The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

Just obtained this piece of railroad and firearms history from Frontier Guns in Tucson. Price on the tag was $589 but I got it for $450 plus tax.







All of the wear observed appears to be holster induced. The holster came with the gun and is the correct type for the pistol. The pistol is chambered in 38 Colt and I have shot it. Very comfortable to shoot. The Colt Police Positive was also issued to postal clerks assigned to the Railway Mail Service. In the teens and twenties, there were some documented cases where RMS clerks ended up shooting it out with bandits who were attempting to rob the US Mail. You have to remember that in those days, money transfers involved physical transportation of money or precious metals.

I like the look of it, very cool find.

Great looking old set. Looks like it's been there and done that.
+dhic

Nice catch, great piece of Railway history.

In the case of a gun like this, finish wear means that it was used for its intended purpose.

Cool find. I like it.

Any idea as to when it was made?

millman wrote: Any idea as to when it was made?

First issue in '27, had black rubber grips. Thats probably second issue in the 30's sometime.

Serial number dates it to 1930.

Wow, that's pretty cool, something to keep the eyes open for. I never thought of looking at markings on old pistols to see if they had RR or other connections.

ffuries wrote:Wow, that's pretty cool, something to keep the eyes open for. I never thought of looking at markings on old pistols to see if they had RR or other connections.

I just want a few of the ones that say Wells Fargo. Or CSA. Or US Army.

steelbuttplate wrote:

ffuries wrote:Wow, that's pretty cool, something to keep the eyes open for. I never thought of looking at markings on old pistols to see if they had RR or other connections.

I just want a few of the ones that say Wells Fargo. Or CSA. Or US Army.

Could be worse, you could find one marked Noah's Navy..........

Apparently American Express Company armed its couriers with Smith and Wesson revolvers.

All the express companies were forcibly amalgamated into one entity, the Railway Express Agency during WW1. It was the Progress Era and it was thought that one monopoly express company could deliver more efficiently than several in competition. The newly created entity lasted till 1975.

Wells Fargo’s express service was part of the amalgamation, for example. WF’s banking division survived on its own. John Bossenecker wrote a fantastic book about Wells Fargo’s expressmen in the Old West:

ffuries wrote: ↑Sun Jun 09, 2019 3:24 pm

steelbuttplate wrote:

ffuries wrote:Wow, that's pretty cool, something to keep the eyes open for. I never thought of looking at markings on old pistols to see if they had RR or other connections.

I just want a few of the ones that say Wells Fargo. Or CSA. Or US Army.

Could be worse, you could find one marked Noah's Navy..........

All they had on the Ark was flintlock pistols. That's why God commanded, " You boys keep your powder dry now"

Back in those days, train robbers didn’t expect the hold up to be easy. Express messenger on the SP out of Tucson killed two train robbers back in the 1880s. They forced the train to stop and had the element of surprise, but he got the drop on them as he got out of the express car. He managed to conceal his revolver and shot both bandits dead in short order.

ffuries wrote: ↑Sun Jun 09, 2019 11:43 am Wow, that's pretty cool, something to keep the eyes open for. I never thought of looking at markings on old pistols to see if they had RR or other connections.

All of the Baltimore Police Department's revolvers were roll marked on the back strap . I have a ....few

I have one in 38 S&W. With holster, but yesterday I bought a Smith and Wesson 38 Military and Police that had the box and a sales ticket from the Railway Express Agency for $66 in 1959.
There is also a number with hand engraving under the grips labeled REA 00013.

Hightime wrote: ↑Mon Jun 26, 2023 2:13 pm I have one in 38 S&W. With holster, but yesterday I bought a Smith and Wesson 38 Military and Police that had the box and a sales ticket from the Railway Express Agency for $66 in 1959.
There is also a number with hand engraving under the grips labeled REA 00013.

Seeing there are a few new RR guns mentioned here now, I'd love to see pictures of the new ones mentioned.