- MK III, Lawman., Metropolitan, Official Police 1969 - 1978 Official Police, Officers Match & Trooper 1969 - 1978 New Pocket New Police.32 & Target New Service & Shooting Master Officers Model Officers Model Special Official Police & Marshal Official Police Caliber.22 Pocket Positive Police Positive.22 Target Model G & C.
- Small numbers of the Official Police were produced early in the war years, and in 1942 a special version, the Colt Commando, was introduced. To cut production time and costs, the Commando came with a dull Parkerized finish, smooth trigger and hammer, plastic grips, and 2- or 4-inch barrel.
Colt Official Police Serial Number Lookup
I'm not an expert or anything. But I have two of those same guns. Both I bought for $250 more or less because they had a lot of the finish worn off and were old and in used condition.
If your's is in new condition I'd say that is an excellent price. 400+ is right about how much Colt Detective .38's (smaller frame snub nose version of OPs which they also don't make anymore) sell for. Also, Official Police revolvers, to me, are VERY hard to find as opposed to their S&W Model 10 light barrel counterparts. So that is a rare find. If you like the gun, I'd grab it.
As far as reliablity goes, Policemen and other law enforcement used those guns for about 100 years before police started going to automatics and even today you can probably find a few elder active duty policemen that still carry theirs here and there. The original design was made in 1884 then called the Colt New Army (or Navy I can't remember which one) in 1926 Colt started calling it the Official Police because it was more popular among policemen than the military (which prefered the 1911 .45 auto). Over the years other Colt and Smith and Wesson revolvers came out, but the Official Police to a large degree was still in popular use until Colt discontinued it in 1979 (and that date I got straight from the Colt's mouth ) You see the OP commonly used in movies and television from the 1930s up to the 1960s as commonly as you see the Glock 9mm today on the screens.
As for personal experiences, one of mine is in great need of work, the other (made I'm told in 1961) is the most accurate gun I own.
Hope this helps
Doug
If your's is in new condition I'd say that is an excellent price. 400+ is right about how much Colt Detective .38's (smaller frame snub nose version of OPs which they also don't make anymore) sell for. Also, Official Police revolvers, to me, are VERY hard to find as opposed to their S&W Model 10 light barrel counterparts. So that is a rare find. If you like the gun, I'd grab it.
As far as reliablity goes, Policemen and other law enforcement used those guns for about 100 years before police started going to automatics and even today you can probably find a few elder active duty policemen that still carry theirs here and there. The original design was made in 1884 then called the Colt New Army (or Navy I can't remember which one) in 1926 Colt started calling it the Official Police because it was more popular among policemen than the military (which prefered the 1911 .45 auto). Over the years other Colt and Smith and Wesson revolvers came out, but the Official Police to a large degree was still in popular use until Colt discontinued it in 1979 (and that date I got straight from the Colt's mouth ) You see the OP commonly used in movies and television from the 1930s up to the 1960s as commonly as you see the Glock 9mm today on the screens.
As for personal experiences, one of mine is in great need of work, the other (made I'm told in 1961) is the most accurate gun I own.
Hope this helps
Doug