Colt Detective Special

R

rburch

New member
So I finally broke down and picked up the Detective Special that's been sitting on a local pawn shop shelf. Based on the serial number it was made in 1975. The finish has a bit of wear, but it seems to be in good shape internally.

The sights were a bit hard to see, so I borrowed a bit of my girlfriend's nail polish.

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And here it is with the Taurus it will be replacing. One nice thing, it fits all my current holsters.

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It's a nice looking piece. It's got some time on it; but that's part of its charm.

I don't understand why there aren't 6-shot snubbies still in production. Why doesn't S&W make a Model 64 in a 2" (or even 3") bbl, for instance. I get the concealment difference, compared to a 5-shot J-frame. But many people can make a K-frame disappear - if it had a short barrel.

I'm not a 15-round-mag fire-power freak by any means. Quite the contrary. But that said, that sixth round (as opposed to five) gives me a great deal of added security.

For that reason, I've always liked the Colt Detective Specials.
 
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I've always liked the post-73 shrouded EJ rod Colt DS' (I've owned 5 different DS's) - 6-shots in a frame smaller than a 6-shot S&W (K-frame), and it's only a smidgen larger than the S&W J-frame 5-shot .38's.

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The DS is nice. Why do you think it can't be loaded with decent ammo? See my response to your other thread.
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I was mostly going off advice from the web. Even Colt suggested sending the gun back for a check up after firing 3000 rounds of +p.

I've just always avoided +p ammo for guns that the Manufacture says can only handle limited use of it.

After a basic reliability test (I generally want a minimum of 500 rounds without a malfunction) I'll start testing defensive loads.
 
I carry the same Colt DS as my primary CCW. Also 1970's vintage. I only carry it loaded with Buffalo Bore 158gr LSWCHP +P.

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It can handle limited +P, which is what I carried in mine years ago, just not a steady run of it.
Denis
 
Nice looking gun.

Slight change of topic.

I'm thinking about changing the grips.

I like the way the Badger rosewood grips look on the web sight, but I'm not sure how they would look on the gun.

Anyone have those grips?
 
I got Badgers on my S&W Model 60 357 I like them a lot. They look good, feel good, and work good too.
Left the stock wood ones on my DS.
 
The sights were a bit hard to see, so I borrowed a bit of my girlfriend's nail polish.
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Did you use that polish to also seal the primers or is that from the factory? Nice gun, BTW.
 
I have an early 1970s Colt Detective Special and it is a fine little revolver. I have not run any +P .38 Special through it but I have run some warm .38 Specials through it and had no problems as I expected.

One of the best double action triggers I have on a revolver.
 
Colt Agent

Mine was made back when Colt's finish took a bit of a dive for a few years!
I restrict it to standard velocity ammunition with the aluminum frame.
I affectionately call it my "RAT GUN"….. ugly, but effective!

 
DPris- You mean the photo or the treatise on +P?

No matter, I disagree. If an old, well worn M&P is not bothered a whit by 600 rounds of high performance ammo along with 500 round of mild +P it suggests that a much newer D frame Colt (pretty similar if not exactly the same to the K frame smith) won't be bothered, either.

The article seems quite relevant in dispelling the mythology surrounding +P.
 
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