Colt Officers Model .38 special

[Old Fuff]

1K PerDay:

There isn’t a problem with your serial number as such, but finding where it fits in to a very confusing situation. In fact a leading Colt researcher had this to say;

“No species of Colt double-actions can touch the Officers Model in intricacy of serial numbers, and variations in configuration, sights and nomenclature. Members of the O.M. classification are the Officers Model, Officers Model Target, Officers Model Special, Officers Model Match and finely the MK III Officers Model Match. The group covered a span of sixty-five years, but due to serial-number practices hundreds of research hours would be required to tabulate accurately just how many revolvers were made.”

The first and most important step is to determine exactly which of the various versions your revolver is. Then one can start tracking which particular series of serial numbers fits.

I am working on it, and success will be forthcoming. But so far today a number of things have come up that demanded my immediate attention. When time permits I will date your serial number.

 

[1KPerDay]

No hurry, I assure you. I truly appreciate the help.

No species of Colt double-actions can touch the Officers Model in intricacy of serial numbers, and variations in configuration, sights and nomenclature.

That sounds about right... I notice on a couple of sites that there were duplicate serial numbers made in different models. Bet that's fun to track down...

 

[Old Fuff]

That sounds about right... I notice on a couple of sites that there were duplicate serial numbers made in different models. Bet that's fun to track down...

You have a warped…. I say a really warped sense of humor.

 

[Old Fuff]

Check your barrel on the left side and see if it's marked "OFFICERS MODEL TARGET 38” There may also be a marking "HEAVY BARREL."

If so, I believe that your revolver was made during 1937 (serial numbers started at 602,000 and in 1938 at 622,000 - but this included the Official Police service revolvers as well as Officers Model Target guns that were made that year.

The heavy barrel was originally offered on the larger New Service Target and Shooting Master model revolvers. But marksmen of the day ask for it on the smaller-frame Officers Model Target. During the Great Depression, Colt would do almost anything a customer wanted within reason, so in 1935 the heavy barrel was offered as an extra-cost option on the OMT series. This continued until 1940

The well-known Python is descended from the OMT, and the frame size and lockwork is for the most part the same. Also during the Depression Colt was able to lavish extraordinary hand honing and fitting that wasn't seen after, except possibly on the early Pythons.

 

[1KPerDay]

Thanks again... I'll check.

 

[bfoster]

1KPerDay-

The top strap is very unusual. Note the chamfer within the red elipse I've added to your picture. That is not present on normal OMT's.

This is speculation-

The block of numbers 602000 through 621999 was assigned to Official police models produced in 1937.

I suspect that one of two things happened-

Most likely a talented 'smith welded up the top strap of an Official Police, filed it to close to an OMT profile, cut a sight slot, and replaced the original barrel with a service part OMT barrel. The trigger too may be a service part. With the right filler rod it's possible to do this so that the weld, after reblue, is very difficult to detect.

It's also remotely possible that you have a factory oddity.

Bob

 

[Old Fuff]

Nope, the frame is correct for the heavy barrel version. Remember that barrel was originally for the larger New Service and Shooting Master.

You are right about the 1937 Official Police serial numbers, but according to R.L. Wilson the OMT revolvers made at that time were numbered with the Official Police service revolvers.

It's little things like this that make a researcher's life so much fun.

 

[SaxonPig]

My pocket guide to Colt dates of manufacture by RL Wilson (Yeah, I know) published in 1985 also indicates an Officers Model with a 602,000 number would have been made in 1937. This would be numbered in the Official Police series and six digits would be too many to be in the Officers Model series.

But then, what do I know? I'd never heard of OMT barrels other than 6" in length.

 

[bfoster]

Old Fuff and 1KPerDay,

What I assumed to be a chamfer may be the lighting in1KPerDay's picture- it looks as if there is a blend or chamfer of the normal radius on the top front of the top strap where it meets the vertical wall of the top strap in a roughly triangular shape rather than the usual crisp corner.

The arrow in the following picture shows the characteristic nearly sharp corner of this feature in heavy barrel OMT's.

