Colt Police Positive Special First Issue .38 Special Revolver, 4-inch, DA/SA, Mfg. 1910
This Colt Police Positive Special First Issue is an early-production .38 Special revolver manufactured in 1910. Built on Colt's small-frame D-frame to handle .38 Special, it features a 4-inch barrel, 6-round cylinder, and classic pre-1928 First Issue details. It retains hallmark Colt design elements from the era, including the Positive Lock safety and fixed sights.
Condition
Overall Condition: Poor condition.
Bore Condition: Fair - Generally clean, some residue or smudges, slight corrosion.
Bore Fouling: Mild Fouling - Light buildup of fouling or dirt.
Bore Rifling: Fair Rifling - Worn rifling, slight loss of definition.
Specific Condition Notes: There is widespread pitting and finish loss throughout the frame and barrel. The revolver seems to function mechanically, however there is a bulge in the barrel. The left-side barrel rollmark ".38 SPECIAL" is faint but visible.
What's Included
- Colt Police Positive Special First Issue .38 Special revolver
Made in 1910, this First Issue (pre-1928) Police Positive Special represents Colt's early adaptation of the small-frame platform to the .38 Special cartridge. It pairs a 4-inch steel barrel with a 6-shot cylinder and a square-butt grip frame, delivering the proportions and handling profile associated with the series' early years.
The revolver uses a double-action/single-action mechanism with Colt's Positive Lock internal safety. It has an exposed hammer with a checkered spur and a smooth trigger face, reflecting the functional control layout of the period.
Sighting is straightforward with a half-moon front blade and a top-strap groove rear, both fixed. The gun wears black checkered "COLT" grips and retains an unshrouded ejector rod with a knurled head. There is no lanyard ring, consistent with this configuration.
Construction is all steel for the barrel, frame, cylinder, and receiver. The revolver was manufactured in the United States and follows the Colt small-frame (D-frame) architecture that enabled .38 Special chambering. The serial marking is located on the crane/yoke.