This page is for the longer-cylinder Colt Police Positive Special and the Detective Special family sequence. It is the table most collectors need when the revolver is marked for .38 Special, but it should not be used for the earlier standard .38 Police Positive branch.
Use a serial table as an anchor, not as a factory letter. These numbers are best for collector orientation. Record the serial exactly, confirm the barrel marking and chambering, and use Colt Archive documentation when originality, provenance, or price depends on the claim.
Related tables: This page is one branch of the Colt Police Positive serial-number set. For the decision tree, start with the Police Positive serial-number hub. The companion tables cover standard .38, .32 / Target, Heavy Frame, and Police Positive Special / Detective Special.
Special and Detective Special: What Belongs on This Page
Use this table for Police Positive Special, Detective Special, and related D-frame revolvers that belong to the Special-family sequence. The late alphanumeric ranges deserve careful transcription because prefixes, suffixes, zeros, ones, and letter characters can change the result.
Why This Is the Broadest Table
The Police Positive Special and Detective Special sequence runs far longer than the small standard Police Positive tables. That breadth is useful, but it also means the serial number should be checked against features: pre-war style, post-war changes, late shrouded-ejector styling, and actual chambering.
Detective Special Overlap
Detective Special research often starts here because the model grew from the Police Positive Special family. A serial-number anchor may point to the year, but barrel length, stocks, finish, and any box or label material still need their own documentation.
Police Positive Special & Detective Special Table
This table covers the long Police Positive Special / Detective Special family, including numeric and later alphanumeric ranges.
| Year | Serial number shown / annual anchor | Collector use |
|---|---|---|
| 1908 | 1 | Annual anchor for the Police Positive Special / Detective Special sequence. |
| 1909 | 13,000 | Reference point for the longer-cylinder D-frame family. |
| 1910 | 22,500 | Use with model marking and chambering before assigning the year. |
| 1911 | 35,500 | Collector dating guide; exact shipment details require Colt records. |
| 1912 | 51,000 | Approximate production marker for this Special-family range. |
| 1913 | 65,000 | Annual anchor for the Police Positive Special / Detective Special sequence. |
| 1914 | 90,000 | Reference point for the longer-cylinder D-frame family. |
| 1915 | 110,000 | Use with model marking and chambering before assigning the year. |
| 1916 | 125,000 | Collector dating guide; exact shipment details require Colt records. |
| 1917 | 143,000 | Approximate production marker for this Special-family range. |
| 1918 | 145,000 | Annual anchor for the Police Positive Special / Detective Special sequence. |
| 1919 | 162,000 | Reference point for the longer-cylinder D-frame family. |
| 1920 | 190,000 | Use with model marking and chambering before assigning the year. |
| 1921 | 225,000 | Collector dating guide; exact shipment details require Colt records. |
| 1922 | 242,000 | Approximate production marker for this Special-family range. |
| 1923 | 270,000 | Annual anchor for the Police Positive Special / Detective Special sequence. |
| 1924 | 283,000 | Reference point for the longer-cylinder D-frame family. |
| 1925 | 309,000 | Use with model marking and chambering before assigning the year. |
| 1926 | 325,000 | Collector dating guide; exact shipment details require Colt records. |
| 1927 | 331,000 | Approximate production marker for this Special-family range. |
| 1928 | 333,000 | Annual anchor for the Police Positive Special / Detective Special sequence. |
| 1929 | 373,000 | Reference point for the longer-cylinder D-frame family. |
| 1930 | 383,000 | Use with model marking and chambering before assigning the year. |
| 1931 | 400,000 | Collector dating guide; exact shipment details require Colt records. |
| 1932 | 405,000 | Approximate production marker for this Special-family range. |
