Colt Official Police

CajunBass

CajunBass

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7,290
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North Chesterfield, Virginia
I saw this one this morning at the LGS. It's a Colt Official Police, 38 Special, with a 5" barrel, from by the S/N and Proofhouse, 1948. It appears to be unfired outside the factory. Nothing in the barrel or the chambers except dust. Not a mark on the recoil shield. Just the slightest bit of wear on the muzzle, probably from being in a sock drawer for about 70 years or so. Anything else, is a result of bad lighting. Even the Coltwood (plastic) grips look good. All the mechanical stuff if spot on.

ColtOP1.jpg

ColtOP2.jpg

I did dry fire it once. Nice smooth trigger. It just feels "right." I've had a couple of OP's in the past but never one this nice. No box or papers though, but heck if it had all that I'm sure I wouldn't fire it.

Yes, it's off to the Lay-A-Way land of Purgatory for now. Maybe I'll change my mind this time.
 
CajunBass said:
I saw this one this morning at the LGS. It's a Colt Official Police, 38 Special, with a 5" barrel, from by the S/N and Proofhouse, 1948. It appears to be unfired outside the factory. Nothing in the barrel or the chambers except dust. Not a mark on the recoil shield. Just the slightest bit of wear on the muzzle, probably from being in a sock drawer for about 70 years or so. Anything else, is a result of bad lighting. Even the Coltwood (plastic) grips look good. All the mechanical stuff if spot on.

View attachment 1191904

View attachment 1191905

I did dry fire it once. Nice smooth trigger. It just feels "right." I've had a couple of OP's in the past but never one this nice. No box or papers though, but heck if it had all that I'm sure I wouldn't fire it.

Yes, it's off to the Lay-A-Way land of Purgatory for now. Maybe I'll change my mind this time.
Click to expand...
COME ON MAN… What did it cost? These safe queens are sure coming out of the woodworks!
 
That's just plain cool. I would have snapped it up without even having to think about it.

Mark_Mark said:
These safe queens are sure coming out of the woodworks!
Click to expand...
I think they're coming from families of older folks who are passing away, who don't appreciate the classic old revolvers. The folks that have had these things in their families for generations are typically now in their late 80s, 90s and leaving us.

Even if younger family members who are gun-owners are involved, a lot of the time, they only want to keep the modern firearms.

I won't even get into what my late mother-in-law (bless her soul) did when my FIL passed away -- she took one lump sum from a local gun shop (the first one she found, nearest to her) and got about (maybe even less than) a grand for at least $15K worth of classic S&W revolvers and old rifles (3-digit serial number Winchester Model 62 that looked brand new, original Ithaca Model 37, pristine, some war bring-backs from Germany and Italy, etc.), and this was in the '90s.
 
Old Dog said:
That's just plain cool. I would have snapped it up without even having to think about it.

I think they're coming from families of older folks who are passing away, who don't appreciate the classic old revolvers. The folks that have had these things in their families for generations are typically now in their late 80s, 90s and leaving us.
Click to expand...
Well, I suspect you're right about that. Heck, I'm not too far from that group myself. One of these days someone will be selling off what I've got left. I've already sold off over 100 myself, but I can't stop buying a nice one when I see it.

Mark, it was tagged at $700, and no discount this time. It had literally just come in.
 
CajunBass said:
Well, I suspect you're right about that. Heck, I'm not too far from that group myself. One of these days someone will be selling off what I've got left. I've already sold off over 100 myself, but I can't stop buying a nice one when I see it.

Mark, it was tagged at $700, and no discount this time. It had literally just come in.
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$700 is good! When a gun is classic and in dusty condition! I smile. that $500 to $800 is just right for me! I should able to pick my Officer Model 7.5” this week! we got a waiting period now in Seattle

don’t forget to shoot it Cajun
 
Old Dog said:
Not to mention we have to show our certificate of state-mandated firearms safety, firearms and children, firearms secure storage and suicide awareness training within the past two years.
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wow… this state is crashing hard!

Thanks Seattle
 
NIGHTLORD, yours is a dead ringer for the Official Police I had about 20 years ago. I found it in an old gun store, run by two brothers who had owned it since the late ‘40’s. A lengthy conversation one day led to one of them going downstairs to retrieve an old Colt and box that was in the basement when they bought the store. It turned out to be a new-old-stock Official Police with a 6” barrel; the gun and box were in perfect condition. I paid $350 for it! One of my deepest regrets in life is trading that revolver away on something I can’t even recall today.
 
Thanks, she's a beauty for sure. Jeff hooked me up with some of the absolute nicest guns Ive ever had.

Saw a decent (say 85-90%) 4" OP at a LGS today. They were asking $500. Thought about it, but Ive already got plenty of old Colts at this point.

Did buy a beater G19 Gen 2 to use as a Alpha Foxtrot aluminum frame donor gun and a really nice M622. Unfortunately, those are in lockup for a couple more weeks, lol.
 
Last edited:
NIGHTLORD40K said:
Thanks, she's a beauty for sure. Jeff hooked me up with some of the absolute nicest guns Ive ever had.

Saw a nice (say 85-90%) 4" OP at a LGS today. They were asking $500. Thought about it, but Ive already got plenty of old Colts at this point.

Did buy a beater G19 Gen 2 to use as a Alpha Foxtrot aluminum frame donor gun and a really nice M622. Unfortunately, those are in lockup for a couple more weeks, lol.
Click to expand...
that funny! I’m looking for a used gen 3 G23 and/or G19 too
 
You're killing me, Smalls... (Jeff just had to chime in showing off some of his beauties...)

So all right, guys, now I'm gonna have to go around Puget Sound the rest of the week and visit every gun shop looking for old Colts (the old S&W revolver market has dried up, nary a one to be had in decent condition anywhere up here).

Mark_Mark, any leads over on the East side?
 
Old Dog said:
You're killing me, Smalls... (Jeff just had to chime in showing off some of his beauties...)

So all right, guys, now I'm gonna have to go around Puget Sound the rest of the week and visit every gun shop looking for old Colts (the old S&W revolver market has dried up, nary a one to be had in decent condition anywhere up here).

Mark_Mark, any leads over on the East side?
Click to expand...
Dj Gun and Pawn in Brothell !!! VERY NICE old timmers shop
 
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