Colt Police Positive First Issue .38 S&W Revolver, 4-inch, Nickel, 6-Shot (1923)
This Colt Police Positive First Issue revolver, manufactured in 1923, is a small-frame DA/SA wheelgun chambered for .38 S&W (.38 Colt New Police). It features a 4-inch barrel, nickel-plated carbon-steel construction, and period-correct details such as checkered hard‑rubber Colt logo grips, a half-moon front sight, and early patent/address rollmarks. Its configuration and date make it an appealing, verifiable example of an early Police Positive.
Condition
Overall Condition: Good condition, showing some signs of prior use and handling.
Bore Overall Condition: Good - Clean, well-maintained, minor wear marks.
Bore Rifling: Good Rifling - Intact, well-defined lands and grooves.
Specific Condition Notes: The revolver presents well with minor, superficial scratches and small blemishes. The bore is clean and shiny.
What’s Included
- Colt Police Positive First Issue .38 S&W revolver
The First Issue Police Positive is known for its compact, small-frame design and Colt's Positive Lock hammer block safety system. This 1923 example offers a 6-shot fluted cylinder and a DA/SA action, delivering the classic Police Positive format in a period-correct configuration.
Construction is nickel-plated carbon steel throughout the frame, barrel, and cylinder. It is fitted with an exposed, checkered-spur hammer and a smooth-faced trigger. The checkered hard‑rubber grips with the "COLT" logo and the Rampant Horse emblem on the left side of the frame align with early First Issue features and markings.
Sighting equipment is fixed, with a half-moon blade up front and a rear notch cut into the topstrap. The 4-inch barrel length balances sight radius and handling in a traditional service-style setup.
The cylinder is a 6-shot, fluted design with an unshrouded ejector rod that has a knurled tip. It is chambered for .38 S&W, also known by Colt as .38 Colt New Police, and is not interchangeable with .38 Special. The factory serial number is stamped on the frame in the yoke (crane) cut (the crane may show a matching or assembly number). Made in the United States.