Colt Police Positive Special Pre-Detective 2″ .38 Revolver, 1928 C&R

SOLD FOR: $908

WOA#: WY240406RK004

Make: Colt

Model: Police Positive Special, pre-Detective Special

Serial Number: 340162

Year of Manufacture: 1928 (https://www.colt.com/serial-lookup)

Caliber: .38 Special

Action Type: Single Action/Double Action with Swing Out Cylinder

Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “38 SPECIAL”. The crane cut is marked “340162”. The crane is also marked “340162”. The front left of the trigger guard is marked with a “VP” in a triangle, and the rear with a “3”. The sideplate is marked with a Rampant Colt logo.

Barrel Length: 2”

Sights / Optics: The rear sight is a “U”-notch in the top strap. The front sight is a rounded blade fixed to the barrel.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered walnut with silver-colored Colt medallions. The grips have fairly even light handling wear with spots of more moderate wear at the bottom of the checkering on each panel. There are a few nicks and scratches, most notable on the bottom. The checkering is generally well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Very Good condition.

Type of Finish: Blued

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright with sharp rifling. There is some minor erosion and stubborn fouling in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 8 out of 10.

Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 80% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. There is finish wear at the muzzle on each side. There is scattered finish wear around the outside of the cylinder. There are some scattered spots of minor oxidation and a few light nicks and scratches. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are clear. Overall, this revolver is in Very Good condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The cylinder lockup on this revolver is SOLID, with no play when the trigger is depressed. The double action trigger pull is smooth and the single action pull is crisp. We did not fire this revolver. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.

Our Assessment: The Colt Police Positive Special was basically the same revolver as the Police Positive, except it had a longer cylinder for the .38 Special cartridge, and a slightly longer frame to hold it. This Police Positive Special was made in 1928 and is an early example of a variant that would come to be the Detective Special. While not marked with this designation, it has a 2″ barrel marked only “38 SPECIAL”, typical of what collectors refer to as the “Pre-Detective Special”. This variant would go on to be marked and marketed with the Detective Special name, but for the first few years it was only distinguished by the short barrel. This example is in Very Good condition with fairly light wear for a 96 year old carry revolver. It will make a nice addition to a Colt revolver collection, but should also still prove to be a good shooter. Please see our photos and good luck!

Please forgive any typos, I was educated in California. -Bud