The Colt Official Police
The genesis for the Colt double action revolver began with the Colt 1889
or the New Army & Navy chambered in .38 Long Colt. When Smith &
Wesson brought out their Military & Police revolver ten years later
their .38 Special provided much better performance than the .38 Long
Colt. With their main competition now making a better and more powerful
gun, Colt was forced to play catch up.In 1908 Colt began making their Police Positive revolver chambered in the .38 Colt Special, which was nothing more than the .38 Smith & Wesson Special with a different head stamp. That same year Colt also introduced the New Army revolver, a bigger and heavier redesign of the New Army & Navy. Changes included a rounded checkered cylinder latch, a wider rear sight groove, a matted top strap and a checkered trigger. Barrel lengths were four, five and six-inch in either blued or a nickel finish. In 1927 Colt renamed the New Army & Navy the Official Police revolver in an attempt to boost law enforcement sales.
The Official Police revolver became a big hit with many police agencies and was adopted by the FBI. Colt also made a parkerized version during World War II known as the Commando, in either a two or a four-inch barrel. After the war ended Colt began its rivalry anew Smith & Wesson over law enforcement sales. In the 1960s Smith & Wesson's Model 10 was outselling the Official Police revolver and in 1969 Colt dropped the gun. In 1970 Colt began making a cheaper version of the Official Police but sales were dismal and production was stopped in 1973.