| 1933 | 412,000 | Annual anchor for the Police Positive Special / Detective Special sequence. |
| 1934 | 423,000 | Reference point for the longer-cylinder D-frame family. |
| 1935 | 435,000 | Use with model marking and chambering before assigning the year. |
| 1936 | 444,000 | Collector dating guide; exact shipment details require Colt records. |
| 1937 | 452,000 | Approximate production marker for this Special-family range. |
| 1938 | 457,000 | Annual anchor for the Police Positive Special / Detective Special sequence. |
| 1939 | 467,000 | Reference point for the longer-cylinder D-frame family. |
| 1940 | 471,000 | Use with model marking and chambering before assigning the year. |
| 1941 | 474,000 | Collector dating guide; exact shipment details require Colt records. |
| 1942 | 477,000 | Approximate production marker for this Special-family range. |
| 1943 | 479,000 | Annual anchor for the Police Positive Special / Detective Special sequence. |
| 1944 | 479,500 | Reference point for the longer-cylinder D-frame family. |
| 1945 | 480,000 | Use with model marking and chambering before assigning the year. |
| 1946 | 481,000 | Post-war / Baby Boom-era anchor; compare features and finish carefully. |
| 1947 | 490,001 | Post-war / Baby Boom-era anchor; compare features and finish carefully. |
| 1948 | 494,000 | Post-war / Baby Boom-era anchor; compare features and finish carefully. |
| 1948 | 510,001 | Post-war / Baby Boom-era anchor; compare features and finish carefully. |
| 1949 | 501,600–501,817 | Post-war / Baby Boom-era anchor; compare features and finish carefully. |
| 1949 | 515,051–519,410 | Post-war / Baby Boom-era anchor; compare features and finish carefully. |
| 1949 | 525,001 | Post-war / Baby Boom-era anchor; compare features and finish carefully. |
| 1950 | 542,400 | Post-war / Baby Boom-era anchor; compare features and finish carefully. |
| 1951 | 571,500 | Post-war / Baby Boom-era anchor; compare features and finish carefully. |
| 1952 | 607,400 | Post-war / Baby Boom-era anchor; compare features and finish carefully. |
| 1953 | 624,850 | Mid-century production guide for the Special-family D-frame sequence. |
| 1954 | 648,900 | Mid-century production guide for the Special-family D-frame sequence. |
| 1955 | 662,650 | Mid-century production guide for the Special-family D-frame sequence. |
| 1956 | 672,050 | Mid-century production guide for the Special-family D-frame sequence. |
| 1957 | 695,400 | Mid-century production guide for the Special-family D-frame sequence. |
| 1958 | 710,600 | Mid-century production guide for the Special-family D-frame sequence. |
| 1959 | 725,600 | Mid-century production guide for the Special-family D-frame sequence. |
| 1960 | 750,000 | Mid-century production guide for the Special-family D-frame sequence. |
| 1961 | 776,400 | Mid-century production guide for the Special-family D-frame sequence. |
| 1962 | 797,500 | Mid-century production guide for the Special-family D-frame sequence. |
| 1963 | 819,500 | Mid-century production guide for the Special-family D-frame sequence. |
| 1964 | 839,500 | Mid-century production guide for the Special-family D-frame sequence. |
| 1965 | 861,500 | Approximate production marker for this Special-family range. |
| 1966 | 890,800 | Alphanumeric-era reference; transcribe prefixes and suffixes exactly. |
| 1966 | D900101 | Alphanumeric-era reference; transcribe prefixes and suffixes exactly. |
| 1967 | D926000 | Alphanumeric-era reference; transcribe prefixes and suffixes exactly. |
| 1968 | D958500 | Alphanumeric-era reference; transcribe prefixes and suffixes exactly. |
| 1969 | D995000–D998715 | Alphanumeric-era reference; transcribe prefixes and suffixes exactly. |
| 1969 | A100000 | Alphanumeric-era reference; transcribe prefixes and suffixes exactly. |
| 1970 | A43500–A59999 | Alphanumeric-era reference; transcribe prefixes and suffixes exactly. |
| 1970 | B01001–B23000 | Alphanumeric-era reference; transcribe prefixes and suffixes exactly. |
| 1971 | B23001–B49000 | Alphanumeric-era reference; transcribe prefixes and suffixes exactly. |
| 1972 | B49001–B59999 | Alphanumeric-era reference; transcribe prefixes and suffixes exactly. |
