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Serial Number 88475, No. 697 - The earliest pistols acquired for the Shanghai
Municipal Police were at least 270 in quantity (based on SMP records)
with no indication of caliber. It is presumed that these were
obtained from commercial distributors since there are no Colt records of
these shipments documenting a contract order prior to the Colt documented
contract shipments from 1925 to 1938.
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Photo courtesy of Ron Hampton |
| A 1930 Photo of the Shanghai
Municipal Police with their guns drawn in a "Search Party." Note,
the English Cpl. has a Colt 1911 and so does the Chinese Officer next
to him while the other three have their Colt 1908. It seem to be a
posed picture. It may be hard to see but they all have on, what
looks like, a Bullet Proof Vest of that period. You can see a lanyard
on 4 of them BUT not the HOLSTER as it would be under the vest. |
The Colt documented contract pistols also had the following installed
features:
- a staple shaped lanyard loop on the lower left
side of the frame (this feature was installed on this pistol but has
been removed.) The grips were also notched to accommodate the
presence of the lanyard loop. (See the Commercial
.380 with Lanyard Loop)
- a screw to block the thumb safety from being
engaged (the screw has been removed, leaving an empty screw hole)
- a key shaped leaf spring on the left side of the
slide used to put pressure on the barrel during recoil - this was to
prevent jamming. This feature was installed on most pistols at the
SMP armory rather than at the Colt factory. If done at the Colt
factory, this part does not encroach upon the left side factory roll
marks.
This pistol, serial number 88475, is one of 1,200
pistols shipped July 20, 1925, making it part of the first documented
shipment of SMP marked pistols. The total number of Colt documented
SMP shipped guns number 4,185.
Virtually all of the SMP marked Colt Model M .380
pistols have been reblued at some point in time. The harsh climate
was very unforgiving to the finish of these pistols. These guns were
shipped with medallion checkered walnut grips and the walnut held the
moisture against the frame of the pistol causing extreme pitting under the
grips.
The magazine safety disconnectors were typically
removed from these guns, allowing them to be operational when changing the
magazine.
A close-up of the faint but present "SHANGHAI
MUNICIPAL POLICE" marking above the right grip. Also
present is the matching SMP number 697, present on the frame (below
the SMP marking), on the barrel (visible through the ejection port) and on
the slide (in front of the right side slide legend.)
In addition to the SMP number 697, this pistol
also has an "R" stamped on the barrel. The
significance of this letter is unknown.
A close-up of the extreme pitting caused by the humid
climate coupled with the moisture retaining factory walnut grips.
 SMP contract magazines had the viewing holes in the
front and back, as opposed to the sides as on standard commercial
magazines. There are varying opinions as to why the location of the
viewing holes was changed. One story is that the Shanghai Municipal
Police would trade the bullets from their guns and replace the live round
with a spent brass casing. In a Colt magazine with standard viewing
holes, the magazine would appear loaded.
Serial Number 88527, No. 130 - Originally blue with checkered
walnut grips, this gun was one of 1200 shipped to the China Japan
Trading Company, Shanghai, China on July 20, 1925. Factory letter
indicates that the pistol is factory engraved "Shanghai Police"
(actually "Shanghai Municipal Police" in block letters on the left side
of the receiver.
 Colt Factory Letter for Colt 1908 Pocket Hammerless .380 ACP shipped to
the Shanghai Municipal Police.
 Close-up of 1908 Pocket Hammerless .380 ACP serial number 88527 showing
slide modification and screw used to hold open the thumb safety.
 Right side of SMP Colt 1908 Pocket Hammerless .380 ACP serial number 88527
- slide, frame and barrel are all numbered "130".
Erik L. Collection Colt 1908 Pocket Hammerless .380
ACP Serial Number 88986, No. 800 - The earliest pistols acquired for the Shanghai
Municipal Police were at least 270 in quantity (based on SMP records)
with no indication of caliber. It is presumed that these were
obtained from commercial distributors since there are no Colt records of
these shipments documenting a contract order prior to the Colt documented
contract shipments from 1925 to 1938.
Colt 1908 Pocket Hammerless .380 ACP Serial Number 88986, No. 800 - Virtually all of the SMP marked Colt Model M .380
pistols have been reblued at some point in time. The harsh climate
was very unforgiving to the finish of these pistols. These guns were
shipped with medallion checkered walnut grips and the walnut held the
moisture against the frame of the pistol causing extreme pitting under the
grips.
The magazine safety disconnectors were typically
removed from these guns, allowing them to be operational when changing the
magazine.
Colt 1908 Pocket Hammerless .380 ACP Serial Number 88986, No. 800 - A close-up of the faint but present "SHANGHAI
MUNICIPAL POLICE" marking above the right grip. Also
present is the matching SMP number 800, present on the frame (below
the SMP marking), on the barrel (visible through the ejection port) and on
the slide (in front of the right side slide legend.)
Colt 1908 Pocket Hammerless .380 ACP Serial Number 88986, No. 800 -
pictured with holster that accompanied this pistol.
Colt 1908 Pocket Hammerless .380 ACP Serial Number 88986, No. 800 -
holster that accompanied pistol.
Colt 1908 Pocket Hammerless .380 ACP Serial Number 88986, No. 800 -
accompanying magazines. Magazine on right has the typical viewing
holes present on magazines that shipped with SMP marked pistols. |
