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January 12, 2012
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I have been in law enforcement for too long now. I was first hired by the PD here in Columbus on November 1, 1971, some 41+years ago. Here in my 60's, and still in reasonably good health, I still serve and protect. Albeit, no longer on the front lines anymore, but behind the front desk of a government building here in Columbus. Kinda like, "in the rear with the gear" now. But thats okay because of the honor to still serve! There are just a few old dinosaurs like myself still serving but I am the only po-po to still pack a revolver to work, a .38 Colt Official Police! This has been my service/duty revolver since Christmas Eve 1971 when my parents presented it to me for the "best" Christmas ever! My Official Police (OP) has a four-inch barrel blue steel finish, with Hogue Grips which provides a great "feel" in my shooting hand. The double-action pull of the trigger is the typical smooth and long pull with a "stacking" of the leafspring right before the hammer drops. Same trigger-action as the Python, if you have pulled the trigger on one of them you know what I am talking about. Over the course of my career I have had the timing of the cylinder corrected twice. I have had my OP re-blued twice in 40-years and it is needing it again. The reader may ask "why" I have stayed with such an archaic piece of hardware this long when there are more powerful semi-autos available and the answer is this.;
My Colt Official Police was given to me by kind and loving parents who were not wealthy in money, but absolute millionaires in the matters of life that counts! Their son was a very green, wet behind the ears, rookie with the Police Department who was carrying the PD-issued S&W Model 10 (4" bbl./blue steel). My Dad thought that his oldest son would be better protected by a Colt. He couldn't afford a Python then, but he could afford a second-hand (used) Colt .38 Revolver. I say could afford, but my Daddy struggled in paying for his sons Colt and THAT is my reason for staying with my much "beloved" Official Police, serial number 869943, all these years. It is so much more than just David's duty revolver. Much more! It reminds me of how the good Lord blessed me in this life with such fine and loving parents. How much my Dad sacrificed for my Colt and all the other wonderful things that he and momma did for me in my growing up years. That Colt, with its hand-honed and hand-fitted trigger action, was manufactured with great devotion by craftsmen with much expertise. My Colt was built back in the days when craftsmanship was a given and not a paid-for commody. The cost of labor drove the Official Police out of existence as this fixed sight .38 service revolver required much of the same skilled craftsmanship that a Python did. The OP, at the end (1968), was costing a lot more than the S&W Model 10 was and PD contracts for the OP had been drying up years earlier. The OP cost kept going up and up until it priced itself out of customers.
The OP had a run from 1928 until 1968. It was a great service revolver in every aspect. My OP has been a sentimental favorite of mine that has lasted the duration of my career. I was/am very pro-active with it and had to be. The trigger-action is so smooth and cylinder-hand wear is to be expected with an active shooter. Once hand-wear starts taking place the cylinder starts going out of proper rotation sequence and starts becoming loose. That cylinder-hand must be monitored closely for wear after prolonged shooting and replaced when wear is detected. This, along with the re-bluing was the key to be OP's lengthy career. Proper maintenance was a "must" with long use with the OP. Same as the Python, just minus the attractive barrel and adjustable sights to include caliber difference. In short, I continue to carry my OP for Daddy and Momma. It has rode until hundreds of miles, if not thousands, on my hip in a squad car. It has been a silent witness to many horrible and unpleasant things a cop must deal with. It has saw me at my worst and my best! My Colt has gotten me home safely for 40+years now! Why, with all that going for it, would I care or dare to change? My Colt is part of me now. It reminds me of the "best" Christmas ever! I love my Colt!
David
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January 24, 2009
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It's interesting that even in 1968 Some Colt models were starting to be priced into a level all their own. I recall their high prices when I was looking for a couple Colt models in the early 80's & couldn't justify buying one even then. Looking back or course, I see that I should have forked over the cash.
It's nice to hear that you've kept your OP all these years. Sentimental value on some things can be truly priceless.
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