Colt Police Positive Special First Issue .38 Special Revolver, 4 Inch, 1917, DA/SA
This 1917 Colt Police Positive Special is a First Issue small-frame revolver chambered in .38 Special. Built in the pre-WWII era, it features Colt's Positive Lock hammer-block safety, a six-shot cylinder, and a 4-inch barrel. Its early production date and classic Colt details make it a noteworthy example for those interested in the brand's early .38 Special service revolvers.
The First Issue variant lengthened the Police Positive's frame and cylinder to accept .38 Special, while retaining a compact profile. Fixed sights, checkered hard-rubber grips with the molded "COLT" oval, and the rampant Colt on the frame reflect period-correct configuration. The revolver's DA/SA operation and unshrouded ejector rod are consistent with early production features.
Construction is all carbon steel, paired with an exposed hammer featuring a checkered spur and a smooth, curved trigger. The package reflects Colt's pre-war manufacturing style.
Sights consist of a half-moon front blade and a frame-groove rear. The revolver was made in the United States and represents a true pre-war Colt carry/service pattern in .38 Special with a six-round capacity.
Condition
Overall Condition: Fair condition, showing extensive signs of prior use and handling.
Bore Condition: Fair - Generally clean, some residue or smudges, slight corrosion.
Bore Rifling: Good Rifling - Intact, well-defined lands and grooves.
Specific Condition Notes: The firearm shows surface rust and pitting consistent with its age. The ejector rod head is missing. The right-side grip has a chipped area and a crack.
What's Included
- Colt Police Positive Special First Issue .38 Special revolver
The First Issue Police Positive Special was engineered with a longer frame and cylinder to chamber .38 Special while maintaining the Police Positive's compact handling. Colt's Positive Lock internal hammer-block allows safe carry with all six chambers loaded, a key innovation of the line.
This example follows the period-correct pattern: 4-inch barrel, six-shot cylinder, and double-action/single-action mechanism. Fixed sights include a half-moon front blade and a frame-groove rear, providing a clean, durable sight picture typical of early Colt service revolvers.
Materials are carbon steel throughout the barrel, frame, and cylinder. Controls and touchpoints include an exposed hammer with a checkered spur and a smooth curved trigger. The grips are checkered hard rubber with the molded COLT oval, and the frame bears the rampant Colt mark.
Manufactured in 1917 in the United States, this pre-WWII Colt captures an early, defining chapter of Colt's small-frame .38 Special service revolvers.