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Colt Army Special

tamarackcove
I finally got a good look at the above my freinds Father carried.

Colt Army Special
38
serian number 4529xx

I am guessing it is a 38 special adding the caliber and name togther.

Any help on year of manufacture or a web site to check?

Not sure of the value. The action is very good but I would rate it 75% blue only from carry wear. No rust, not pitting, clean bore - 90%.

Sandy thinks her Gradfather may have carried this before her Father. Both worked security.
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Comments

8 comments

Date Votes
  • tamarackcove
    I have a Colt Army Special 38, Nickel Plated, 1926 (Serial starts with a 521 I believe), MINT condition. I have searched my brains out trying to determine it's worth. Any Idea?

    Thanks
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  • rufe-snow
    Colt quit chambering for the .38 Long Colt when they wrapped up production of the New Army/New Navy revolvers in the 1908 time frame. If you have a Army Special in the in the 500,000 range it was originally chambered for the 38 Special by Colt.

    Since your revolver is over 85 years old, (Colt quit using the Army Special name in 1927). God only knows what bubba has or has not done to it in the intervening years. If you have any doubts about it, take it to a competent gunsmith for inspection, timing, lockup and test firing, to ascertain it's safe to fire with modern 38 Special ammo.
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  • ruger41
    I have one too. They could be had in .32-20, .41 Colt, .38 Special. Should have stated before so editing this..Possible but doubtful that it is .38 S&W as I don't belive this revolver came in that caliber. If your turns out to be a .38 Special just remember no +p in it...standard .38 Special is fine.
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  • Hawk Carse
    Made some time between 1923 and the name change to Official Police in 1927, I think it much most likely to be a .38 Special.

    So stick a .38 Special in a chamber and see if it goes in.
    If it doesn't, you have a .38 New Police = .38 S&W.
    If it does, you either have a .38 Special or a .38 Long Colt with bored through chambers. You can tell that difference by looking for the slight shoulder in a Special chamber.
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  • rufe-snow
    quote:Originally posted by Hawk Carse
    Made some time between 1923 and the name change to Official Police in 1927, I think it much most likely to be a .38 Special.

    So stick a .38 Special in a chamber and see if it goes in.
    If it doesn't, you have a .38 New Police = .38 S&W.
    If it does, you either have a .38 Special or a .38 Long Colt with bored through chambers. You can tell that difference by looking for the slight shoulder in a Special chamber.



    My understanding was that Colt didn't like using the Smith & Wesson name, on their 38 revolvers chambered for the 38 Smith & Wesson cartridge. They made a point of marking them 38 Colt New Police.

    For some reason they didn't do that with the 38 Special chambered revolvers. They just marked them 38.
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  • tamarackcove
    Thanks Boys!! I knew that I would get an answer, but not this fast!

    Love this site!!

    Art
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  • Fatstrat
    Check closely for cracked forcing cone.
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  • 11b6r
    Originally, Colt had a problem- the NAME of the CARTRIDGE was Smith & Wesson 38 Special. Just as the .45 Auto was the 45 Automatic Colt Pistol. So for a few years, Colt produced the .38 COLT Special. It was identical to the S&W .38 Special in every way EXCEPT it had a flat tipped bullet- and a different headstamp. After that had been out for a few years, Colt could pretend to ignore the S&W ownership of the cartridge name without getting sued. I have one round of .38 Colt Special in my collection.
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