MINT COLT POLICE POSITIVE 1940 W/BOX

SERIAL NUMBER: 473448. BARREL: 5". CALIBER: .38 SPECIAL. MANUFACTURED: 1940. This firearm is a six-shot, double-action revolver built on Colt's elongated pre-World War II frame. It represents the pinnacle of mid-century manufacturing, showcasing a level of hand-fitted craftsmanship and precision polishing that became economically obsolete after the war. The left side of the 5-inch barrel is stamped with the roll mark POLICE POSITIVE .38 SPECIAL, indicating the extended cylinder and frame built specifically to house the standard .38 Special cartridge. The top strap features the standard Colt factory name and Hartford address alongside patent dates ending in OCT 5 1926. The top strap is also finely serrated to create a matte, glare-reducing surface when aiming down the sights. Perched at the end of the barrel is a distinct, un-ramped half-moon shaped front sight blade, which is a definitive signature of pre-war Colt production. The metal retains 100% of its original Colt High-Polish Factory Blue, displaying a deep, mirror-like finish completely free of muzzle wear, holster thinning, or handling marks. The iconic Rampant Pony logo is cleanly stamped into the frame on the left side, just behind the cylinder window. The cylinder and crane show absolutely no carbon scoring or rotation wear, meaning it lacks the standard "turn line" usually left by operational use. The serial number, 473448, is stamped clearly on the frame crane and is visible only when the cylinder is swung open. The revolver is fitted with factory-original, checkered American walnut stocks that flare slightly at the bottom, matching the "Second Issue" profile. Sharp, pristine checkering covers the wood, which remains free of hand oils or compression marks. Embedded near the top of each grip panel are flush-fit silver medallions, featuring the word "COLT" arched over a miniature rampant pony. The entire package is completed by a deep maroon-black hinged cardboard presentation box typical of late 1930s and early 1940s Colt retail packaging. While the box displays honest shelf wear with torn corners and vintage tape reinforcements on both the lid and bottom tray, its integrity remains intact. The underside of the box still features the factory worker's original, handwritten grease pencil serial number matching 473448. Resting inside the box is the original, unused wire-and-bristle cleaning brush alongside an incredibly rare, original paper purchase receipt dated January 1942, which provides ironclad historical provenance from the opening weeks of America's involvement in World War II. CONDITION: Excellent. The metal retains 100% of its original Colt High-Polish Factory Blue, displaying a deep, mirror-like finish completely free of muzzle wear, holster thinning, or handling marks. The box has seen better days. C&R 27-180