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Officers Model Officers Model Special Official Police & Marshal Official Police Caliber.22 Pocket Positive Police Positive.22 Target Model G & C Police Positive Heavy Frame Police Positive Special Police Positive.32 & Target Police Positive.38 Python Trooper Trooper Model &.357 Model. Colt Semi -Automatic Pistols top. Ace.22 Ace Service.
When you open up the cylinder,it should be located inside on theframe at the swivel.
What is the age of a colt official police revolver with serial number 12063?
If your Colt official police is chambered in .22cal?Then it was made in 1937. Read More
What is the age of a Colt Official Police Revolver serial 43846 Cal. .22 Lr?
your colt official police was made in 1958. Read More
What is the price on a official police pre war revolver?
What is the age of Colt Official Police revolver serial 64111 with a 6 barrel?
What is the manufacture date of a Colt Official Police Revolver Serial Number 321540?
What is the manufacture date of a colt official police revolver serial number 788564?
What is the year of manufacture of a Colt Official Police revolver serial number 713429?
What is the price of a colt official police revolver 38 special 6 inch barrel?
What is the manufacture date of a colt official police revolver serial number 705018?
What is the Manufacture date of a Colt Official Police Revolver Serial Number 652892?
When was a colt official police 38 special revolver serial number 920937 manufactured?
How do you determine condition of colt official police revolver?
What is the Manufacture date of a Colt Official Police Revolver Serial Number 904734?
Colt official police with serial # 904734 was produced around 1965 Read More
Where in Kentucky is the OPD located?
The Owensboro Police Department is located at 222 East Ninth Street, Owensboro, Kentucky, 42303. On its official website, one find find telephone numbers of all staff of the police department. Read More
What is the age and value of a 38 Special Colt Official Police revolver serial 895518?
What is the year of manufacture of a colt official police revolver serial number 194777?
What is the value of a colt 38 special official police revolver serial 818218?
How old is a colt official police revolver 22 long with serial 11887?
What is the manufacture date of a colt official police revolver serial number 652083?
What is the age of a colt official police revolver 38 cal serial 591837 with 6 barrel?
What would be the value of a 1968 colt official police 38 special revolver?
value depends on overall condition.................... Read More
How do you determine overall condition of colt official police special revolver?
What is the age of colt official police revolver serial 542528 38 caliber with a 6 inch barrel?
What is the age of colt official police 22 long revolver serial number 13502?
What is the age of colt official police revolver serial 321540 32-20 with a 6 barrell?
What is the age of Colt Official Police revolver serial 569XXX 32-20 with a 6 barrel?
What is the age of colt official police revolver serial no 695909 with a 4 in barrel?
Colt revolver marked official police-38 special serial number is 885xx can anyone provide the manufacturing date?
Colt officer model 22 Lr serial number 25238?
if your revolver is an official police 22 cal. model then it was made in 1947 Read More
Where is the serial number on a colt 22 caliber long rifle official police issue 6 shot revolver?
What does ADT 450 stamped on the butt of my colt official police revolver denote?
Could be the issued officer's initials and badge number. Read More
What is the age and value of a38special colt official police revolver serial 923614?
made about 1969. value depends on overall condition Read More
What is the age and value of a 38 caliber Colt Official Police revolver serial 550701 if most of the blue is gone and serial numbers match on all parts?
made around 1930. Value is decided by condition,markings,and history of the gun. Start at $200 and go up from there. Read More
How do you find serial number on Colt New Police .32 Police Positive revolver?
When was a colt official police 38 special revolver serial number 10082 manufactured?
I believe it was manufactured in 1906. Someone please correct me if I'm mistaken. Read More
What is the age and value of a 38 caliber Colt Police Official revolver serial 707885L J?
around 1943. Value depends on condition,markings,history,etc. Read More
When was a colt official police special revolver serial 593xxx made and what is its value on average?
made about 1936. value depends on condition. for value ask: [email protected] Read More
How many serial numbers are on a smith and Wesson revolver?
7 letters and numbers on a modern revolver. Older guns could have fewer characters. The serial is usually stamped on the frame ahead of the cylinder, under the yolk when you open the cylinder. Any other numbers would usually be markings placed by the end user (military unit identification, police identification and such). Read More
Where are the serial numbers located on a colt police positive 38 special?
What is the DOB for a Colt Official Police-38 ser 2388xx and would it be a 38 Special Thanks?
Official Police ser numbers started at 513216 in 1927. I believe you have a Police Positive Special from 1921. It was chambered in .32 Colt, .32 New Police, .38 New Police and .38 S&W, .32-20 and .38 Special. Read More
I have revolver that says police 38 special on the left side of barrel the serial numbers are 401286 need to know who made this?
No way to identify maker by just the serial number and caliber. Read More
What is the age of a colt revolver serial number 19250 name of the revolver is Police Positive 22?
Colt police positive revolver 1905?
Colt police positive 38 special?
What ammo should you use for a colt official police 32-20 revolver serial 566xxx?
use 32-20 ammo The caliber of the ammo is 32-20. It is not common although it is still available. Read More
When was a Colt 38 cal official police revolver with serial?
