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colt officers model DA
- Thread starter trina
- Start date
Jim Watson
New member
Sounds like an Officer's Model Target First Issue, made only 1904-1908.
Same "left wheeler" action as the 1903 model of the New Army.
Same "left wheeler" action as the 1903 model of the New Army.
Hi.
"...first patent date..." Doesn't mean it was made then. It means the revolver was first patented then. Mind you, if there's just one date stamped on it it means it's of earlier production.
The Officer's Model was first made in 1904 for the then new .38 Special. It's basically a Police Positive. Those came in a bunch of .32 and .38 cartridges(mine's a .32-20) and .22 LR. It's basically Colt's version of the S&W "K" frame revolver.
Those that were sent to England for W.W. II were converted to .38/200 which is just a .38 S&W using a 200 grain cast bullet. Brits were trying to increase the power with a heavier bullet. Budget thing.
The New Army/Navy models the Officers Model was based on had counter clockwise cylinder rotation. The rotation thing was mostly about Colt's rivalry with Smith & Wesson. Colt said the clockwise rotation tended to keep the swing-out cylinder closed. Lotta marketing BS.
Condition is everything when it comes to value. The barrel length and sights matter too. There are lots of Officers Models on the assorted auction sites. Prices on 'em don't always reflect reality though. These guys live and breath Colt.
www.coltforum.com
"...first patent date..." Doesn't mean it was made then. It means the revolver was first patented then. Mind you, if there's just one date stamped on it it means it's of earlier production.
The Officer's Model was first made in 1904 for the then new .38 Special. It's basically a Police Positive. Those came in a bunch of .32 and .38 cartridges(mine's a .32-20) and .22 LR. It's basically Colt's version of the S&W "K" frame revolver.
Those that were sent to England for W.W. II were converted to .38/200 which is just a .38 S&W using a 200 grain cast bullet. Brits were trying to increase the power with a heavier bullet. Budget thing.
The New Army/Navy models the Officers Model was based on had counter clockwise cylinder rotation. The rotation thing was mostly about Colt's rivalry with Smith & Wesson. Colt said the clockwise rotation tended to keep the swing-out cylinder closed. Lotta marketing BS.
Condition is everything when it comes to value. The barrel length and sights matter too. There are lots of Officers Models on the assorted auction sites. Prices on 'em don't always reflect reality though. These guys live and breath Colt.
www.coltforum.com
Niner4Tango
New member
You should be able to get the date of manufacture by entering your serial number here: https://www.colt.com/serial-lookup
Jim Watson
New member
The Officer's Model was first made in 1904 for the then new .38 Special. It's basically a Police Positive.
Nope, again.
The Officer's Model was originally on the New Army frame, then the Army Special receiver, the so-called ".41 frame Colts." The Police Positive is a smaller gun.
There were indeed Police Positive Targets, a much lighter revolver, just a little bigger than the S&W Heavy Frame Target .22-32.
The LAST patent date on a gun is better identification, should be 1901 on this one.
Strangely enough, the New Police, predecessor to the Police Positive and contemporary with the New Army and Officer's First was a right wheeler; the New Army was the only Colt with CCW cylinder rotation.