Colt Bankers Special

[KahrMan]

My Uncle has asked me to help him get rid of a few guns.  I thought this one was pretty cool.  It is the Bankers Special in 38 with pearl grips.  I have never been a big fan of Colt revolvers.  This one though really caught my eye.  Does anybody have a link for when I can look up the age of the gun?  I am guessing it is a sixties model but not sure.

 

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[URL=http://s196.photobucket.com/user/kahrman/media/627766AD-43DA-491C-984D-AB701BEA6940_zpsahcwqeyp.jpg.html][/URL]

 

[URL=http://s196.photobucket.com/user/kahrman/media/C887BF16-9D24-488D-8BDC-41FCCDC161AC_zps98bsxnpw.jpg.html][/URL]

[Garufa]

Much older than the 60's.  Thye were made between 1926-1943.

 

FYI, it's .38 S&W caliber, not .38 Special.

[Glock30]

If only that thing could talk. Nice piece!

[Duck]

Actually Colt would have said it is chambered in .38 Colt New Police, but 38 S&W is the same. At least I think it is. That gun is worth around $1k, maybe more because of the grips.

[KahrMan]

I just assumed it was 38 special. There was ammo in the case he gave me so I went down to my truck to see what kind it was.  Sure enough, it was 38 S&W.

 

[URL=http://s196.photobucket.com/user/kahrman/media/C1CA379A-8AFB-4858-A22E-9B802BC49BFC_zpstbvw6oxn.jpg.html][/URL]

[Caster]

38 S&W is a totally different animal.
Google British .380/200

As far as the serial numbers....just type them in here.

http://www.coltsmfg.com/customerservices/serialnumberlookup.aspx




Let us know, I'm betting its much older than the '60's.


That gun needs a little velvet lined box sitting on the coffee table!!! Edited January 17, 2014 by Caster

[Caster]

Actually Colt would have said it is chambered in .38 Colt New Police, but 38 S&W is the same. At least I think it is. That gun is worth around $1k, maybe more because of the grips.

Colt was loathe to put a competitors name on their guns. They made LOTS of guns chambered in 32 S&W long but none were labeled as such. They'd give it a fancy whizz bang name to keep from advertising a rival company. Kinda silly and petty but hey, it's Colt.

[KahrMan]

38 S&W is a totally different animal.
Google British .380/200

As far as the serial numbers....just type them in here.

http://www.coltsmfg.com/customerservices/serialnumberlookup.aspx

Let us know, I'm betting its much older than the '60's.
 

 

It was older than I expected.  Here is what the above link returned:

 

1931

BANKERS SPECIAL

[Caster]

That's awesome.
I bet you a dollar it's fitted and finished better than 98% of revolvers made today. Edited January 17, 2014 by Caster

[TrickyNicky]

It was older than I expected.  Here is what the above link returned:
 
1931
BANKERS SPECIAL

Figured from the pics. They'd done away with that front sight in favor of the half ramp for some time by the 60's.

Many(all?) the revolvers of a given time period used the same style front sight so that is usually a pretty good place to start looking if you ever need to try to get a rough date from pictures. The time spans are wide, but it will give you a general idea.


Btw, great piece. I'm jealous as hell.

[Guest Lowbuster]

That is a thing of beauty. I'm not much of displaying firearms in the home like gun racks and things, too many people get their homes broken in to. But i would have to show that off a bit.

[gregintenn]

Man, that's a prize for sure! Does it index correctly and lock up tight? Those pimpin' pearl grips are worth a pretty penny alone.

[KahrMan]

Man, that's a prize for sure! Does it index correctly and lock up tight? Those pimpin' pearl grips are worth a pretty penny alone.

 

It indexes correctly and locks up tight.  It does not feel 83 years old.  

 

I was just wiping it down and noticed something it is engraved on the backstrap.  Don't know how I missed it earlier.

 

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Now I have to figure out which police department is R.M.S.

Edited January 18, 2014 by KahrMan

[Moped]

Very cool old revolver!  I love Colts!  Most of them have great triggers!

[gregintenn]

                  http://journals.democraticunderground.com/one-eyed%20fat%20man/35

 

                  http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/RMS/history/expansion.html

 

Railway Mail Service Post Office Department gets my bet.

[musicman]

More pics! More pics! MORE PICS!!!

I absolutely LOVE old pocket revolvers like this!

An old Detective Special was going to be my very first revolver, but the guy sold it out from under me to someone with deeper pockets before giving me a chance to raise more funds. :-( I ended up with a S&W 64-4 2" which I love tremendously, and shot a little bit just today! That gun was what turned me into a Smith & Wesson fanatic. (Definitely not the Sigma I had prior!) I often wonder how different my gun collection - and bank account! - would look had I been able to get that little Colt instead.

[KahrMan]

                  http://journals.democraticunderground.com/one-eyed%20fat%20man/35

 

                  http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/RMS/history/expansion.html

 

Railway Mail Service Post Office Department gets my bet.

 

Thanks for info and the links.  I would have never guessed that this Colt was riding the rails protecting the mail.

 

Thats pretty cool. 

[gregintenn]

I really enjoy history as well. It's funny that I didn't give a rat's rump about it in school when they were trying to shove it down my throat, but now that I'm left to my on devices to discover historical facts, I find it fascinating.

 

Thanks for sharing it with us.

Edited January 19, 2014 by gregintenn

[Guest Lowbuster]

Gregintenn I was the same way. After I graduated I wanted to learn. History, math, science, It seems like when we are forced to do something, we fight against it.
I had to come back to see the pics again

[Aeubanks794]

Beautiful gun. gregintenn and lowbuster, I know the feeling about learning. I still see myself studying the history of things that interest me.

[rbishop]

I had one in .22 caliber that I kept for a long time. The .22s are much harder to find, but a nice .38 is also a good find. Proofhouse.com will give you the serial number ranges. The prices for these were so favorable that alot of counterfeits were made by re-barreling Colt New Service revolvers. So you have to be sure and check serial numbers and front sights, etc to be sure you get the real deal. That pistol was one of many sold to the gov't for guards on the mail railways. Great revolver!

[KahrMan]

I had one in .22 caliber that I kept for a long time. The .22s are much harder to find, but a nice .38 is also a good find. Proofhouse.com will give you the serial number ranges. The prices for these were so favorable that alot of counterfeits were made by re-barreling Colt New Service revolvers. So you have to be sure and check serial numbers and front sights, etc to be sure you get the real deal. That pistol was one of many sold to the gov't for guards on the mail railways. Great revolver!

 

Your link gives me the same info that the link Caster supplied.  That it is a late 1931 Bankers Special.  

 

Its to bad you do not still have the .22.  They seem to demand a quite a premium over the .38s because of their rarity.

[Guest Lowbuster]

Beautiful gun. gregintenn and lowbuster, I know the feeling about learning. I still see myself studying the history of things that interest me.

It seems like in school I didn't care, but a few years after graduation I started wanting to learn about anything I didn't understand. My daughter wants to know everything now. She is 14 and always asks why.

[blkc6]

I've been wanting one of these in .22 for a while, I used to be a banker so naturally its on my list of guns to own. Edited February 8, 2014 by blkc6