Police Positive 32

J

jvradar

Inactive
I recently obtained a Police Positive 32. The serial number is 174xxx with a "T" after it. The serial number was found after moving the cylinder to the loading position on the frame.
On one side of the barrel it says "Police Positive 32 ctg' the other side has the following dates: aug 5, 1884; june 5, 1900; April9, 01; july4, 05

The round it fires is the 32 smith and wesson long.

Does anyone have an idea the age of this pistol and the approxiamate value?

The Pistol is in great shape and it appears to now have colt polymer handles
 
police positive

I had someone try to downplay this pistol, he said that Colt remanufactered another batch of these in the 1990's and 2000's.
Is this true that they did?
 
The Pistol... appears to now have colt polymer handles
Click to expand...
Are you saying that the grips are polymer reproductions that you know to be non-original, or are you simply saying that the grips are made of a black synthetic material? The phrase "now have" implies the former, but I'd like to verify this.

The semi-gloss black synthetic-looking material used for many prewar revolver grips was gutta-percha, a hard rubber-like latex derived from tropical tree sap. This material was commonly used to make a variety of consumer products before durable plastics such as Bakelite became commonplace in the 1930s and 1940s.

In other words, don't assume that the grips are non-original polymer reproductions simply because they aren't wood. :) If you're unsure, posting some pictures would be VERY helpful.
 
If Colt made modern copies of this gun I have never heard of them. And, new versions would have modern patent dates I would think.
 
responce

Thanks Carguychris and Mike, I believe both of you are correct, it is a great looking gun and in good shape. I am certain that my purchase price of 300.00 was not a waste then!
 
There were two major variations of the gun you have. The police positive had a smaller (shorter) frame window and was chambered for cartridges with shorter overall length, ie 22lr, 32 new police, 38 new police. The police positive SPECIAL differed only in that it had a longer frame window and was chambered in longer cartridges like 38 special and 32-20. Sometime around 1948 Colt standardised on the longer frame window and discontinued the shorter one. The "new" frame was christened the "D" frame from then on. There were no police positives like yours made after that date. There were a few made in the 90s I believe called the police positive Mark V. Those were essentially a detective special with a longer barrel. Your pre-war gun was made in what many people believe was the golden age, where pride and personal workmanship made some of the finest guns ever. Congratulations on your Colt.
 
Those appear to be the correct period grips for your gun. And in good shape. Be careful with them though. Hard rubber becomes brittle with age.

Speaking of Colt Police Positive Specials, mine should be at the gunshop for me today. 32-20, but not as nice as yours.
 
Your Police Positive was made in 1921.
The "T" indicates the gun was "Targeted" at the factory or adjusted to shoot to the center of the factory test target.
This was an extra cost option from Colt.

In guns, value depends on how much original factory finish is present, is it in proper working order, and is it in original factory configuration (grips, finish, barrel length, etc).

As example if your gun has 50% original finish the Blue Book of Gun Values which is the industry standard, says it's worth about $200.
 
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