If the corner is crisp then you have a "normal" OMT with an unusual s/n. It's not extremely uncommon to find such oddities in Colt numbering...
-----

First series New Service (and New Service Target) revolvers do have a straight taper barrel without a shoulder similar to the barrel used in heavy barreled OMT's, however this style of barrel was discontinued between 1913 and ~1920 as existing parts in factory stock were used up. To the best of my knowledge heavy barrels were not an regular factory option on OMT's until 1930.

New Service, 5½" barrel, 1916, 455 Eley, transitional, features of both first and second series revolvers. This rough old revolver illustrates the first series New Service barrel without a shoulder. First series New Service Target barrels were similar, though they did have the adjustable front sight. The taper per inch is slightly less than that used on OMT heavy barrel revolvers. These must, I think, be the barrels that Old Fuff is referring to.

The Shooting Master and second series New Service barrels was indeed heavier than that used on typical 1920's production OMT's but it was not the same barrel used on 1930's heavy barrel OMT's. Note the radius and short shoulder just ahead of where the barrel is screwed into the frame in the picture of the Shooting Master and New Service Target pictured below. All New Service and Shooting Master revolver barrels have a larger thread than used on the 41 frame revolver family (including OMT's)

Shooting Master, 6" barrel, 1935, 38 Special. I've never seen one, or a picture of one, with a barrel just like that used on Heavy Barrel OMT's

New Service Target, 7½" barrel, 1920, 44 Russian + S&W Special. Note the barrel profile is similar to that of the Shooting Master pictured above.

regards,

Bob

 

[SaxonPig]

OK, now I am really confused. The HB does not have the shoulder where it joins the frame and the standard barrel does? In the photos of my two OMTs the 38 has no shoulder and the 22 does yet I see on difference in the contours of the barrels. Is the 38 barrel heavier and I just don't see it?

 

[1KPerDay]

Bob, that little extra line/division you're seeing is just a reflection... the transition from frame to barrel is smooth and uniform like on the versions above.

Old Fuff, the left side of the barrel has two lines stamped:
+OFFICERS MODEL 38+
+HEAVY BARREL+

The + represents a maltese cross.

The top of the barrel is also stamped in two lines:

COLT'S PT. F.A. MFG. CO. HARTFORD CT. U.S.A.
PAT'D AUG.5, 1884. JULY 4, 1905. OCT.5, 1926.

Below the serial number on the frame/yoke, there is a "D" stamped

There's a small triangular proof mark (I assume) on the left side where the front of the trigger guard joins the frame. Inside the triangle looks like VP or something. Rampant colt on left side of frame, no other mfg marks that I can see. Trigger, hammer and cyl release are checkered, barrel is 6".

 

[1KPerDay]

BTW Bob, heck of a collection there. I assume they're yours? Beautiful. That new service target looks absolutely mint.

Thanks to all for the help... so 1937 it is?

 

[1KPerDay]

One more thing... anyone know where I can get some original-looking grips? I assume they're worth more than the gun as usual? LOL

 

[bfoster]

Yes. 1937 is my best guess. The revolver appears to be correct for that time,

Bob

 

[Old Fuff]

I think that most of the "heavy barrels" (all of which were .38 caliber) likely ended up on Shooting Master rather then New Service revolvers in the larger size. The barrels made for the smaller Officers Model frame were adapted from the ones used on the Shooting Master. Somewhere I have some late 1930's Colt advertising that explains this. In any case Officers Model revolvers with the heavy barrel were scarce, but not rare.

Colt also fitted the same 6" heavy barrel with a standard front sight on Official Police revolvers as a special order item, and they may be more scarce then the same configuration on the Officers Model.

The big problem is that relatively little research has been done on Colt's late 19th century and 20th century double-action revolvers. There is a lot out there we simply don't know about.

 

[Old Fuff]

1KPerDay:

Keep in mind that the stocks used on the Official Police revolver of that period are indentical to the ones used on the Officers Models. Also consider that the stocks used on the 2 1/2" Python were the same, but with a gold rather then nickel trademark logos. Those logos can be switched out, and you're good to go.

 

[1KPerDay]

Thanks again to all.