Colt Police Positive 4″ Blue .38 S&W Double Action Revolver & Box, 1909 C&R
Sold For: $1,325.00
LSB#: 220621HE019
Make: Colt
Model: Police Positive
Serial#: 29052
Year of Manufacture: 1909, (https://www.colt.com/serial-lookup) C&R
Caliber/Gauge: .38 Smith and Wesson (NOT .38 Special)
Action Type: Single and Double Action Revolver with Swing-Out Cylinder
Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “COLT” “POLICE / POSITIVE” (with the two words sharing the “P”) and “.38”. The sideplate is marked with the rampant colt logo over a stylized “C”. The top of the barrel is marked “COLT’S PT F A MFG. CO. HARTFORD CT. U.S.A. / PAT’D AUG 5, 1894 JUNE 5, 1900 JULY 4 1905”. The inside of the each grip has the serial number hand-scribed. The crane and crane cut are marked with the serial number.
Barrel Length: 4”
Sights/ Optics: The front sight is a round blade fixed to the barrel. The rear sight is a “U”-notch in the top strap.
Stock Configuration & Condition/ Grip: The grips are two-piece checkered black hard ruber with “COLT” in oval at their tops, stylized “C” around the screw escutcheons and fleur de lis accents at the top and bottom of the checkering. The grips have no notable wear or damage, only light handling marks. The checkering is sharp. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Excellent condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright. The rifling is sharp. There are spots of light pitting in the top and bottom of the bore about 1-2″ in front of the forcing cone.
Overall Condition: The pistol retains about 90% of its finish. The finish is thinning lightly at some edges. Most of the balance is light handling wear and minor oxidation in the grip areas. There is some minor oxidation on the rear face of the barrel and the frame around it. The cylinder has a thin turn-line. There are a few other scattered minor marks. Overall, this revolver is in Very Good-plus condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The cylinder lock up is SOLID on all six chambers when the trigger is depressed. The double action trigger pull is smooth and the single action break is crisp. We did not fire this handgun. As with all previously owned firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box Paperwork and Accessories: This revolver comes in a hinge-lid cardboard Colt box with the serial number hand-written on the bottom in pencil and model-matching label. The box shows moderate storage wear.
Our Assessment: Introduced to the firearms market in 1907, the Colt Police Positive and the Police Positive Special were a small frame, double-action revolver with a six-round cylinder, primarily intended for sale to law enforcement agencies. With its 6-shot cylinder instead of the smaller 5-shot offered on the S&W Model 36, it offers more capacity and slightly more weight to control recoil. This would be a neat old pony to add to your stable, and if you have a good source of .38 S&W ammunition it should still be a fun shooter. Please see our photos and good luck!
