Army Special

Drydock · July 21, 2022, 09:48:42 PM

Picked this up off GB last week. Nice shooter with my handloads, very tight, I don't think it's been shot much. 1925, pretty sure it's factory nickel, waiting on a Colt Letter. Wear pattern on the butt makes me think it's spent a lot of time in a full flap holster with some rub wear, maybe a motorcycle cop?

Good private purchase for an officer in the tropics?

Baltimore Ed · July 21, 2022, 11:11:21 PM

Terrible shooting there Drydock, I don't see any holes in your target, nice Colt though. I have a blue one.

Major 2 · July 22, 2022, 04:26:23 AM

I like it,,, they are cool.
mine is a Police Positive, was the duty gun for Officer Bill Stackhouse, Cincinati PD Motor Patrol.
The photo is about 1931, the gun letters to 1919.

Niederlander · July 22, 2022, 06:16:18 AM

Quote from: Drydock on July 21, 2022, 09:48:42 PM
Picked this up off GB last week. Nice shooter with my handloads, very tight, I don't think it's been shot much. 1925, pretty sure it's factory nickel, waiting on a Colt Letter. Wear pattern on the butt makes me think it's spent a lot of time in a full flap holster with some rub wear, maybe a motorcycle cop?

Good private purchase for an officer in the tropics?

The way the butt is dinged up I'd say it was just a hip holster. Most police guns (including mine) have that same dinged up right side of the butt. Of course, wearing it all the time you run it into stuff constantly, even stuff like chair arms. Nice pistol!

Drydock · July 22, 2022, 06:40:09 AM

You can't see it, but the nickel is worn through for around 1.5 " in the middle of the backstrap, and no where else. Both grips show the same wear.

Major 2 · July 22, 2022, 07:05:07 AM

If they could talk!
Part of the pleasure of stewardship (ownership) is the back story, at least for me.

Colt & S&W Letters are great source, family lore concerning the heirlooms " Grandfather's prized possession or maybe a military BRING BACK form handed down etc.,

If we do our homework, we can help them talk.
I'm looking forwarded to what your gun's letter states

Silver Creek Slim · July 22, 2022, 07:38:09 AM

Very nice.

Slim

Niederlander · July 22, 2022, 12:15:49 PM

Quote from: Drydock on July 22, 2022, 06:40:09 AM
You can't see it, but the nickel is worn through for around 1.5 " in the middle of the backstrap, and no where else. Both grips show the same wear.

You're probably correct, then. Nice gun!

Snake Oil · July 22, 2022, 12:35:20 PM

Will be fun to see this persona come together!

Drydock · July 24, 2022, 11:19:56 AM

FWIW Dept: Ordered a set of "Magna-Tusk" aged ivory grips listed for the current Python, (Arizona Custom Grips on E-bay) and they go right on, no fitting needed.

Colt (nor anyone else) cannot make two SAA grip frames the same, but the Medium frame DAs are identical from 1908 to now. Go figger.

Niederlander · July 24, 2022, 01:20:19 PM

Maybe they just try harder on those. The variations in SAA grip frames has always frustrated me to no end!

pinto beans · July 25, 2022, 05:55:59 PM

Good catch! Very nice old army special. The older double actions Colts are revolvers I have a fondness for. There are two in pic that are police positive specials with the one dating to 1913. Finish is worn on both but bores and actions are in really good shape. Both shoot better than I can!!

cpt dan blodgett · July 30, 2022, 02:32:54 PM

Great find hopefully I will get to a muster so we can compare.

Drydock · December 29, 2022, 12:47:04 PM

Colt letter arrived. Letters to a shipment of 50 Nickle plated revolvers to the Detroit PD in july of 1924. This also explains the wear pattern, as it was engraved with "Detroit Police" on the backstrap, with a department serial number stamped on the butt. Both have been ground off.

Major 2 · December 29, 2022, 03:02:03 PM

Did it take 5 months to get your letter?

That would be almost 3-4 months faster than the ones I had gotten.
I wonder if CZ is improving the backlog?

I have a couple of Roy Jenks -S&W letters too, and I waited 9 months for my blued S-prefix Military & Police
post WW2, 38spcial revolver.

Drydock · December 29, 2022, 04:13:28 PM

Yep. Got the request for payment last week, got the letter today. 5 months and a week pretty much. Best part for me is to confirm that it is factory nickel. Sure wish they had not ground off that backstrap.

cpt dan blodgett · December 29, 2022, 07:32:19 PM

I scored an Army special a couple if years ago. Seller swore it was a .38 S&W. When it arrived it was not. Is 38 S&W Special aka .38 special. I had ordered 500 rds .38 S& W. Rather than try to return those rounds go a Wesley mark IV .38. Recently say like 6 mo or so ago scored a nice colt police positive in .38 S&W