Need advice re an Old Colt Police Positive

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Jim Chaput

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I own a Police Positive S/N 309xxx. Different tables give a date of manufacture of 1925 and 1930. A previous owner wire brushed it and applied a coat of parkerizing. In the process the doofus lost some small parts. Aside from the missing parts and being ugly as homemade sin committed by amateurs, the gun is functional and I would like to restore it. Can parts from any other Colt be made to fit this gun? Maybe an old Cobra? Can you recommend a source?

The parts needed are the safety, safety lever, hand, latch, latch spring, latch spring guide and latch pin.

(Anybody who would apply parkerizing over Colt blue should have to go live with Dianne Feinstein.)

Jim Chaput
 
Can you see the schematic and use the terminology/numbers to remove any misunderstanding?

Says Detective Special, but that aligns with Police Positive;

http://www.gunpartscorp.com/Manufac...vers-35751/OldModelDetectiveSpecial-38013.htm

Says Police Positive Special not quite the same but close;

http://www.gunpartscorp.com/Manufacturers/Colt-33188/Revolvers-35751/PolicePositiveSpecial-38017.htm

P.S. Amen to that Dante's Inferno Nine rings of hell allegory, but maybe Barbara Boxer. We gotta save that Feinstein ninth ring for the worst of the worst.
 
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The Police Positive Special was the Police Positive chambered for .38 Special. The PPS was also basically the Detective Special with a 4" barrel.
 
The Police Positive and Police Positive Special were different Models, each numbered in their own serial number series. You can't track the D.O.B. unless you know which you are dealing with.

To confuse matters more, serial numbers for the .32 version started in 1907 at serial number started at 49500 (being continued forward from the earlier Colt New Police) and ended in 1939 at 328100. A similar .38 started at serial number 1 in 1905, and continued until 1930, or serial number 329000. At this point both a .32 and .38 were offered on what was called the "heavy frame" that was numbered in the .38 series from about 342000 to 1943 when production of the Police Positive (.32 and .38) ended at serial number 406725.

Along the way Colt made occasional changes, but with the exception of the hand you may find the other parts at www.gunpartscorp.com Be sure to include the serial number and D.O.B. with any order. Within the same time period parts made for the Police Positive and Police Positive Special are the same except for the frame, barrel and cylinder assembly.

Hands were individually fitted to each revolver, which so far as I know are not available as new parts, and to make things more difficult you need one that was made during the same time period as the revolver.

These Colt's were not assembled with drop-in parts. Each revolver was individually hand fitted, and the gunsmiths who have the expertise to fix them are few and far between - not to mention expensive. Think long and hard before getting too much money tied up in what you have.
 
The Old Fuff is generally right on, but as a starting point can you look at the schematic and tell us what is missing? Then we can piss on your campfire (as we will likely do, the Old Fuff is not wrong, almost never).
 
The safety and safety lever are not needed for functionality, though of course the gun will not be safe if dropped if they are not there. The latch spring is easily replaced and the spring guide is easy to make from a small brad. Hands are sometimes available, but can be made if necessary and fitted. Same with the latch pin. The latch itself will be hard to find, but they are out there. Try www.gunpartscorp.com first; if they can't help, there are other possible sources.

With that said, I agree with Old Fuff about the distinct possibility of getting a whole bunch of money invested in that gun. Some folks say they can just step into their million dollar machine shop and dash off a barrel, a frame or a dozen Boeing 747's but unless you are one of those, be aware that custom work costs a lot of money.

Jim
 
The Old Fuff is never wrong, but can be hopelessly confused... :D

Before you go to looking up numbers you need to know exactly which model is involved. They're some exceptions (.22's, target models, etc.) but usually what you encounter are .32s, .32 Heavy Frame's (.32 on a .38 frame) and .38's. If it's a Police Positive Special I'll need to start over.
 
I am officially shouted down.

Not the first time, won't be the last. Jim K and the Old Fuff? Go with what they tell you.

If you have specific questions about the campfire pissing, I would encourage you to ask. You won't find better sources of campfire piss.;)
 
I have tried to figure out Colt serial numbering. I hope to be released any time now, as soon as the shrink says I have stopped tearing my hair out and sitting in the corner babbling.

Jim
 
Colt Police Positive caliber ?

Jim Chaput said:
I own a Police Positive S/N 309xxx. Different tables give a date of manufacture of 1925 and 1930. A previous owner wire brushed it and applied a coat of parkerizing. In the process the doofus lost some small parts. Aside from the missing parts and being ugly as homemade sin committed by amateurs, the gun is functional and I would like to restore it. Can parts from any other Colt be made to fit this gun? Maybe an old Cobra? Can you recommend a source?

The parts needed are the safety, safety lever, hand, latch, latch spring, latch spring guide and latch pin.

(Anybody who would apply parkerizing over Colt blue should have to go live with Dianne Feinstein.)

Jim Chaput
Click to expand...
Did I miss something ? I didn't see what the caliber of the gun was. It was made in several different calibers and barrel lengths.:confused:
 
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