1/300 Massachusetts National Guard WWII Colt Commando Revolver 4″, 1942 C&R
SOLD FOR: $2300
LSB#: 211201RY01
Make: Colt
Model: Commando, Massachusetts National Guard
Serial Number: 34479
Year of Manufacture: 1942 (https://colt.com/serial-lookup)
Caliber: .38 Special
Action Type: 6-Shot, Double Action / Single Action, Swing-Out Fluted Cylinder Revolver.
Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “COLT COMMANDO / .38 SPECIAL”, the top is marked “COLT’S PT. F.A. MFG. CO. HARTFORD CT. U.S.A. / PAT’D AUG.5.1884. JULY 4.1905. OCT.5.1926.”. The left-front of the trigger guard is marked “VP” in triangle, the left-rear with an upside-down “A”. The top-rear of the frame on the left has a flaming bomb ordnance mark and “G.H.D.” inspection mark. The crane and crane cut are each marked with the serial number. The butt is marked “MASS.”.
Barrel Length: 4”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a rounded blade fixed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a square notch in the topstrap.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered “Coltwood” plastic panels with rampant colts molded into their tops. We have elected to leave the cosmoline in place as much as possible, but there doesn’t appear to be any notable wear or damage. Overall, the grips appear in Excellent condition as covered in cosmoline.
Type of Finish: Parkerized
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is packed with cosmoline. It is presumed to be in good condition, but we elected to leave as much cosmoline in place as possible.
Overall Condition: We have elected to leave as much cosmoline in place as possible. Where we have moved cosmoline to inspect markings, there is no notable wear or damage. The handgun appears to have seen little if any use since it was prepared for storage. There is some scattered light wear around the outside of the cylinder. There is handling wear in the grip areas, most notable in the backstrap. The barrel has light wear at the muzzle. There is some scattered minor discoloration from oxidation. The action shows operational wear including a turn-line on the cylinder. The screw heads are packed with cosmoline. The markings appear to be clear. Overall, this revolver is in about Excellent condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly, though the parts move a little slowly due to the cosmoline. The cylinder locks up with no play on each chamber with the trigger depressed. The double action trigger is smooth, the single action is crisp. We did not fire this handgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This revolver comes in a two-piece craft box with the serial number hand-written in pencil on the bottom and on one end of the lid. Inside the craft box, the revolver is wrapped in heavy paper. Also included is a nylon-bristle bore-brush and a Colt Commando parts list.
Our Assessment: As the United States entered World War II, demand for all things military strained even the massive industrial capacity of America. Front-line arms were prioritized for front-line units, but there was also a need to arm law enforcement, guards at factories and other sites with strategic importance, the Maritime Commission and various other non-combat roles which still required arms. To help fill this demand, Colt produced a variation of their Official Police revolver with specifications determined by the US Government. The result was the Commando revolver, roughly equivalent to Smith & Wesson’s Victory model, with 50,617 produced from 1942-1945. This example is quite interesting, not only because it has been so well preserved but also because it is one of 300 procured by the Massachusetts National Guard. According to Charles Pate’s book “U.S. Handguns of World War II The Secondary Pistols and Revolvers”, the 300 revolvers were sent in two shipments, February and March, 1944. According to Pate, “These revolvers were apparently used very little, if at all, before being dipped in Cosmoline, wrapped in heavy paper and placed back into their craft boxes for long-term storage”. This revolver fits that description to a T, still coated in cosmoline and wrapped in heavy paper. It should make a great addition to a Colt or WWII small arms collection, especially if you’re from the Bay State. Please see our pictures and good luck!