My 1955 Colt Officers Model Match .38

[Mark 40]

While on vacation last week my Brother-In-Law took the family to a range near Tabor City NC. We went to Low Country Preserve, a really great outdoor range where we were treated first class.

He brought several handguns and I was fixated on the Colt Officers Model Match .38 cal. revolver he brought along. Couldn't put it down. Then my Bro-in law said; "it's yours". I was blown away and initially said no, but eventually relented.

Bro-in Law is an LGS owner and he said because of it's condition he would not get top dollar, so he wanted me to have it and give it a good home. He does a lot of buys from estate sales so I'm pretty sure that he acquired it that way.

The Colt does show wear but the action is just about perfect!. I called Colt and they dated the year of mfg. 1955. I registered and then posted over on the Colt forum and the folks there told me to leave it as is and not to re-blue it. They also said the grips were Colt, but not original to 1955.

It was extra sweet because I was ready to plunk down $$$ for him to get me a new Ruger SP-101 327 revolver. I own four Ruger revolvers so the Colt is a new thing for me...but it will be fun to learn about them. Anyone else have one of these?

 

[Walkalong]

That's a very generous BIL. Super guns.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Very very nice.

Don't do a thing to it, just keep it lightly oiled.

I hope you bought your brother in law a nice bottle of booze to show your appreciation.

 

[jimbo555]

Very nice Colt! 1955 was a good year.

 

[bannockburn]

Mark 40

Well two things are for certain: you've got a great brother-in-law and that's a mighty fine Colt for him to gift to you!

Congrats on both! Range report once you drift back down to Earth from Cloud 9!

 

[Waveski]

Boy , that is a fine revolver!

Leaving it original is great advice.

Congratulations.

 

[CajunBass]

Congratulations. There is one at my local dealer I've been ignoring for weeks hoping someone else will buy it so I won't have to "worry" about it.

So far I've been able to resist it.

That's a nice one you got. Enjoy it, and don't do a thing to it.

I believe those grips are "Python" grips. I understand they have the gold medallion, all others were silver, but I'm a long way from even knowing enough about Colts to be dangerous. So don't take my word for it.

 

[rklessdriver]

Very Nice! Congrats.
Will

 

[bannockburn]

Driftwood Johnson

I hope you bought your brother in law a nice bottle of booze to show your appreciation.

Just one bottle? Something like this calls for a whole case of his favorite beverage!

 

[Tallball]

Wow! What a SWEET revolver!

 

[Will_G]

Very nice revolver! Want to trade brother-in-laws?

 

[Gordon]

My dad shot a 1953 one he bought new along with a .22 version , Both were "matched" for trigger and weight (?) by Colt before he had them shipped to FT. Monmouth Club where he shot . He used it until mid 60s when my mother died and he moved. I inherited them (and much more) when he haad a stroke from which he never recovered in late 70s. . I shot them a little, but cherished them alot and they were in fine condition. I recently after turning 70 , sold them off getting $1100 for the .22 and $900 for the .38 spl. They were in high 80s NRA percentage wise as they were carefully maintained and kept in pistol boxes lined with felt. My kids didn't really appreciate them .The .38 would cloverleaf wadcutters at 25 yards supported single action .

 

[Monac]

Thanks for the story and the picture, Mark40.

 

[Jack19]

Will_G
Member
Join Date: August 12, 2009
Posts: 48

Very nice revolver! Want to trade brother-in-laws?
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This!!!

 

[joed]

Very nice gun. I have one myself from 1930, first year they offered a 22 rimfire. I shoot it every chance I get. Probably the most accurate 22 rimfire I've ever seen.

 

[mnrivrat]

Very nice gun. I have one myself from 1930, first year they offered a 22 rimfire. I shoot it every chance I get. Probably the most accurate 22 rimfire I've ever seen.

I have a question that perhaps you can answer. ( I also am not a Colt man )


I have A Colt Police Positive Target (adjustable sights) with a serial number that puts it at 1925. It has a 6 inch barrel with a 6 shot cylinder chambered for the .22 RF cartridge.

You mentioned that the Match .22 first made in 1930 so I would like to know what changes were made between the Police Positive Target, and the Match gun. Were the frame sizes different ? The OP's picture of his match .38 looks pretty much the same as my Police Positive Target.