There is not way to answer since you did not provid the serail number. You can call Colt with the serial number and they will tell you. Alternatively, The Blue Book of Gun Values has sn data in it. Read More
What can you tell you about Hopkins and Allen safety police revolver?
What age is a colt38 new police revolver sn 14697?
What is a 38 police positive?
Where is the serial number on a colt police positive revolver?
Colt Official Police | |
---|---|
Type | Revolver |
Place of origin | United States |
Production history | |
Manufacturer | Colt's Manufacturing Company |
Produced | 1908–1969 |
Variants | See Variants |
Specifications | |
Barrel length |
|
Cartridge | |
Action | double-action |
Feed system | six round cylinder |
Sights | Fixed iron: Blade front, V-notch rear |
Introduced to the firearmsmarket in 1927, the Colt Official Police is a medium frame, double-actionrevolver with a six-roundcylinder, primarily chambered for the .38 Specialcartridge, and manufactured by the Colt's Manufacturing Company. The intended specific target market for the Official Police was mainly law enforcement agencies and it became one of the best selling police firearms of all time, eventually in the 1950s coming to exemplify typical peace officerweaponry.[1] The Official Police was also used by various U.S. and allied military forces during World War II.
- 3Variants
Development and history[edit]
As the 20th Century began, the older .32 caliber revolvers which had been standard-issue for the majority of American police departments began to be phased out in favor of the larger-bore .38 caliber. In 1908 Colt introduced a sleek and modernized revolver they dubbed the Army Special, which in the powerful (for the time) and popular .38 Special quickly became the issue service revolver of many departments.[1][2][3]During the same period, revolvers began to fall out of favor with the U.S. Military, especially after the adoption on the U.S. Model of 1911semi-automatic pistol.[1] As military sales of their revolvers dropped off, Colt searched for an alternative market and realized the popularity and strong sales of their product line with civilian law enforcement agencies could form their replacement market.[2]
By 1927 the overwhelming sales of two popular models, the Army Special and Colt Police Positive, had assured Colt’s dominance of the law enforcement firearms market.[1][2] Colt’s marketing strategy was further fine-tuned by making a few superficial alterations to the Army Special revolver and then renaming it as the “Official Police” model.[1][2] The changes included adding checkering to the trigger, matting the topstrap of the frame and widening the rear sightgroove. Colt also upgraded the quality of the gun’s finish from a dull blued finish to a highly polished blued surface.[1][3] In 1930, Colt scored a marketing coup when they publicized that their Official Police model could easily handle the firing of heavily loaded .38 rounds intended for competitor Smith & Wesson's new large N-frame revolver, the .38-44, none of the comparable S&W revolvers could manage this feat.[1][2] By 1933 the Colt sales catalog listed many law enforcement agencies as having adopted the OP as a sidearm, including the New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Kansas City police departments. In addition many state police organizations and even the Federal Bureau of Investigation chose the OP as their issue revolver.[1] The U.S. Army also bought some of the revolvers, issuing them to military police and to federal agencies in need of a revolver for their armed agents, such as the Treasury Department, Coast Guard, and the Postal Inspection Service. Many Official Police revolvers were also bought by the police forces and militaries of various South American countries.[1][3]
Between May 1940 and June 1941, 49,764 Official Police revolvers in .38 New Police or .38/200 caliber were purchased by the British Purchasing Commission and shipped to the United Kingdom for use by British and Commonwealth armed forces as a substitute standard sidearm. These revolvers bore British military acceptance markings and had a 5' barrel; the butt was fitted with a military-style lanyard ring. Most of these OP revolvers were assembled from commercial-grade parts made before 1942.[4]
When the U.S. became involved in World War II, the U.S. government requested contracts to supply .38 revolvers required for arming security personnel charged with the security of government buildings, shipyards, and defense plant installations against sabotage or theft. Commencing in 1941, small quantities of the .38 Colt Official Police were procured directly from the Defense Supplies Corporation (DSC). When government purchasing officials objected to production delays of the OP, as well as the unit cost, Colt responded by simplifying the gun. Savings were achieved by eliminating all unnecessary exterior polishing operations, substituting a smooth-face trigger and hammer, and fitting the gun with simplified checkered wood grips with the Colt medallion; the latter was soon replaced by 'Coltwood' molded plastic grips. Instead of the normal bluing, the revolver was given a dull parkerized finish. Dubbed the Colt Commando, the weapon was primarily used to arm units of Military police, security guards at U.S. defense plant installations and shipyards, as well as limited clandestine issue to agencies involved in overseas espionage and military intelligence.[1][2][5]
