Colt New Police

[leeroy71]

A local gun shop has a Colt New police in.38s&w. Its priced right at $200.
The online ad says it is in good shape but missing the front sight. A replacement is availible for $20.

My question is, before I go down to check it out, how is the front sight attached. Is it pinned? Or soldered in place. Or is this a gunsmith task?

The .38 s&w caliber sounds interesting. And I would like to start loading my own anyway, and this cal. might be a good place to start.

Any thoughts and/or advice would be appreciated.

 

[MrDig]

I am not an expert, But I know this, for a quick search that seems a fair price, but if the sight in not dovetailed or pinned in it would need to go to a smith to be repaired unless you are confident you can do this on your own.
I also know that I laways have to remind myself that .38 Colt New Police, .38 S&W are not .38 special. They are also known as .38 short
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.38_S%26W
If that was being Captain obvious for you sorry, I did not meant to talk down to you, I meant to inform others who might read this and like me get confused by caliber designations.

 

[mesinge2]

MrDig is correct. The .38 S&W has a different case shape and slightly larger bullet diameter it is not interchangeable with the later .38 S&W Special. I have had people ask if they can use 38 short colt ammo. Well, .38 S&W is wider than the short colt which is more similar to the .38 long and special cartridges. While pressures are similar, they are not the same. The short colt was designed for use in converted .36-caliber cap-and-ball (muzzleloading) Colt 1851 Navy Revolvers, which had cylindrical firing chambers of approximately .374 inch diameter, requiring "heel-based" bullets, the exposed portion of which was the same diameter as the cartridge case with the common bullet weight in the 125–135 grains range. It is the parent case for the .38 Long Colt and .38 Special.

The .38 S&W was a different idea which was to use a 200 grain bullet at 600 fts. Furthermore, the diameter of the short colt is too small so the casing will expand too rapidly and because the bullet diameter is smaller (.38 S&W is .361 and the .38 short colt is .357) you will lose accuracy as well. Today it will be harder to find the 200 grain load. But the lighter loaded ammunition is still available.

Just thought you might like some background

 

[bubba15301]

the front sight is soldered on .

 

[rcmodel]

gun shop has a Colt New police in.38s&w.

If it is a New Police, it is not a .38.
The New Police was only made in .32 cal.

Maybe it's a Police Positive?

At any rate, $200 is too much due to the missing sight.
Even if you could buy a sight for $20, it will cost another $50+ to get a gunsmith to install it.

Then you got more in it then it is probably worth.

rc

 

[Old Fuff]

Colt introduced the Police Positive revolver in .32 and .38 caliber in 1905, but some early production used up some previously made New Police model frames that were so marked. The barrel should say Police Positive .38 however. A serial number will tell what's what.

One little known fact, which should be of interest to hand loaders, is that at least after World War One the chamber throats were .3585" and barrel groove diameter set at .353"-354". These specifications were identical to Colt's .38 Special revolvers.

So if you substitute a .38 Special inside neck sizing plug in a .38 S&W die you're set to go and can use easily obtained .358" bullets rather then the .361" size usually called for.

I would suggest that for a shooter the revolver in question is not a particularly good choice. Subject to checking the serial number it is apparently over 100 years old, and obtaining the correct front sight and getting it soldered in place might prove to be an expensive problem.

.38 Police Positive's generally sell in the $200 range when they are sound, and usually have a later manufacturing date. The lowball prices reflect that these days a revolver chambered in .38 Colt New Police/.38 S&W generate very little interest among potential buyers. For one who makes his own ammunition I think it would be worthwhile to pay more and get a better gun.

 

[Jim K]

"the front sight is soldered on ."

No, it is a press fit. No pin, no solder.

Jim