Colt's Official Police

J

jonathon

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I got pretty bored yesterday at work.. so I cleaned the Colt's Official Police the boss keeps down there, pretty dirty, but its obvious that it is a fine weapon..

Anyways, I got to thinking that maybe this thing doesn't belong in the dusty, dirty counter at a shop shop...

Its about 75%-80% finish on it, no rust at all. Grips are dinged up pretty bad, but the gun and frame are straight and tight. Cylinder lockup is decent, not the best, but not terrible either. Seems to shake side to side a lot.. maybe thats just me, being used to a Smith and a Ruger ;)

Anyways, the SN is 557xxx, with a T above it, and an N below it(on the frame SN, the cylinder crane just has the 557xxx).

Anyone know anything about this gun? Think it deserves a better home? ;)

Also.. the boss keeps it loaded with Federal Hydra-Shok .38 +P's... if he has to use it, will it go kaboom on him(or me!)? :eek:
 
I've got one with a similar serial number that dates it to 1930. It locks up different then a S&W. Use your thumb to hold the hammer back, while pulling the trigger. With your other hand, check the cylinder. It will probably be locked tight.
They should not be used with +P ammo. A standard .38spl. hollow point will be all you need. They are nice old guns. By the way, mine is stamped on the grip frame, "N.J. State Police". In 1930, some state trooper carried this gun patrolling the Garden State highways.
 
Yeah, it sure is a nice old gun, action is slick and such.

I'll tell him to get a box of normal .38 spec Hydra-Shoks ;)

Think though, the gun is nice enough to take out of service? Next time I'm down there, I'll have to see how it locks up, but if your right, it should lock pretty tight(hardly any real shooting wear on it, and all the mechanics are in almost perfect shape). I think it was a police gun to.. most of the finish wear is around the muzzle, holster wear
 
If it locks up tight then I wouldn't take it out of service. They are right sturdy revolvers and will keep on shooting long after we are gone if you keep standard pressure loads in it.
 
Found a site(thanks to Xavier :cool: ) that had Colt SN's with the Date of manufacture..

According to here, it was made in 1929 :eek:

Thats a pretty old gun! Now, my interest is peaked!
 
Sounds neat! The old Official Police Colts are becoming collectible. I would generically value that Colt OP at $500.00 +/- based on actual condition. +P in my considered opinion is safe in later model Colt post-war Official Police, Police Positive Specials and Target/Officers Models. A 1929 manufactured OP could easily KB with +P or standard Hydra-Shoks. 158 gr CAS lead bullets are the ONLY safe cartridges to fire.
 
Serriously? Well, I'll take care of that.

Any good, low pressure self defence rounds that will work in that gun?
 
None made commercially. It is one of those revolvers that deserves to be semi-retired. I would not even consider it as a defense weapon. Sorry. Taking it to the range and firing CAS appropriate loads at paper is fine.
 
Dang, thats really to bad. Seems like such a fine weapon. For now, I'll just change the ammo out.. since its not my gun. Should get a pic and found out what a fair price is...
 
No reason to retire it unless it's malfunctioning. The OP's are good guns, but they don't hold up well to a lot of +P use. The occasional cylinderfull of +P at the range & in a defensive shooting shouldn't do any harm.

I'd be more concerned with it getting stolen or confiscated (is there a difference? :mad: ) after a self-defense shooting. It's too much of a collector's item to lose like that... :(

(But then, I have a pre-# K-38 as my bedside gun... :cool: )
 
A 1929 model if in good condition is still a fairly stout revolver. Cartridges in the past were loaded to higher pressures than those of today. I wouldn't worry about using any standard pressure load in one provided that it's in good shape. Though it does have collector's value and that's a consideration when contemplating firing it, but that doesn't seem to be a factor here as it's still deemed as a working gun.
 
Well, if I was able to get it, I wouldn't be able to throw it a safe and not shoot it ;) Just light stuff for plinkin though.
 
1929 is borderline IMO due to steel quality, not the strength of the gun. I always use 1930 as my own guideline since steel manufacturing before this approximate date was iffy. The problem is the approximate part. 1929... 1930... sigh.

I have an Officers Model Target which is the same gun with adjustabe sights and many, many +P and greater loads have not affected it at all. But this gun was made in 1950 so I don't worry about how well the cylinder was tempered.

Based on my 35 years experience I would shoot factory +Ps in a 1929 OP. I know howls will be raised from others at the very notion, but the OP is a large gun, built on a .41 caliber size frame (same as the .357 Trooper and later Python), and it's not a weak gun. It is, in fact, overly large for a .38 Special. In the 1930s Colt approved the use of 38/44 Hi-Speed ammo (158@1150 FPS) in the Official Police which was MUCH higher pressure than current +P. I have not heard of any large number of damaged OPs from using high performance ammo.

Your gun... your choice... if it's in good shape I would shoot +Ps. If you worry about it then don't. Factory +Ps are only 50 FPS faster than standard ammo, anyway. Not losing much by avoiding them.
 
I fired FBI load (Win superX) in my 1950 OP without any problems, but keep in mind what Person of Interest said.
 
POI, I agree. The 1929 date is why I suggest lighter loads. I have no problem with shooting the OPs, I simply treat them with respect and caution. I wouldn't run Hank Deuces 99 in the Indy 500 today. It would be nice to run a lap in it though.
 
A lot is mentioned of the quality of the steel in older handguns, but older rifles are still in use firing much higher pressure cartridges. Mausers of various calibers ( I own and shoot a 6.5mm Swede from 1913 myself), the various Enfields, and the O3 Springfield in bolt actions are in use and even converted to more modern cartridges. Then the old Winchester, Marlin, and Savage leverguns are still on the firing lines.
The original 9mm cartridge was a much higher pressure cartridge than it is today. The 1909 Luger won't function with some of todays 9mm ammo because the pressure is too low. There are still many old Lugers being shot.
Now while the old handguns aren't suited for rechambering to magnum loads or shooting some of todays +P loads, they will handle the standard pressure loads for which they were designed for. Remember Colt rated the OP for the original .38/44 loads which is very close to some of todays .357 magnum loads.
The steel is not a big a factor as some make it to be, especially steel of the late 1920s. There are still many, many handguns and longguns from the WWI era being fired today. How many S&W N-frame Hand Ejectors or Colt New Services better known as the Model of 1917 are still being shot today?
 
The principal issue is that European firearms were proof tested and rated by standards. The US has not done proof tests. I own a Colt DA 38 that was made in 1898 for the SAW and it has provenance. It was brought back to the US and shot with 38 Long Colt BP loads, 38 Special BP loads and smokeless 38 Specials. Still functional.
 
jonathon

I had a old fellow give me a 4" offical police a while back. It's not in very good shape, but I was surprised to see that is was 32-20 cal. Didn't know they were made in that cal. I haven't shot it, just cleaned it. and put it away.
 
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