Welcome to today’s photo of the day! Here we have a Colt official police revolver marked “TWC 327” on the butt, issued to the Tennessee Correctional Institution for Women.
Correctional facilities run the numbered weapons list for exactly the reason you’d expect. Every gun had a number, every number had a gun, and if something was missing you would know immediately. TWC 327 places it inside that system.
The official police were naturally suitable for institutional use. Mid-priced, reliable, widely available, chambered in .38 Special. The 5 inch barrel gave security personnel a capable working gun without being excessive for a facility environment. Nickel finish was a common choice for institutional guns because it performed better in storage and showed wear and neglect more clearly during armory inspection.
What’s really notable here is the original box. Guns that spent their lives being checked in and out in institutional armories usually do not resurface with their factory packaging intact. Someone has kept it clean.
Most of our POTDs use images of our friends Rock Island Auction CompanyMajor firearms auction in the United States. Take some time to browse them current auction – Who knows, maybe you’ll find a piece of history to take home!
“Tennessee Woman Correctional Marked Colt Official Police Double Action Revolver with Box.” Rock Island Auction, www.rockislandauction.com/detail/5031/1057/tennessee-womens-correctional-colt-official-police-revolver. Accessed 28 May 2026.