In mid-1942 the Springfield Ordnance District (SOD) was given control over procurement and distribution of the Commando, which transferred the revolvers to the end user. A few Commandos were shipped to the U.S. Maritime Commission and used as small arms equipment on U.S. merchant ships and ships provided to the Allies under Lend-Lease.[6] Most Commando wartime production went to the Defense Supplies Corporation (DSC).[7] for use by security and police forces, while approximately 1,800 Commandos were used by the U.S. Navy, with another 12,800 revolvers distributed to various military intelligence agencies. Control over procurement changed in 1944, after the DSC formally objected to being charged additional handling fees by the armed forces, and was then authorized to procure the Commando directly from Colt.[7]
After the Allied victory, Colt resumed commercial production and returned to the prewar polished blued finish, but retained the plastic grips which they labeled “Coltwood” until 1954 when the checkered wooden grips were reintroduced.[1] During the postwar period, Colt fell on difficult financial times and the company introduced few new models. At Smith & Wesson, both output and new model civilian and police sales improved, and the sales margin gap between the two corporations progressively tightened. Finally in the 1960s S&W took over the lead.[1][2] A contributing factor to this change may have been Smith & Wesson's generally lower cost per unit, accompanied by a double-action trigger pull on their military & police model that was preferred by many agencies teaching the new combat-oriented double-action revolver training.[1][2] Colt announced the discontinuation of the Official Police in 1969, stating that competitive production of the design was no longer economically feasible.[1][2] With a total production of over 400,000 pistols, the Official Police ranks as one of the most successful handguns ever made.[1]
Features[edit]
The Official Police was machined of fine carbon steel, with bright royal Colt blued as well as nickel-plated finishes, and was offered in 4, 5 and 6 inches (100, 130 and 150 mm) barrels. Built on Colt’s .41 or “I” frame, it was manufactured in a variety of chamberings including .22 LR, .32-20 (discontinued in 1942), .41 Long Colt (discontinued in 1938), and the most common and popular, the .38 Special.[1][2] Colt’s “Positive Lock” firing pin block safety was a standard feature of the revolver, preventing the firing pin from striking the primer unless the trigger was deliberately pulled.[1] The pistol’s sights consisted of a blade front with a fixed ironopen rear sight, which was a simple V-notch shaped groove milled into the revolver’s top strap. The top strap had a matte finish to reduce glare down the sight plane.[1][2]
Variants[edit]
Commando[edit]
The Commando was a wartime variant of the Official Police, manufactured with either a two or four inch barrel, and incorporating several production economies including a non-gloss Parkerized finish. The Commando also lacked the usual metal checkering on the hammer, trigger, and cylinder latch, as well as the reflection-deadening treatment of the commercial version’s top strap. In addition, plastic material replaced the wood grips of the civilian model.[8] Approximately 48,611 Commando revolvers were purchased by the government during World War II.[8] Of this total, approximately 12,800 Commando revolvers were issued to various intelligence services such as US Military intelligence and the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). Many of the latter were procured with the two-inch barrel, referred to as the “Junior Commando”.[8] A few Commandos saw service overseas in the war zone.[8] Regular production deliveries of two-inch 'Junior Commando' revolvers began in March 1943, at approximately serial number 9,000. More than 12,000 of the two-inch Commandos encountered today are actually postwar conversions from four-inch models produced during the war.[8]
Marshal[edit]
A rare variant featuring a rounded grip, with barrel lengths of two and four inches. With a very limited production run of 2,500 units produced from 1955-1956, the Marshal became a true collectable.[2]
MK III[edit]
The moniker “Official Police” was borrowed by one model in a new generation of revolvers Colt introduced in the late1960s, called the “MK III” series. MK III models consisted of simpler versions of several classic Colt revolvers with updated lockwork.[9]The MK III product line was actually a different and original design based on a new “J” frame, which failed to attain commercial success and was cancelled after only three years.[1][9]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ abcdefghijklmnopqrs“Colt's Official Police Revolver”Archived 2008-09-26 at the Wayback Machine, Shooting Times magazine Web site – Handgun Reviews. Accessed August 13, 2008.
- ^ abcdefghijklAyoob, Massad. “The Colt Official Police: 61 years of production, 99 years of service”, Guns magazine. BNET Web site – Find articles. Accessed August 13, 2008.
- ^ abc“Colt Official Police”Archived 2008-06-10 at the Wayback Machine, Bellum Web site. Accessed August 20, 2008.
- ^Pate, Charles, U.S. Handguns of World War II, Andrew Mowbray Publishing, ISBN0-917218-75-2, ISBN978-0-917218-75-0
- ^“Colt Commando”Archived 2008-04-30 at the Wayback Machine, Bellum Web site. Accessed August 21, 2008.
- ^Pate, Charles, The World War II Commando RevolverArchived 2011-01-26 at the Wayback Machine, Man At Arms Magazine, Mowbray Publishing (October 1997), retrieved 3 April 2011
- ^ abPate, Charles, The World War II Commando Revolver, Man At Arms Magazine, Mowbray Publishing (October 1997), retrieved 3 April 2011
- ^ abcde“The World War II Commando Revolver”Archived 2008-10-13 at the Wayback Machine, Man at Arms Web site. Accessed August 21, 2008.
- ^ ab“Colt mk. III revolvers: Trooper, Lawman, Official Police (USA)”Archived 2008-09-14 at the Wayback Machine, World.guns.ru Web site. Accessed August 21, 2008.
External links[edit]
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Colt_Official_Police&oldid=896926906'