# Price on an Old Colt



## Rhetorician (Dec 17, 2014)

Hello all:

I was needing to find out a ball park price on an old Colt. It is a 32 caliber, Police Positive, 6 shot, with a 4 inch barrel. It shoots 32 long Colts and 32 short Colts. And they are very, very hard to come by it anyone needs or wants to know. I know there are a lot of variables and this seems to be the "red-headed step child" of the Colt family.

Any help will be appreciated. :mrgreen:

"That is all!"

rd


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

"Red-headed step-child"? Not hardly!
When I was a kid, about 70 years ago, our NYPD beat-cop was armed with exactly that. So were lots of other NYPD cops.

BTW, it's a _New Police_ model, not a Police Positive. The Police Positive was in .38 New Police (.38 S&W).

The New Police .32, with a two-inch barrel instead of four-inch, became the first iteration of the famous Colt's Detective Special.
My father's office in New York City was protected by that particular little gun. The bookkeeper kept it in her desk, right by the office entrance.
(The bookkeeper didn't need it: She was so very, um, well-endowed that the sight of her, alone, stopped many a grown man in his tracks.)

My most recent reference tells me that, depending upon condition, your pistol is worth from $600.00, down to about $150.00. A "junk" specimen is worth about $100.00.


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## Rhetorician (Dec 17, 2014)

Steve,

Thanks for the comeback. 

I have seen them at the online auction sites for around 350.00 to 400.00 that would seem in comparable shape to mine. In fact it got me into the gun game. I had it. I tried to find some ammo. Had a terrible time finding the 32 short Colts. Finally ran across a guy in Colorado that had some brass and he loaded some for me. Mighty pricey I must say. Had it checked out by a smith and shot it probably 20 times. It is a safe queen and heir loom now. No need for a safety--SA trigger pull is over 20 pounds. I like it and stick it in the car for a carry piece some time to surprise someone who might want to do a carjacking.

I know I know--been in those discussions with all of those who want to argue that a 380 or 32 is not enough. But if someone jerks my car door open this will be enough to surprise him or her up close and personal.

It is a good conversation piece and I do like having ammo so I can shoot it once or twice a year if the fancy strikes me.

Thanks again for the comeback. Nice to hear someone out there besides me knows a bit about and appreciates the old 32 Colt.

For your information, Colt Police Positive is cold rolled on the gun.

rd


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Yeah, you're right. I re-read my reference source and found that the Police Positive was indeed available in .32 Colt. I was reading too quickly.
The price range is about $700.00 through $200.00, and poor ones for about $150.00.

Your pistol, like my father's and our beat cop's, should use .32 S&W cartridges (same as .32 "Long" Colt), which should still be available.


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