Colt 38 Official Police please help

[Ricochet2410]

Hi! I recently received my great grand mothers revolver and I would like to know if someone could help me find out some information on it. Please tell me how old it is and what it is worth, I wouldn't think of selling it but would like to know the value.

Colt 38 Special Official Police 4" barrel, blue, fixed sites, THP347 is one number on it and 871900 is the other number. I have ICQ, AOL, Yahoo and MSN messengers if anybody would like to contact me or simply email me. I will check back for posts. Thank you so very much in advance.

 

[R. W. Simms]

871900 is the serial number. Looks like it was manufactured in 1960. I would bet the other marking is a Tennessee Highway Patrol rack or issue number.

The nominal value of this gun is $200-$300 in my neck of the woods, assuming that it is in NRA VG condition. If you have the original box and paperwork that came with the gun, add another 15%. Factors influencing its value toward either end of the value range would be the amount of finish remaining, wood vs plastic grips, heavy vs standard barrel, etc.

There are some collectors who will pay more for a gun with police markings. Others will say the markings hurt the value. All I know is that I'm always on the wrong end of that appraisal logic scheme when either buying or selling.

I wouldn't sell it either if I were you, but I'd sure enjoy it. The Official Police is usually a fabulous shooter.

-Bob

 

[Ricochet2410]

I forgot to say the grips are pearl. Thank you so much for your quick reply and information. I don't plan on selling it since it was my great grandmothers, I will just cherish it for as long as I live.

 

[thatguy]

The Colt Official Police is a heavy duty service pistol that was popular with law enforcement from the 1930s through the 1950s. By the 1960s lighter pistols and then semi-auto pistols replaced the heavy guns like the OP. The OP was dropped from production in the mid 1970s.

Value is about what was posted above. Somewhere in the $250-$350 range. The grips, if genuine pearl, would add $75-$100 in value. If imitation pearl then they detract value as the original grips are worth more.

These guns are not rare. They are decent revolvers but heavy for the caliber and eventually fell from popularity.

I agree that the THP stamping sounds like a departmental marking. Could be a police department. TN or TX Highway Patrol is not unlikely. TN is closer to you but I know that the TX HP did use the OP in the past. Or maybe it's the stamp of some prison facility or some other such agency that issued the gun at some time.

If you send $100 to Colt they will send you a letter with the history of your gun. It will tell you the exact day it was shipped and where it went. It's pricey but you might learn some interesting info and it might be worth the cost to enhance the momento.

 

[Ricochet2410]

The gun came from my Great Grand Mothers brother, he was a cop in Kentucky. According to my aunt, supposedly back in the 50's. The blue is worn pretty bad, alot of places it is worn completely off. I don't know much about the value of guns but I have a few. I love the Smith and Wesson Revolvers, I have a 357 beside the bed and a 38 in my truck (yes I am a female). I also have a 32 Smith that belonged to my grand mother and I would like to find out the value of it, but I hate to keep bothering you guys.

 

[R. W. Simms]

Thatguy brings up a good question. I live in Tennessee so I know that THP is the acronym we most often see associated with the Tennessee Highway Patrol. I was thinking that Texas used TSP for Texas State Police, but I am not positive of that fact. Somebody clue us in, please.

Regardless, considering that Tennessee and Virginia border each other I would still bet (without being 100% positive) that this is a Tenn. Highway Patrol gun. When autoloaders became the predominant law enforcement handgun in the 1980's, many oldie-but-goodie revolvers were traded in and became excellent values for people seeking low cost home protection. This may be how great-Grandma came to own the gun in the first place. I can't imagine a better choice for a nightstand gun. Big enough to be lethal, heavy enough to control, even by an elderly woman.

-Bob

 

[Ricochet2410]

Great grand mother passed away in 1986 and she had the gun many years before that like I said her brother gave it to her. Where he got it I have no clue but I really appreciate all the info you all have given me.

 

[cxm]

In TExas

Texas uses DPS (Dept of Public Safety) for the highway patrol

FWIW

Chuck

Thatguy brings up a good question. I live in Tennessee so I know that THP is the acronym we most often see associated with the Tennessee Highway Patrol. I was thinking that Texas used TSP for Texas State Police, but I am not positive of that fact. Somebody clue us in, please.

 

[thatguy]

Well there you go. Most likely is TN then.