Anyone have a Colt Detectives Special?

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Darthmaum

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Howdy all,

I am looking into getting a revolver for my backup CCW gun. I found a Colt .38 Detective's Special with Tritium Sights at my favorite gun store I am looking at getting.
Given Colt's QC problems, have any of you ever had any problems w/ this gun? I want to stick w/ a .38, don't think I want to try a snubby .357. OW! It's either the Colt or the Ruger SP101 that I'm looking at.

And what's the story with Colt not selling to the public anymore? If they aren't going to be manufacturing the D.Special anymore, could this gun someday be a collector's item?

I've heard so many rumors, I don't know what's true and what's not!

I'd appreciate any help y'all can give me.



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"Liberty or death, What we so proudly hail... Once you provoke Her, rattling of Her tail- Never begins it, NEVER- But once engaged never surrenders, showing the fangs of rage. DON'T TREAD ON ME!!
 
Hi DarthMaum,

I have an early 1990s blued Colt Detective and cannot say enough good things about it. In my hands, it shoots much better than a Smith & Wesson J-frame.

The story with Colt seems to change by the day. Avoid the rumors.

Basically put, Colt does not have a lot of money in their accounts as they haven't been out of bankruptcy that long. So they're covering their backsides in preparation for these lawsuits by cutting back their less popular lines.

Last I heard, Colt said they would only continue selling their 1911s, AR-15s, and single action revolvers to the public. Then the next day I heard that this might change. Who knows now. I think they're trying to boost their fourth quarter earnings based on my cynical business background. ;)

If you have a nice Detective that you might be able to buy, get it. Many women, including my fiancee and Massad Ayoob's wife, use a Detective. It just seems to work well in a wide range of hand sizes.

If you want to customize it or have it repaired I would send it to Cylinder & Slide Shop. They do excellent work on the little Detective. Mine will be visiting them in the near future.



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- Anthony (the crazy Italian with a .41 Magnum)

"Civilized people are taught by logic, barbarians by necessity, communities by tradition, and the lesson is inculcated even in wild beasts by nature itself. They learn that they have to defend their own bodies and persons and lives from violence of any and every kind by all the means within their power."

- Marcus Tullius Cicero
 
I had an older Detective Special (same action as Python & Diamondback and not like the newer Trooper inspired SF IV Dect. Specs). I let a female relative try it and my S&W Model 60. She liked the trigger and the handling of the Colt (when firing) better, so that's the one she got.

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Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt
 
I've got one also. Had it modified slightly to fire DAO with a Waller barrel shroud and boot grips. Very slick back-up for me. I prefer it to my smaller S&W J-frame. The grip feels better in my hand. Another plus is the sixth hole in the cylinder. It uses the same speed loader as my S&W model 66. This combo allows me to carry two revolvers using the same speed loader.
 
I used to have a Colt's Detective Special that was manufactured around 1979. It was perfectly reliable and, to me, much easier to shoot than an S&W J-frame, perhaps because of the better grip and somewhat greater weight.

BTW, I traded this DS away, figuring I didn't really need it. However, since concealed carry was enacted in my state I've wished I had another one. A good, used DS would now cost twice as much as the trade brought me. Live and learn.
 
It's a very good, reliable revolver.
I have two. A blued "new model" made in 1981
and a stainless S.F. VI made in Jan. 1996.
They ride very well in Alessi Talon IWB
holsters and are very concealable.
In my opinion you can't carry a better
.38 special snub.
 
I have a second model version made in 1975. It was my primary CCW gun for about two years. Excellent revolver and I'll never part with it.
Its only slightly larger than the S&W J-frames, but shoots so much better. The DS is much easier to handle because it is just a little bigger.
The only problem I've ever had with it is getting it back from my wife. ;)
 
Ditto pretty much everything that has been said so far. I have a mid 70's vintage Detective Special. My wife shoots it quite a bit, and really likes it. Good trigger pull, fit and finish, and no problems to date.

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Regards - AZFred
 
Hi D.,

I have owned three of them - one of 1970's vintage that is really accurate. (It's now my Mom's number one gun), a Cobra converted to DAO, (Mom's number two gun) and had and sold another 1970's vintage that shot OK - just low. Had several well known 'smiths look at it with no results. Sold it as I wanted something else and have no regrets about it. The other two are not (and will not) be sold. The Cobra has a standing offer from a buddy and I would like to find another DS that shoots as good as the first. Probability is low though.

I think of the DS series as being just big enough to shoot well, just small enough to hide well.

Heck, if you don't like the one you get, one of us would probably buy it. :-)

Giz

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