Curator's Corner: Law Enforcement Firearms: Colt Banker's Special

NRA News' Curator's Corner is at the NRA National Firearms Museum in Fairfax, VA. Philip Schreier and John Popp examine the Colt Banker's Special, a snubnose .38 based upon the Colt Detective Special design, but about 25 percent smaller. Airdate: 1-5-15. nramuseums.com

[@seththomas9105]

My grandpa carried one of these in the 30's and early 40's as a mail & express clerk.

[@JeffreyPadell]

Boston Police also had Bankers Specials. I have two of them a square and a round butt. The Boston guns were marked on the backstrap BPD and a rack number Pictures of the Colts are at www.bpdguns.com

[@erictalkington5674]

That awesome! I'd love to get one of those.

[@jamesfarmer6004]

Prior to World War II (1939-1945) the British War Office officially adopted an Enfield "Break Top" .*38 Service Revolver for military Use. This was about 1932 (officially). Starting in 1940 the Brits and Commonwealth: Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Republic of South Africa, including India, ordered from Smith and Wesson of Springfield, Mass. a version of their K-Frame Military and Police/Hand Ejector revolver(designated Model 10 in 1957) chambered for this same .38 Smith and Wesson caliber. Colt simply renamed the .38 Smith & Wesson the .38 Colt New Police. Both are interchangeable. Same for the .32 Smith and Wesson Long (1896) which Colt renamed the .32 Colt New Police. Note the longevity of use by the U.S. Post Office and still being used well into the 1970's. That is decades of service. Interesting video. Shortly after my late mother died in May 2008 I visited and toured the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento (Old Town). I walked through the interior of an original U.S. Postal Express Car. Interesting to learn their security were formerly armed with this .38. Too bad the Southern Pacific Railroad trainmen: engineer, fireman, conductor, and mail clerk weren't armed when the three DeAutermont brothers held up the passenger train at Tunnel 13 at Siskiyou Summit 12 miles south of Ashland, Oregon back in October 1923. At least one of them may have came out alive and survived this botched armed robbery. Google Tunnel 13 to learn more. James A. "Jim" Farmer Merrill, Oregon (Klamath County) Long live the State of Jefferson!

[@erictalkington5674]

Not as into Colt as I am S&W but there are a handful of old Colts I have to have. I want a nice nickel snub Bankers Special with real pearl stocks and a blued on with the walnut. Very cool and old school.

[@erictalkington5674]

Very nice gun! I love those! I'd take a 32 if it was a long colt instead of 32 S&W or 32 new police maybe?

[@miguelflores9003]

what bullet does it use I tried a 38 special bullet and it didn't fit

[@chsims7032]

Miguel Flores I believe they're .38 S&W, a shorter cartridge. Check out Liberty Tree Collectors, they have some modern .38 S&W in stock.

[@bbbvvv312]

They use a round called .38 S&W. Not .38 Special. Colt called it .38 New Police because they didn't want to give S&W any free advertising.