"For the sake of world order, ordinary people are to small of mind to manage their own afairs. For the good of the world they should be willing to give up their rights to a strong Monarch" Barack Obama

 

[Gordon]

the Police positive Target is a much smaller gun on what became the Colt D frame of Detective Special fame. The Python is on the Army Special frame , kinda, as is the Officers model match the OP posted which is a medium frame about like a new S&W L frame, in ways, There was also A Police Positive Target "G" model which is a slightly smaller frame than the Police positve special frame and seems to be a Pocket Positive frame. I have a G model in .22 WRF and a pocket positive. 32 S&W (so marked ) . Here are pictures of them. Top to bottom: Police Positive Special, Pocket Positive,Army Special 32-20, and G model Police Psitive Target
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[Driftwood Johnson]

I have a question that perhaps you can answer. ( I also am not a Colt man )


I have A Colt Police Positive Target (adjustable sights) with a serial number that puts it at 1925. It has a 6 inch barrel with a 6 shot cylinder chambered for the .22 RF cartridge.

You mentioned that the Match .22 first made in 1930 so I would like to know what changes were made between the Police Positive Target, and the Match gun. Were the frame sizes different ? The OP's picture of his match .38 looks pretty much the same as my Police Positive Target.

Howdy

This photo may help answer your question.



The biggest revolver in this photo is a Colt 38 Army Special. This particular one was made in 1921. By 1927 Colt changed their marketing strategy, and renamed the same revolver the Official Police. Same frame size, same mechanism, just a different name. This frame size had originally been designed for a 41 caliber cartridge, so it was plenty big enough for a 38 Special. In fact, the Army Special and the Official Police are slightly larger than their S&W competitors, the K frame 38s. The Officer's Model Target series were built on the same frame, basically the same firearm with the addition of adjustable sights.

The revolver directly below the Army Special is a Colt Police Positive Special, this one chambered for 38 Special. Basically the same frame size as your Colt Police Positive Target, except the Police Positive Special has a slightly elongated frame to accept the longer cylinder required for the 38 Special cartridge.

The term 'Positive' dates to the 'positive lock' mechanism that Colt developed in 1905 to prevent the firing pin from striking a primer unless the hammer had been first drawn back to the full cock position. The first of the Positive series revolvers were the 32 caliber Pocket Positives. The small revolver at the lower left in the photo is a Pocket Positive, this one was made in 1908. This one is chambered for the 32 Long Colt cartridge, an obsolete cartridge with a heeled bullet. This cartridge is not interchangeable with any of the later 32 cartridges such as 32 S&W Long or 32 Colt New Police, and the chambers are too narrow to accept any of those cartridges.

The revolver at the lower right in the photo is a 32 Police Positive made in 1917. This revolver will chamber and fire the 32 Colt New Police cartridge, which is basically the same cartridge as the 32 S&W Long. These two 32 caliber Colt Positive revolvers share the same frame size, the newer one simply has a more extended grip frame, and obviously a longer barrel.

The 38 caliber Police Positives were originally chambered for the 38 New Police and 38 S&W Special cartridges. As you can see, these, and your 22 caliber target model, were built on frames slightly larger than the 32 caliber models. The Police Positive Special, made from 1907 until 1973, had the frame slightly lengthened to accommodate a cylinder long enough for the 38 Special cartridge.



This photo shows how a S&W K frame 38 caliber revolver is slightly larger than a Colt Police Positive Special revolver. Both revolvers are chambered for the 38 Special cartridge.

 

[Jim Watson]

I like the Police Positive Target, it is a rather small gun but enough bigger than a Smith .22-32 Target to give me something to hold on to.

 

[Monac]

Thanks for the excellent pistol of the Colts, Driftwood Johnson. Do you have a Colt Police Positive 38 (S&W) to round out the collection?

 

[Bula]

I love these stories. Kudos to the Bro in Law. Maybe post his place of business? I'd do business with a gentleman of that caliber anytime!

 

[exbrit49]

Work of art

Congrats on the acquisition of that '55. That period of Colts with their beautiful bluing and fit and finish is without equal.

I would take that any time over one of the modern types and makes
Use it and and enjoy it!!
Lucky devil!!!

 

[Mark 40]

I love these stories. Kudos to the Bro in Law. Maybe post his place of business? I'd do business with a gentleman of that caliber anytime!

Thanks Bula- Took him and my sister to lunch at their favorite place yesterday. And yes, he said it did come from an estate sale. The gentleman did a lot of competition shooting and had a lot of custom work done to his revolvers.

A link to his Facebook page is here, although he and his partner don't update it dilegently.
https://www.facebook.com/Tri-State-Firearms-Exchange-LLC-173035409386209/

 

[highpower]

Nice Colt. I have been looking for a decent OM in .38 special to go with my 1930 OMT.

 

[Mark 40]

Nice Colt. I have been looking for a decent OM in .38 special to go with my 1930 OMT.

Wow! Your OMT in super fine shape. Looks new. Grips look sweet too.