Colt Police Positive Target 22 LR Revolver ’33 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,325.00
LSB#: 190605TA03
Make: Colt
Model: Police Positive Target Model, 1st Issue – C Model
Serial Number: 37859
Year of Manufacture: 1930 (https://colt.com/serial-lookup)
Caliber: .22 Long Rifle
Action Type: Single Action/Double Action with Swing Out Cylinder
Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “COLT”, “POLICE / POSITIVE”, and “TARGET, CAL.22”. The sideplate is marked with a Rampant Colt logo. The top of the barrel 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 crane flat is marked “37859” and “X”. The crane is marked “37859”. The left front of the trigger guard is marked with a “VP” in a triangle and the rear is marked “2”.
Barrel Length: 6”
Sights / Optics: The rear sight is a square notch dovetailed into the top strap, adjustable for windage and secured with a set screw. The front sight is a blade pinned into a slotted base on the barrel and adjustable for elevation.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered walnut panels with silver-colored Colt medallions at their tops. The grips have no notable damage, only minor handling wear and light handling. There is some minor verdigris at the medallions and escutcheons. The checkering is well defined, mostly sharp. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in about Fine-Excellent condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright, the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore.
Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 97% of its metal finish. The barrel has very faint wear at the front edge on each side. The frame has a few spots of extremely faint surface oxidation, most on the frontstrap, and there are a few scattered minor marks. The cylinder has a faint turn line, mostly not through the finish. The hammer has light operational wear. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are clear. Overall, this revolver rates in about Excellent condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The cylinder lockup is solid on all six chambers, the double action trigger pull is smooth and the single action pull is crisp. We did not fire this revolver. As with all previously owned firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This revolver comes in a maroon cardboard Colt box with model-matching and serial number hand-written on the bottom. Included is a signed, but not dated target. The box has scattered light wear and discoloration from age and oil, some fraying, surface loss and tears at corners and edges, in about Good overall condition.
Our Assessment: The Colt Police Positive was an evolution of the New Police revolvers. It was made during the same span of time as the Police Positive Special except that the Special had a longer cylinder for the .38 Special cartridges and had a slightly longer frame to hold it. Later, the Police Positive Special became the Detective Special, and again both versions were made at the same time. It is interesting that they could afford make multiple versions of the same gun at the same time, and that they could find a market for both. This Police Positive Target revolver was made in 1930 and is chambered in .22 Long Rifle. This revolver is the Target Model with an adjustable rear and front sights. It is in about Excellent condition and comes with its original box. While this will certainly interest the Colt collectors, it will also make for a fine target revolver, with little or nothing on the market today which could match its quality. Please see our photos and good luck!
CA Legal or CA Private Party Transferable: This C&R eligible revolver CAN be transferred in California and CAN be sold to a California resident as a private party transaction (PPT) at our shop in Simi Valley. All cartridge firing handguns (even C&R’s and antiques) sold to a California resident must be DROS’d. This does not apply to out of state buyers.