Will the dis-assembly procedure for an "COLT - Official Police Revolver"

[jjrothWA]

located in the "Firearm Assembly II manual for the NRA, assist me in "detailing" a recent acquisition of a Colt Police Positive [not the Police Positive Special], 2nd variant, in ,38 Spl and 4" barrel?

SN dated to May of 1929. [might be a "Banker Special, but barrel is marked "Police Positive"???]



Cylinder gap measures 0.004", with feeler gauge. light rust fuzz on exterior but little firing, might have been put in a drawer after firing.

Pick=up a HKS "DS-A" speed-loader and it works nicely.

need to clean and oil this revolver.

Thanks.

[Parashooter]

Although the O.P. and the P.P. have different size frames, the lockwork is so similar that a guy who can fiddle one can play a tune on the other without much study.

Lots of good (scary) information at http://www.coltfever.com/GUNSMITHING.html

Of course, the classic .38 Police Positive (not Special) wasn't made in .38 Special as the cylinder is too short for that longer cartridge, being dimensioned for the stubby .38 New Police (AKA .38 S&W). Confusing because Specials were marked "Police Positive .38 Special" after the Dept. of Redundancy Department objected to "Police Positive Special .38 Special".

(Banker's Special .38 was, inexplicably, not in .38 Spl. but rather in .38 N.P./S&W, being made on the short P.P. .38 frame. Stub-barrel .38 Spec. was named Detective Special.) Photo shows frame differences pretty clearly -


Upper - Detective Special. Lower - Banker's Special

Note the three Police Positive frame sizes in these pictures: .38 P.P.; .38 P.P.Spec. right side; left side; .32 P.P. - .22 WRF P.P. Target - .38 Banker's Special (early square butt).

ColtPP38.jpgColtPPS.jpgColtPPS2.jpgColtPPos.jpg

[Sunray]

Like Parashooter says, they're pretty much the same. A nightmare of small parts and wee tiny flat springs. Have a Police Positive in .32-20 I never should have opened.

[mike9905]

Unless you are a skilled gunsmith don't pop off the sideplate on that Colt. I can gut a Smith & Wesson in my sleep, did it once on an older Colt and won't make that mistake again. It took a machinist to reassemble.

[jjrothWA]

DID IT!

no problems and it all went together.

Thanks.