Meet the Colt Army Special that became a law-enforcement standard

Colt’s .38s ruled the mid-20th-century police market

An American Classic, the Colt Army .38 Special of 1910, which would evolve into the ubiquitous Colt Police Standard of the 20th Century. Photo by Kelly Bostian/KJBOutdoors

By KELLY BOSTIAN

This here is a cop’s gun.

Perhaps not this one specifically, but the Colt .38 Army Special was the precursor to the Colt Official Police. A reliable and accurate double-action pistol, it remained ubiquitous from the mid-1920s to the end of its production in 1969.

That’s a helluva run, considering the stiff competition.

As the Colt Army Single Action six-shooter was to the late 1800s, Colt specials were to the early 1900s. Although not nearly as famous, they were certainly staples.

The serial number on this revolver dates to 1910, early in the production run of a line that began as the Army Special, New Army, and New Navy, around 1908, and would evolve into the Colt Official Police in 1927. Military branches held a greater preference for the evolving .45 semi-autos, not that plenty of these classic .38 special revolvers didn’t see service.

These are not to be confused with their near cousins, the Police Positive and, also in 1927, Police Positive Special and Detective Special.

Colt Army Special .38 is stamped on a 1910 revolver at J Gray’s Firearm Estate Services. Photo by Kelly Bostian/KJBOutdoors

While the Colt Army Special became the Official Police sidearm, it was designed as a medium-frame revolver. The Police Positive was initially chambered for smaller rounds, and redesigned with a longer frame and cylinder to accommodate the popular .38 special ammo as the Police Positive Special.

In the early 20th century, the Official Police and the Positive Special teamed up to capture most of the law enforcement firearms market. The manageable .38 Special load, and, along with this widespread use and appearances in every popular cops-and-robbers movie and early TV show, these revolvers likely helped secure the .38 Special as the everyman’s caliber.

The Colt Army Special was among the first to use a swing-out cylinder and ejector rod. Photo by Kelly Bostian/KJBOutdoors

The .38 was a relatively lightweight and compact revolver, making it easier for even a rookie to carry and shoot accurately with a manageable recoil, especially compared to heavier guns with larger calibers, or early semi-automatic pistols.

In those early days, the Army Special marked the evolution of a stout, reliable double-action revolver, featuring the relatively new development of a swing-out cylinder with an ejector rod for easier and faster reloading, and “Positive Lock.”

It came in .22 Long Rifle, .32-20, .38/.200, and .41 Long Colt, but the .38 was the darling of the bunch.

Nothing says early 20th Century like that Colt emblem and checkering molded into a hard rubber grip. Photo by Kelly Bostian/KJBOutdoors

“Positive lock” gave the new Colts a boost for law enforcement by reducing the odds of an accidental discharge, particularly if a gun was dropped on the hammer.

This was an early safety version of a transfer bar used in most modern revolvers.

The difference is that the positive lock had a bar blocking the hammer from striking the firing pin. When the hammer was fully cocked, the bar dropped out of the way to allow the hammer to strike the firing pin.

As the name implies, a transfer bar works oppositely. It falls into place when the hammer is cocked, transferring the hammer's strike to the firing pin.

Colt took every modern step with their new police specials, right down to those hard-rubber grips with the Colt emblem in the mold, a more durable choice than the gutta-percha rubber used on some famous Single Action Army Colts of the 1880s.

Classic looks, manageable, accurate, easy on the hand, and durable to this day, the Colt Army Special holds dear for collectors of influential models and guns inextricably tied to law enforcement history. This one can be viewed for sale in the J Gray’s collection on Gunbroker.com.