Colt Official Police .38 marked with a PD

[Deaf Smith]

Guys,

I found a 4 inch Colt OP marked P.P.D. No. 56 on the butt of the grip.

Any idea what police department it was?

Thanks,

Deaf

 

[jimbo555]

Lots of towns that start with P. Maybe a letter from Colt would help.

 

[Ron James]

Could be Pahaquarry, New Jersey PD

 

[Willie Sutton]

^^ Funny, I know where that is, and it's just about the most random "P" town you could pick. You must be from 'Jersy... ;-)

Truly: Could be any of 1000 or more towns.

Get a letter from Colt and you'll at least know what dealer sold it to the end user.


Willie

.

 

[Lucky Derby]

You're in Texas, so...Paris?
That or Prosser WA.

Got any pics?

 

[Old Fuff]

Does this stamping appear to have been done at the factory with a roll stamp, or later with a set of hand stamps, one letter/number at a time? It could make a difference.

Colt stamped some Official Police revolvers, P.P.D. for Phillipburg, NJ. but they could have used the same stamp for others. That said, Phillipburg does look likely.

 

[Jim K]

Since the Colt factory often sold directly to police departments, a Colt letter might tell you the department directly. Small police departments often bought through local dealers, who obtained the guns through a distributor, so the Colt information might not help.

Wilson lists FACTORY marked "PPD" as Passaic, NJ, Pottstown, PA, Pana, IL, and Pawtuicket, RI. After-factory markings could indicate any police department from a jurisdiction beginning with "P". The factory marking would not include the number, though.

Jim