Make: Colt

Model: Commando

Serial Number: 14100

Year of Manufacture: Shipped July 9,1943

Caliber: .38 Special

Action Type: DA/SA Double Action and Single Action 6-Shot Revolver with Swing-Out Cylinder

Barrel Length: 4"

Sights/Optics: The front sight is a round blade fixed to the barrel. The rear sight is a square notch integral to the top strap. The sides of the topstrap are serrated to reduce glare.

Stock Configuration and Condition: The grips are two piece checkered "Coltwood" plastic with rampant colt at the top. There are compression dings and handling marks in the grips. The checkering is well defined with just some minor dulling of a few of the peaks. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips rate in Very Good condition

Type of Finish: Parkerized

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright and the rifling is well-defined. There is light stubborn fouling near the muzzle. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 9/10.

Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 85% of its metal finish. There is thinning at the muzzle and on the leading edges of the frame, cylinder and cylinder flutes. There is a thin turn line on the cylinder and evidence of carbon on the face of the cylinder. The screw heads are sharp or lightly tooled. All markings are weak but original. Overall, this revolver is in Very Good condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this revolver. As with all used firearms, thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.

Box, Paperwork, and Accessories: Includes laminated Colt Factory Letter listing shipment to Submarine Signal Company in Boston, MA on July 9th, 1943 with a total of 20 guns in the shipment, stock certificate of 25 shares on Submarine Signal Company stock issued to Bessie A. Gordon on September 30th, 1942, and a transfer receipt of those shares on July 22, 1944.

Our Assessment: The Colt Commando revolver was a wartime adaptation of the well known Colt Official Police revolver, developed during World War II to meet the urgent demand for sidearms by government agencies, defense contractors, and security personnel protecting critical infrastructure. To increase production speed and reduce manufacturing costs, Colt simplified the Official Police design by applying a Parkerized finish instead of the traditional polished blue and fitting molded plastic "Coltwood" grips in place of checkered walnut. Despite these changes, the Commando retained the robust double action mechanism and strong frame of the Official Police, making it a dependable service revolver. Production of the Commando model was limited to the wartime years of 1942 and 1943.

This example was made in 1943 and is accompanied by a Colt factory letter confirming shipment July 9th, 1943 to the Submarine Signal Company of Boston, Massachusetts as part of a shipment of 20 revolvers. The SSC was established in 1901 in Boston. It was the first commercial enterprise organized to conduct underwater sound research and develop equipment to be used for increasing safety of navigation. The company developed, patented and manufactured electromechanical bell signals and shipboard receivers based on previous research, introducing the world's first electronic underwater acoustic navigation aid in 1901. The signal system was of particular importance for safe navigation in fog. During World War II, companies like Submarine Signal were heavily involved in defense related research and production, and facilities of this type often employed armed guards to protect sensitive equipment and industrial operations.

In 1946 the Submarine Signal Company was acquired and merged with the American Appliance Company, which later became part of Raytheon and its Marine Division. Documentation tying firearms to specific wartime contractors adds an appealing layer of historical context for collectors, particularly when supported by factory letters and related artifacts. Included with the revolver is the laminated Colt factory letter confirming shipment to the Submarine Signal Company along with an original stock certificate and transfer receipt associated with the company, providing an interesting and uncommon historical pairing with this documented wartime revolver. Please see our photos and good luck!