This revolver belonged to my great-uncle George. He was a security guard during the construction of Boulder Dam. The revolver was originally issued to a Detective Fitzpatrick of the Wichita (KS) Police Department in 1921 or 1922. It's s/n 1750XX.



The revolver was given to me recently by my Mom, who kept it God-knows-where since my Dad died in 1980. It's pretty comprehensively pitted, and there's basically NO bluing left. The cylinder does not lock up very firmly, due apparently to slop in the pawl (?) in the base of the frame. Bore looks OK-ish. Small chip off the bottom rear of the left grip.






Clearly, I've got a few options:









Thanks,



DzlBenz







 

Dzl,

Do nothing to that pistol.  I would shoot it, If I wanted, as long as I verified the cylinder/bolt was locked up before pulling the trigger.

If you want to shoot it a lot, have a gunsmith fix the lockup/timing problem.

Ray

give it a good clean, have it checked out, maybe throw some Johnson's wax on it, and then shoot it. Why would you want to refinish it?

I'd like to see it in as close to "as new" condition as possible. I'm not concerned about any "loss in value" or some-such nonsense. It's an interesting machine, and I'd like to return it to something resembling its former glory.

 

face it, it's former glory left when it started out hanging around a construction site. That pistol has a history, it has character, it screams cool just the way it is. You start buffing, and stripping, and bluing, and you ruin all that panache. The horsey monogram will disappear, you won't get all the pitting out, and the connection that it had with your great uncle  will all but disappear. It will look like every other pistol that has been raped by restoration. It has much more style the way it is. You'll do what you want to do but if it was my uncle's pistol I would do a detailed strip and clean, oil it up real good and have it checked for safety. Then I would enjoy shooting it.

Sage advice. I think that's what I'm going to do. Thanks!

 

Technically that revolver is not a police positive model. The police positive model was not introduced until late in 1926. The revolvers made before that time period are known as the Army special.

ETA: I'm a dumbass disregard !

Look at the first photo, closely. It's a Police Positive Special.

 






 

The chipped grip is normal.  Modern replacements are easy to find.  As far as restoration is concerned, I'd shop it around and see what it would cost and just how restored you can get it.  With the pitting I suspect a restoration project isn't going to go as well as you hope.  The Police Positive Specials haven't generated a lot of collector interest as yet and in that condition, your pistol won't.  They're pretty common and most of the ones I see are in similar condition to yours.  I have a reblued/restored 1918 edition that I picked up a year or two ago.  I snagged it to have a representative sample in my wheel gun collection, I think I paid $325 for it.