Colt Officers Model Target

T

Tom M

New member
I've just acquired an Officers Model Target revolver, sn 7517**. Can someone tell me the year of manufacture, and more importantly, how do you adjust the sights, both front and rear? Both sights have 2 screws, and I don't want to just start messing with them.

Also, if someone has a photocopy or scan of the original manual, I'd be willing to compensate them for a copy. Thanks in advance for any info you can provide.
 
Thanks, Dfariswheel, but I checked that site first. My gun isn't listed there, and the serial number ranges for "close" models do not seem to apply.
 
According to my records, #7517** was made in 1948/1949. ????

The years from 1946 to 1954 were a transition time for Colt, when they were discontinuing older models, introducing newer models, and making a very limited time version of the Officer's Model known as the Officer's Model Special which was only produced for about 2 years.

The Officer's Model and the Official Police shared serial number ranges from 1908 up to 1930, when the Officer's Model started to have it's own ranges.

However, for a few years post-war apparently they again shared some numbers.

Here's what Colt's official serial number listing shows for the Official Police model in the years 1948 to 1949:

1948
739500
751300
760001

1949
748001-8207
753200-3316
755001-5883
762201-3350
770001

I'm assuming that this means that #748001 was made until 748207, then from 753200 to 753316 and so on.

This is confusing, and that's because things at Colt's were confusing at this time.

What it looks like to me is, in the late 40's early 50's the .38 Special Officer's Model and the Official Police shared numbers. while the .22LR Officer's Model and the .22LR Trooper shared numbers.

I'd bet that the Official Police in .22 would show up in the same numbers as the other..22's.

As an example, I own a 1954 Colt Trooper in .22LR, but it's NOT listed with either of the Trooper serial number ranges, it's listed with the Officer's Model Match numbers.

One way to find out for sure: Call Colt during business hours, and they will give you a production date over the phone. They WON'T give any more info, just a date.
 
Thanks very much for the info. I called Colt before I posted here, and they told me that the Customer Service Dept. didn't have access to that particular serial number, and I'd have to contact the Archive Dept. I called them and left a message, but I seriously doubt they'll call me back. I'm sure they'd rather sell me a letter.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top