[Pumpkin52483]

Hi all!

Wondering if there is any info you can give me on the above listed revolver? Age confirmation? Ammo needed? The barrel says just pocket positive 32 police ctg. All wooden handle. Looking to see if it fires just .32 s&w long or .32-20 WCF? Or both. I'm about to pick it up in a few weeks, but it was an uncles and there isn't much info from him on it.... serial number 1276xx I believe built in 1917. Any info would be great especially for the needed ammo.....

 

[delcrossv]

Colt's name for the .32 Long. NOT .32-20.
Nice Police Positive. You'd probably get more info on the Colt forum.

 

[bearcat6]

I have this Detective Special in 32 New Police, this was Cotls' designation for the S&W 32 long cartridge.

 

[Pumpkin52483]

Colt's name for the .32 Long. NOT .32-20.
Nice Police Positive. You'd probably get more info on the Colt forum.

Thanks! The barrel actually had "pocket positive" on the side and everything I found was not defined one way or another specifically. I'll move over to the colt boards and see. Thanks again!

 

[TTSH]

Thanks! The barrel actually had "pocket positive" on the side and everything I found was not defined one way or another specifically. I'll move over to the colt boards and see. Thanks again!

Colt sure did make it confusing, didn't they? All because they didn't want to put ".32 S&W Long" on their firearms.

 

[timetripper]

I've seen a few of these Pocket Positives that were chambered for the Colt heeled bullet cartridge but agree that his is chambered for the 32 S&W Long. It doesn't help that Colt was inconsistent with their barrel markings. I had a old Police Positive that was stamped Colt New Police. Other guns were only marked Police, like the OPs, or simply CNP.
They are a nice little revolver.

John

 

[TTSH]

I've seen a few of these Pocket Positives that were chambered for the Colt heeled bullet cartridge but agree that his is chambered for the 32 S&W Long. It doesn't help that Colt was inconsistent with their barrel markings. I had a old Police Positive that was stamped Colt New Police. Other guns were only marked Police, like the OPs, or simply CNP.
They are a nice little revolver.

John

The part of your post I underlined always gives me a chuckle. Is it any wonder that folks get confused!

There is a vintage Colt .32 revolver sitting on consignment at my most local gun shop. The thing is a jewel in perfect condition except no original box and non-factory grips. Asking price is sky high, but it had been sitting there so long that I started to take an interest. First we had to figure out what it was. It turned out to be a Colt New Police.

I did my research and it turns out that prices are all over the map. Hard for me, as an S&W collector, to figure out if it would be a good investment or not... but the fact that it had been sitting there so long without even one bite all this time told me to be very, very careful. God bless the Colt collectors who can figure that stuff out off the tops of their heads.

 

[TTSH]

Interesting article relating to this thread...

An Official Journal Of The NRA | A Little Piece Of History: My 1924 Colt Police Positive

Though it didn't cost much, this circa-1924 Colt Police Positive gave one of our contributors a chance to experience a small piece of the past.

www.americanrifleman.org

 

[msharley]

Hi all!

Wondering if there is any info you can give me on the above listed revolver? Age confirmation? Ammo needed? The barrel says just pocket positive 32 police ctg. All wooden handle. Looking to see if it fires just .32 s&w long or .32-20 WCF? Or both. I'm about to pick it up in a few weeks, but it was an uncles and there isn't much info from him on it.... serial number 1276xx I believe built in 1917. Any info would be great especially for the needed ammo..... View attachment 494090 View attachment 494091

Hey Pumpkin,

Welcome to S&W!

Way to go! Pics of that fine PONY from yesteryear!

Later, Mark