Thanks for the pic too...much prettier than my stainless Series 80.

 

[VHinch]

I just wonder why it wasn't a .45 ACP, thought they were more common is all

.38 Super was actually a popular LE round in the 20's and 30's, favored for it's greater penetration vs. the body armor of the day.