It may also be mirrored on the cylinder crane that swings out. The Grip Frame:
After serial number ~350,000, Colt transitioned the Police Positive line to the Police Positive Special model almost exclusively. True Police Positive .38 Specials after 1940 are rare. colt police positive 38 special serial numbers
If your revolver is chambered in .38 Special and has a barrel length of 4 inches or 6 inches (common for police service), it is almost certainly a Police Positive Special . If you try to date it using a serial number chart for the standard "Police Positive," your date results will be incorrect by decades. It may also be mirrored on the cylinder
It may also be stamped on the bottom of the grip frame (the butt) or on the side of the grip frame under the wooden or rubber stocks. Serial Number Range & Manufacture Dates If your revolver is chambered in
It’s likely a . Before 1927, any Police Positive marked .38 Special was actually a custom order or a later re-chamber. Original .38 Special Police Positives only started in 1927. If your serial number is below 266,000 and says “.38 Special,” have a gunsmith verify the cylinder and frame integrity.