I have a Colt 1st issue Police Positive in .32 Police. Is this the same as .32 S&W Long, and .32 Colt New Police

Thanks, Aleko

I am sure it is there a few names used for the
same cartridge , which does make it confusing.

Muzza or Cheechaco will probably post on this soon, I have all my books packed up and in boxes so at this time I think its the same but
I cant back it up.

Aelko

cal30 is correct. The only difference between the S&W Long and the Colt New Police is the bullet. The S&W is round nose and the Colt is flat nose. That and the headstamp, of course. The flat nose of the Colt bullet was supposed to give more stopping power for police use but it probably resulted in more cops being shot because it is a puny round and not a man-stopper by any means. A crook with a more powerful handgun had the advantage and being shot with a 32 probably just pi$$ed him off.

Ray

I have quite a few rusty old relic Police Positives in 32-20.

Could this be another possibility?

-Spencer

SCR, the .32 S&W L / .32 Colt NP are one flavor, the .32-20 (or .32 WCF) quite another, and much hotter in a handgun, more like the .32 H&R Magnum in performance. I had a M1905 S&W in .32 WCF and with good handloads, that sucker would roll your socks up. Accurate as Hell, also.

The .32 Smith & Wesson Long and the .32 Colt New Police are basically the same cartridge. As Cheechako said, the only difference is the bullet configuration.
The S&W had a pointed bullet, the Colt had a pointed bullet with a small flattened area (meplat) on the end. This was said to improve stopping power.
Before the .38 snubnose was introduced, these small .32 S&W and Colt revolvers were enormously popular with police detectives and the like.

Now, I'm about to confuse you even more ...

The .32 S&W Long / Colt New Police are NOT the same cartridges as the .32 Long Colt!
Note the name "Colt" in both cartridge names, that create the confusion.
I own a Marlin Model 1892 rifle in .32 Long Colt caliber. Ammo has not been made since the late 1970s or early 1980s.
The .32 Long Colt case is smaller in diameter than the .32 S&W Long / Colt New Police case. People have mistakenly fired .32 Long Colt ammo in revolvers made for the .32 S&W Long / Colt New Police. The result is a bulged or split case, since it's smaller in diameter.
I do not recommend the practice.
Similarly, people who have purchased rifles such as the Marlin or Stevens have mistakenly been sold .32 S&W Long / Colt New Police as correct for their gun.
Wrong! A .32 S&W Long / Colt New Police cartridge, being larger in diameter, will not enter a .32 Long Colt chamber.
There is also the .32 Short Colt, which may be fired in the Marlin and Stevens .32 centerfire rifles. It's a shorter version of the .32 Long Colt. The .32 Short Colt is still available from Winchester Ammunition, for those of you reading this who have Stevens or Marlin rifles.
Nope, the .32 Short Colt MUST not be fired in any .32 S&W Long or Short chamber. It will bulge and split when fired.

Re: your question. Yep, the .32 S&W Long and .32 Colt New Police may be used interchangeably. In fact, you may also fire .32 S&W (a shorter cartridge) in the chamber. Do NOT confuse the .32 S&W with the .32 Short Colt; they're not the same.