COLT POLICE POSITIVE .38 (Snub Nose)

[flatwins]

Start with proofhouse.com to check the serial number.

 

[flatwins]

proofhouse.com also lists dates for serial number ranges.

Sorry, John. I didn't see your post before I posted mine concerning proofhouse.

 

[flatwins]

I recently received a COLT .38short police positive (2 in bbl). I have been trying to do a little research but am not finding out much. Id like to know how much the gun is worth and are there many of these snub nose Colt Police Positives around. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Is it chambered in .38 Colt New Police or otherwise known as "NP"? I'd assume it is. That round is actually the .38 S&W (not .38 Special) but Colt didn't want "S&W" engraved in their guns so they simply renamed the cartridge for their own use. Incidentally they did the same thing with the .32 Colt NP which is the same as .32 S&W Long.

.38 S&W is a neat little round, sorta similar to a .380. It shares no connection with the .38 Special whatsoever. Two totally different animals. It's an expensive round to buy and reloading for it isn't easy since the bullets are an oddball size.

Please post some pics or the first portion of the serial number if you can. Essentially you have an early Detective Special since that particular revolver was born of the Police Positive.

Here's a little bit of an oddity. This is a Detective Special chambered in .38 Colt NP. It's the only one I've seen. Probably not particularly valuable but a bit of an odd duck.