Elderly Colt

[CajunBass]

I'd give it a good, gentle buffing with some Flitz, then a couple of coats of Ren Wax and call it good. You'd be surprised how much microscopic rust is usually on an old gun like that. Do everything by hand. Apply the Flitz with a fingertip, then clean it off with a soft rag (old t-shirt). Same thing with the Ren Wax. Fingertip, soft rag.

Then if I could find some ammo I'd shoot it. How much depends on you.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Recently bought a well used old Colt revolver. A Police Positive in .38 caliber (S&W).
Revolver locks up tight, proper cylinder / barrel gap, action is smooth and clean, grips worn but not chipped or broken, finish well worn and shows signs of Bubba attack, side plate screws are undamaged, bore has good sharp rifling and minor pitting near muzzle, Made long before non corrosive primers were available in 1918.
Now trying to figure out what to do with it. A bit too old for regular shooting, too new for black powder shooting and not nice enough for collector status.View attachment 1015076 View attachment 1015077 View attachment 1015078

Well, you can load for it (Starline brass is available and inexpensive, Missouri, Reeds and GT Bullets make .361" lead for the .38S&W and 2.8gr. of Bullseye under a 145gr. LRN is an impressive and fun load). Or, you can sell/trade it to me and I will add it mo collection of .38S&W/New Police/.380 Mk.I revolvers.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

The old .38 S&Ws are fun to shoot.

1941 Official Police .38-200. Beautiful as is.
View attachment 1015180

Sigh... you do like teasing with that GORGEOUS OP in 38. I had a line on one kind of like it - lanyard ring deleted - but lost interest at $600.

Scuffs and blemishes on guns are like scars on men. They show character and let the world know you've been some places and done some things. Maybe not all of them were smart or safe but, that's how life is meant to be lived.

 

[GBExpat]

To my eye, that is a fine-looking Colt's revolver. It is not too old for regular shooting.

I'll take a vintage firearm over a pristine Remchesterby-type any day. FWIW, I would probably not do a thing to the finish on that Colt. I would put my efforts into reloading & shooting the poot out of it.

I have 8 vintage Colts and S&W revolvers and feel no pull to "fix" the finish. I just enjoy shooting then as-is.

 

[Walkalong]

but lost interest at $600.

Nowhere near that, no one was interested.

 

[Walkalong]

I have 8 vintage Colts and S&W revolvers and feel no pull to "fix" the finish. I just enjoy shooting then as-is.

Beautiful as is, pic doesn't show the wonderful patina well though.

 

[.38 Special]

I personally would leave the finish alone. I also personally would load for it and shoot it as much as I wanted.

 

[Old Dog]

Well, since we never seem to have any more old Colt revolver threads, maybe I can sneak pics of my 1933 Police Positive Special (6" barrel!) in .38 SPL. I love this gun; it's just way cool. (Did I mention the finish is almost perfect? On this 88 year old revolver?)

To the OP, I say, shoot it!

 

[Waveski]

...finish well worn and shows signs of Bubba attack...

Did you mean NO signs?
I'm with Watson - oil and shoot.

 

[wis bang]

My PP in 38 Spl. looks much the same as the OP. Dad bought it from a retiring butcher who kept it in an oily rag in the glove box of his delivery truck. He bought it after his time in Korea and I grew up with it being his hand gun. Serial number comes out as 1909 or 1910. I carry it a lot and every time I pull the trigger it goes bang.

 

[Triphammer]

ve almost the same gun, Colt Police positive special in 32 S&W long. Nice & tight. I shoot it regularly Have a lifetimes worth of ammo. Wife likes it, She doesn't like recoil AT ALL!! & doesn't care for the report of a 22 mag ( as an indoor gun, who would? Stays in a dresser draw oiled , loaded & ready, just in case.

 

[mnrivrat]

My Pocket Positive is unfortunately in .32 Long Colt. Someone sheered one of the small pins on the hammer block linkage. I have a different part but have not gotten around to doing the fitting work so the whole gun is in pieces yet. It doesn't look like I will get at it before it is too late. I have to many unfinished things to do. What to do with the OP's .38 is sort of depending on why he bought it in the first place. If it was to make money then sell it. If he wanted an old gun to hang on the wall then hang it. Otherwise either purchase or reload ammo for it and have fun shooting it.