'74 a good year for Det Special?

[cmsgt]

Many companies are known to have produced excellent products during certain years when quality control and pride of craftsmanship meant something. I just acquired a Colt D.S. made in 74 according to the little blue Colt book of dates. It looks like over 50,000 D.Specials and Police Positives were made that year, over 200 per day says my Chico State math. Anyone know if 74 were considered a good year for production? I know my S&W model 15 from 67 was a vintage year, and the extremely good trigger action and accuracy reflect the quality of workmanship. I will be taking the Dick Special to the range on the 4th to see how accurate it is; but, I can tell right now that the double action trigger pull is nowhere as smooth as the Smith. Question two, can the D.S's be polished up? Would anyone recommend sending it to the Colt Custom shop for work? I know it'll never be a target gun; it is what it is, an attractive six shooter of 38 specials. Last, I checked Wolff, and they do not list their springs for the DS, unfortunately.
Happy 4th of July.

 

[Dfariswheel]

There are "good" periods, and "bad" periods of Colt production, but each gun must be judged on it's own merits. I've see guns made during the "top" period of the mid-1930's that had terrible defects, and guns made during "bad" periods that had fantastic quality.

With that in mind, 1974 was "good".

The Dick Special can be nicely tuned, by Colt or a real Colt 'smith like Cylinder & Slide. Just be careful....not everybody is really qualified to work on the older Colts.

 

[Al Thompson]

I own a couple of the DS and really like them. I've shot four more extensively and the early to mid 70's guns do seem better.

Couple of things - I did not like the grips at all and replaced them with Pachmyers. Much better! I also found that the heavier bullets shoot better, probably due to the rifling twist.

I have yet to encounter a DS that "Needs" tuning, but as Dfaris aptly points out, very few folks have the skills to do so.