Colt Bankers Special Serial Numbers
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Colt Pricing & Reference | Gun Digest
Make: Colt
Model: Bankers’ Special .22
Serial Number: 368140
Year of Manufacture: 1933 – First Year of .22 Production
Caliber: .22 Short, Long and Long Rifle
Action Type: Single and Double Action Revolver with Swing-Out Cylinder
Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “’22” followed by “BANKERS / SPECIAL” while the right side of the barrel is marked “COLT S PT F A. MFG. CO. HARTFORD, CT. U.S.A / PAT’D AUG 5. 1884. JULY 4. 1905. OCT. 5. 1926”. The crane is clearly marked “368140” while the crane cut is marked “T” / 368140 / A1M”, but the “A1M” is open to interpretation. The left front side of the trigger bow has the Verified Proof and the left rear side of the trigger bow is marked “3”. The left sideplate has the Rampant Colt while the left side of the grip frame is marked “2” and “F”.
Barrel Length: 2”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a fixed half round blade that appears to have had gold mounted to the top. This can be perhaps best appreciated in the photos showing the front sight in profile. The rear sight is a square notch milled into the top strap. The top strap has been serrated to reduce glare.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are smooth Mother of Pearl. There are light scratches on both grip panels as well as tiny irregularities where the panels meet the back strap. Please see our photos, these are really well preserved mother of pearl grips and they look great. The grips rate in about Fine overall condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: All Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 96% of its metal finish. This revolver retains finish even on some of the hard and leading edges. There is a dragline on the cylinder that does not even break the finish. There are a number of small dings or compression marks. The three most notable are located on the sharp edge of one of the cylinder flutes, the left side of the frame about ¾” ahead of the forward sideplate screw and on the right side of the frame even with the rear of the hammer. There is a spot of rust on the inside of the trigger guard about where the trigger rests when the hammer is cocked. The screw heads are sharp with the exception of the forward sideplate screw which is distressed. The hammer, trigger, ejector rod and cylinder release latch checkering are sharp and unblemished. The markings are clear except as discussed. Overall, this handgun rates in about Fine condition.
Mechanics: The single and double actions function correctly. We did not fire this handgun.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None
Our Assessment: From James E. Serven’s “Colt Cartridge Pistols” (1952): “In 1933, Colt advertised that they would furnish in addition to the .38 “Bankers’ Special” with flat butt, a .22 L.R. model with a rounded grip. This new .22 was produced with the embedded cylinder; it weighed 23 ounces.” This .22 “Bankers’ Special” comes with a Colt Factory Letter dated July 9, 2014 which states that this revolver was shipped from the Colt Factory on May 24, 1933, making this a first year of production revolver for this model and caliber. It also states it was one of two shipped to the Honeyman Hardware Company of Portland, Oregon. This building still stands, is listed in the National Registry of Historic Places (although now converted to lofts.) This highly collectable revolver remains in Fine condition cosmetically and even better condition mechanically.
Colt Banker’s Special
The Colt Commando Special was a version of the Detective Special with a matte finish and rubber grips; produced from 1984 to 1986, it was chambered in.38 Special and weighed 21.5 oz. During the Fourth Series production run of 1993–1995, Colt offered the Detective Special with an optional de-spurred 'bobbed' hammer and double action only. The leading source for examples of Old Colt Pistols, Revolvers, 1911, M1911, 1911A1, M1911A1, Government Model, National Match, 38 Super, Pocket Auto, Vest Pocket, Model 1905, Detective Special, Bankers Special, New Service, Police Positive and other Colt Firearms. Colt serial number ship dates for Pre 70-Series Guns. Colt Bankers Special.38 S&W (C16353) $799.95. Colt Bankers Special.38 S&W caliber revolver. Pre-War snub made on a Police Positive frame from 1921 with a Banker’s Special barrel. Has been re-blued and has some light pitting visible on the frame.
The Colt Banker's Special is one of the most valuable of the small 'modern' Colts. It was made from 1926 to 1943 with a very short barrel (2 inches). A total of 35,000 were manufactured in the following calibers: 22 LR (very rare), 32 S&W Long, and 38 S&W (I have seen these advertised as being chambered for the 38 Special cartridge, I have never seen one in 38 SPL, and the cylinder is not long enough to hold a 38 SPL cartridge. I think that some get confused because it says Banker's Special along side the number 38, so they assume it must be 38 SPL). The Banker's Special was the official side-arm of the US Post Office railway clerks. The Hong Kong Police ordered quite a few of these in the S&W 38 caliber, and some of these Hong Kong revolvers were later exported to Uruguay when the Hong Kong police moved to a more modern handgun. An interesting footnote to the Banker's Special is that on the 60s TV programs from Hollywood (77 Sunset Strip and the FBI series) Efraim Zimbalist Jr. carried a Banker's Special. He was not a large man, so all other revolvers that were put in his hand made him look even smaller. Someone purchased a Banker's Special in the 32 Long Colt caliber and that is what he carried for the duration of those shows. I have no idea how many actual 'Bankers' purchased these guns designed for them - it seems that it was more popular with law enforcement officers and even military personnel than with Bankers themselves.
The photos here are of a Colt Banker's Special in my personal collection. It is serial # 355856 and is in almost mint condition with only a bit of surface rust on the right side. It has the two inch barrel and overall is 6 1/2 inches. What made these Colts popular and easy to use was that while they were small guns with short barrels they also had full-sized grips, so were quite easy to handle, and they were surprisingly accurate.
Colt Bankers Special 22
Richard