Caliber of Colt Officers Model 38?

S

steve101

Inactive
I inherited a Colt revolver from a relative, a retired cop, and I want to confirm the exact caliber. The gun is in terrific condition.
The barrel reads " *Colt Officers Model 38 * Heavy Barrel * Patents Aug 5, 1884, July 4, 1905, Oct 5, 1926* "
I have been told that there are many versions of .38 caliber rounds (38 short, 38 special, etc), so I want to find out what I should shoot in it. I tried calling Colt headquarters, but they said they could not discuss the firearm due to "liability issues". Great customer service! (I have previously called Ruger, S&W and Remington for technical advice and they have always been very helpfull)
Does anyone know more about this revolver or where I can go for more information?
Thanks.
 
While some Colt DA revolvers were chambered for the .38 Long or Short Colt or the .38 Colt New Police, the .38 Officers Model of that era was chambered for the .38 Special.

It is a good strong gun, but I would not recommend it for the +P loads and certainly not for the +P+ or LE ammunition, which should be used only in guns originally chambered for the .357 Magnum.

FYI, the .38 Short Colt was made for some of the old (1870's) revolvers, the .38 Long Colt was a longer and more powerful round, which was used by the U.S. armed forces in the 1890's and early 1900's. It was that caliber that failed to deliver in the Philippines and led to the re-adoption of a .45 caliber, first in the Colt 1909 revolver, then in an auto pistol. The .38 Colt New Police was the .38 S&W, but Colt wouldn't put "S&W" on their guns and invented a "new" caliber.

HTH

Jim
 
The Colt “Officer’s Model” is one of the finest revolvers the company ever built. In 1931 they introduced another target model called the “Shooting Master” that was built on a larger New Service frame. It featured a heavier barrel then the one normally used on the Officer’s Model. Target shooters liked the heavier barrel but some found the New Service/Shooting Master to be too heavy, so Colt made a small number of Officer’s Models with the heavy Shooting Master barrel. This is what you have.

The Officer’s Model (Heavy Barrel) was chambered in either .32 Colt New Police (same as .32 S&W Long) or .38 Special. I believe you indicated your gun is a .38, in which case it will handle any standard loading in .38 Special, .38 Long Colt, or .38 Short Colt. The latter cartridges are for the most part long gone and you don’t have to worry about them. The most recommended .38 Special load for your gun is the 148 gr. Mid-Range Wadcutter, that is intended for bullseye target shooting.

The Officer’s Model was built at a time when Colt could lavish unlimited skilled hand labor on each gun until it was as perfect as could be made. They came with individual test targets fired at 20 yards in which the shots would make one hole about the size of a quarter or less. Prize it for what it is.
 
I must disagree with Mr. Keenan. In my opinion the Officer's Model will shoot +P loads until your trigger finger wears out without any serious trouble. This gun is built on the same frame as the later Python .357 Magnum revolver, and Colt cuts the cylinder stop notch on an offset so as not to leave a thin spot over the chamber. The factory +Ps are mild compared to the .38 Special loads I have routinely used in my guns.

I would not hesitate to use +P ammo in any I frame Colt (Official Police, Officer's Model, etc) made in the 1930s or later.

Having said that, you likely will not want to use hot loads in this model too often because it was really designed for a more casual form of shooting and target loads are much more pleasant for extended sessions at the range.
 
While I have no doubts about the ability of your Officer's Model to stand up to heavier +P .38 Special loads these are not what Colt had in mind. An Officer's Model with an optional and relatively rare heavy barrel has a collector's value as well as being a practical arm to shoot, and there is no reason not to shoot it - but I will continue to suggest using standard loads. While the frame is the same as the Python the topstrap is thinner and the steel is not the same between the two.

If "hot" loads is what you want to use buy a modern .357 Magnum
 
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