| 1972 | C01001–C26000 | Alphanumeric-era reference; transcribe prefixes and suffixes exactly. |
| 1973 | C26001–C60000 | Alphanumeric-era reference; transcribe prefixes and suffixes exactly. |
| 1973 | F01001–F08800 | Alphanumeric-era reference; transcribe prefixes and suffixes exactly. |
| 1974 | F08801–F60000 | Alphanumeric-era reference; transcribe prefixes and suffixes exactly. |
| 1974 | H01001–H18100 | Alphanumeric-era reference; transcribe prefixes and suffixes exactly. |
| 1975 | H18101–H60000 | Alphanumeric-era reference; transcribe prefixes and suffixes exactly. |
| 1975 | M01001–M29600 | Alphanumeric-era reference; transcribe prefixes and suffixes exactly. |
| 1976 | M29601–M51999 | Alphanumeric-era reference; transcribe prefixes and suffixes exactly. |
| 1976 | 01001M–19200M | Alphanumeric-era reference; transcribe prefixes and suffixes exactly. |
| 1977 | 19201M–59999M | Alphanumeric-era reference; transcribe prefixes and suffixes exactly. |
| 1977 | 01001R–11700R | Alphanumeric-era reference; transcribe prefixes and suffixes exactly. |
| 1978 | 11701R–59999R | Alphanumeric-era reference; transcribe prefixes and suffixes exactly. |
| 1978 | S01001 | Alphanumeric-era reference; transcribe prefixes and suffixes exactly. |
Caption language: Say “serial range suggests” or “production anchor indicates” unless a factory record confirms exact shipment details.
Suggested Caption
Example: “Colt Police Positive Special / Detective Special-family D-frame, serial range suggests production within the Special sequence. Exact shipment date, original configuration, and destination require Colt Archive documentation.”
Special / Detective Verification Checklist
- Confirm the revolver belongs to the longer-cylinder Special-family sequence.
- Transcribe letter prefixes and suffixes exactly.
- Compare the serial range with visible issue changes and chambering.
- Use Colt Archive documentation for shipment date, destination, original configuration, or premium claims.
Collector Takeaway
The Special / Detective Special table is broad and useful, but it can also be misapplied. Use it only after the revolver has been identified as part of that D-frame branch.
About Greg Cook
Greg Cook is a CPA and firearms collector who writes about gun collecting, history, provenance, ownership impressions, and the practical details that make individual firearms memorable. His Army MOS was 76Y, Unit Armorer.
Sources Consulted
This page was prepared by comparing Colt factory resources, historical firearm publications, collector serial-number archives, and Gun Collectors Club notes. The table is presented as a collector production reference, not as a factory shipment ledger. When value, originality, provenance, or a premium claim depends on the details, Colt Archive documentation remains the stronger standard.
- Colt Serial Number Lookup — official first-pass factory lookup for approximate date-of-manufacture orientation.
- Colt Archive Services — factory-letter resource for documented shipment information and original configuration details when records are available.
- Colt Timeline — factory historical background on Colt double-action revolver development and related company milestones.
- ProofHouse Colt revolver serial-number archives — collector reference material compared against the model-family notes in this guide.
- ProofHouse Colt target and small-frame reference material — historical collector data reviewed while checking .32 and Target-era anchors.
- ProofHouse Colt Heavy Frame reference material — archival serial-number reference consulted for the short Heavy Frame sequence.
- ProofHouse Colt D-frame reference material — collector serial-number archive reviewed for Police Positive Special and Detective Special family ranges.
- American Rifleman historical coverage — background on the Police Positive family, Positive Lock context, chamberings, and related D-frame development.
- Gun Collectors Club: Colt Police Positive Guide — companion GCC identification article for production years, issue changes, and Police Positive family context.
- Gun Collectors Club: Colt Police Positive Timeline — companion GCC timeline for placing the model family in chronological order.