New Gun

[Rushcreek]

Hopefully it’s in the New Police chambering. I had a 4” Police Positive in .32 NP(.32 S&W Long) and it was a sweet little gun until a cowboy in North Park gave me double what I paid for it…..

 

[obssd1958]

It is pretty rough. But it appears to function - although the lockup is a little suspect, as is the actual condition under the side plate. I'll get that taken apart shortly.
As to caliber - I'm still not sure. I looked very closely at the side plate, and just under the rampant colt, it's barely legible, but it says New Police. So far, all of the pictures of New Police revolvers that I've found on line, also say New Police on the barrel - this one just says Colt. D. A. 32.
I then looked up the serial number (4 digit, starting with a 3) on the Colt website, and got the below info in return (along with 47 other results that it couldn't be:

Year of Manufacture 1897
Model NEW POLICE .32 (INCLUDING TARGET MODEL)

Any help from those more knowledgeable would be very much appreciated!!

 

[Glaciers]

The 32 S&W long came to be in 1896 so I would say it is a 32 Colt

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

The best of my knowledge new police, is COLT, not Smith and Wesson.

I HAVE A Box of Remington 32 New Police. I show and measure in the video I posted.

 

[RicinYakima]

It is pretty rough. But it appears to function - although the lockup is a little suspect, as is the actual condition under the side plate. I'll get that taken apart shortly.
As to caliber - I'm still not sure. I looked very closely at the side plate, and just under the rampant colt, it's barely legible, but it says New Police. So far, all of the pictures of New Police revolvers that I've found on line, also say New Police on the barrel - this one just says Colt. D. A. 32.
I then looked up the serial number (4 digit, starting with a 3) on the Colt website, and got the below info in return (along with 47 other results that it couldn't be:

Year of Manufacture 1897
Model NEW POLICE .32 (INCLUDING TARGET MODEL)

Any help from those more knowledgeable would be very much appreciated!!

Ok, I have a Colt "New Police". The cylinder is chambered for the 32 New Police cartridge, i.e. 32 S&W Long case with a flat nosed bullet. However, you need to understand that the original New Police cartridges were black powder. The way to tell is the firing pin on the hammer. If it is fixed, as in ridged, it is black powder. If the firing pin will pivot up and down a few thousandths, it is smokeless.

If the barrel says "Police Positive" it is smokeless proofed. If the frame just says "New Police" it is most likely black powder proofed. That isn't bad, just remember what you are working with.

I split the back of the barrel that extends through the frame shooting .314" bullets from WW's with 2% tin made for the 32/20. They were made for pure lead bullets, and the bottom of the barrel is only 0.018" thick where the cylinder pivots under the barrel. The "Police Positive" frame is taller and had 0.036" thick barrel at that point.

FWIW. Ric

 

[obssd1958]

Thanks for the info, Ric!
The firing pin is solid, as in it's part of the hammer. It doesn't say Police Positive anywhere, just New Police under the horse, and Colt above the horse.
So, if I'm reading this right, I can use 32 S&W Long cases, with a flat nose pure lead bullet, at fairly low pressures? I'm not wanting to make it a hunting pistol, or even use it for personal defense. It is just going to be for plinking at targets of opportunity, and maybe a jackrabbit or two.

CW - I watched the video, and picked up on the differences as far as dimensions - Thanks!

Glaciers - I would agree that it's probably chambered for the 32 Colt New Police. And everything that I have read has told me that they are virtually interchangeable - physically. As Ric is pointing out.

 

[Bret4207]

I don't know if you need pure lead, but I wouldn't push the normal "fatter is better until it won't chamber" idea too far. Something in the 85-90 gr range would be a start. Some measuring of the cylinder mouths is in order. A fairly soft bullet of the right size and a bit of BE might make it a surprisingly accurate gun if it's not too trashed from time.

 

[ChestnutLouie]

I had this one for a while. I sent it down the road because of weight and lack of "magnum" preformance. Today I shoot them in my 327's and would like one again only in 327 Super Magnum.

But GREAT gun!

CW

Hornaday 100 grain XTP go 1150fps on 10.5 grains of LilGun