The Colt Police Positive,Designed by Colt Manufacturing Company in 1907, the Colt Police Positive wa

The Colt Police Positive,Designed by Colt Manufacturing Company in 1907, the Colt Police Positive was a six shot revolver that became the primary firearms of most American law enforcement agencies (federal, state, and local) from the early 20th century up to around 1950.  It is especially famous for being the revolver of choice for lawmen during the chaotic Ganster Era of the 1920’s and 1930’s.  Purposely made for the law enforcement market, the Police Positive was made to be light and compact, a small frame design that was easy to carry for any beat cop.  Because of this design it was easy to handle, giving it exemplary accuracy.  In fact it was so accurate that many target models were based off of the Police Positive design.  I myself can attest, having fired one, that it fits in the hand perfectly, is easy to hold and aim, and is very smooth shooting.  Being a revolver from the early 1900’s it was chambered for lighter and smaller cartridges such as .32 long, .32 S&W, .38 S&W, and later .38 special.  The result was that it could be fired quickly, accurately, and smoothly.One of the best features of the Police Positive was a new innovation by Colt called the internal hammer block safety.  One may recall in the times of the Old West, gunfighters often only loaded five rounds in their single action six-shooters, since the hammer sat directly on a loaded cylinder.  Any bump or tap on the hammer could cause an accidental discharge.  The internal hammer block safety obstructed the hammer unless the hammer was cocked or the trigger was pulled.  This made the revolver drop safe and safe to carry, giving a police officer peace of mind the he was not going to accidentally shoot himself in the foot.After World War II the Colt Police Postive began to loose popularity.  One of the main drawbacks of the revolver was the relative weakness of its ammunition, which could only achieve muzzle velocities of 650-800 feet per second.  Often this was not enough to sufficiently stop a crazed attacker, especially one under the influence of alcohol or drugs.  By the 1950’s and 60’s most law enforcement agencies switched to revolvers with larger calibers such as .38 special and .357 magnum.  Production of the Colt Police Positive ended in 1947. -- source link

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