Colt Officers Model 38 Nickel

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foxtail

Inactive
I just purchased this gun at a local gun show. I am trying to date the gun and find out if Colt made this gun in Nickel. It appears to be original finish. I also posted this on the Colt forum. The patent #'s on the barrel are Aug. 5, 1884, June 5, 1900 and July 4, 1905. The model on the side of the barrel is officers model 38, it has a maltses cross before and after the roll mark.

Thanks for your help.
 

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Nice looking pistol. Its tough to find an Army Special in that sort of shape.
My first thoughts would be that it has been nickeled after it left the factory.
Or you are very lucky.
Quality photos with a real camera might let others save you the cost of a letter.

Factory nickel on a second or third model would be considered EXTREMELY rare.

It is true that nickel was an option on the Army Special through that period as well as the following Official Police models. Whether that option extended to the Target models is unclear. Nickel was definitely a special order only on the target guns from 1930 on and it was rarely used.

If you are convinced the finish is original, only a factory letter will suffice.

Second model target. 1923 from the serial you posted on the CF.

My take, JT
 
I ordered the letter today. Colt agrees that very few guns were special ordered in nickel or chrome. Chrome became availble in the 1920's. Looking at the gun it might be chrome, it it is it will be a very rare gun. I'll keep you posted.
 
Old nickel has a gold tint due to the copper plating under the nickel showing as the nickel wears thin, or so I'm told.
 
I beg to differ. With those patent dates it is a first issue...agree with probably 1920's;....Mine is from 1926

It is a Colt Officer's Model, First Issue..it is marked on the barrel.
 
Letter came back as a blued gun from the factory. Someone must have performed a very professional refinish and reroll. It must have been done by Colt. So much for a "very rare" gun only a very nice "rare gun". I found a set of correct grips for the gun. I will take better pic's and post asap.
 
colt officers model 38

i have the same gun model 1901 officers model 38 stamped R.A.C. maltese stamped on boyh sides of the officers model 38.serial num.starts 17 also.cylinder rotates ccw.all numbers match and numbers on the inside of grips also match but gun is in poor surface shape but mechanically great.
 
The rule of thumb for these guns where nickel is extremely rare is to buy the gun as a re-nickeled shooter unless it has documents. Sometimes you can tell if a gun was re-nickeled, but other times, IE a factory re-nickel, it would be hard to impossible to tell. Stay cautious with guns which are rare nickel
 
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