Colt Detective Special

I think the "sealed primers" are snap-caps, at least from what I can see.
We have a winner.


During some basic function checking with the snap caps, the gun was occasionally locking up because the bolt was failing to drop out of the way.

I took the grips and side plate off to see what was going on, it was very dry inside, and I also found a little twig inside...

I figured out the screw holding the bolt in the gun was loose, I tightened it up real quick and everything seems to function perfect now.


I had a few minutes this evening and fired 18 rounds at an old 2 liter bottle in my grandparents backyard.

Not a huge test, but I just wanted to make sure it fired.

At about seven yards I was able to hit the bottle every time, with three different brands of range ammo.

I also picked up 2 boxes of the Winchester W Defend ammo, but haven't had the chance to fire it yet.

I'm hoping to test that for accuracy and reliability this weekend.
 
dburch,
If I can get nosy, what did it cost you?

Nick_C_S,
Chiappa makes the 2" 6 shot Rhino.
It's footprint is nearly the same as a j frame Smith.
 
Microgunner: I'll have to take a peek at them. Thanks.

Just looked. Interesting. But not California legal :(
 
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Sax,
Quite a bit of difference between a K-Frame Smith & the Colt DS.
Colt cautioned about +p for a reason.
Denis
 
I just moved to Nevada and am taking the CCW class in two weeks. I have decided to use my 1977 DS in my rotation. I find that is is very concealable and as much as I am going to shoot it (once a month or so), I doubt if it will wear out in my lifetime. I bought it from the estate of a former LAPD detective and it looks as though he got it and then seldom used it.

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I bought my Colt Agent from a local gun store which said they had acquired it from a retired police officer who had used it as his backup. It had not been shot a great deal, either. It's of the ugly variety like JED1177's but it has a sweet trigger.
 
If I can get nosy, what did it cost you?

The price I paid, or what I told my Girlfriend I paid?

I walked out the door for just under $600.

I probably could have gotten one for less if I'd kept looking, but I've wanted one of these for years, and this one had been sitting there for a few weeks tempting me...

They actually have an earlier version without the shrouded ejector rod on the shelf listed for $700.

I wish I could afford both...
 
It took a little longer than planned, but opened my mailbox this evening to find 2 Safariland JD9 speed loaders waiting for me. The seller accidentally sent a set for a python the first time, but made it right.

Between that and the random k-frame loader that fit it, I've got 3 reloads at hand for drills, and carry (though i doubt I'll carry more than 2 reloads)

I was hoping to shoot the colt in the IDPA match this saturday, but it turns out I have to re-qualify for my Armed Security License instead.

I do have a NRA pistol class where the range portion got rained out, and have a few students that want to shoot it.
 
Quite a bit of difference between a K-Frame Smith & the Colt DS.
Colt cautioned about +p for a reason.

Smith & Wesson also cautioned users against using +P ammunition in their alloyed framed K-frame revolvers.
 
So taught the range portion of a defensive pistol class today.

One of the students, actually my grandmother, had a dinky little Taurus Revolver, i can't remember which model, but the 9-shot 22lr one.

Even going to single action the trigger was too stiff for her to shoot it. In addition I couldn't even get the empty cases to eject after she'd fired the first 9 shots, I had to use the rubber baseplate on one of my CZ magazines as an improvised rubber mallet to eject them.

Switched her over to the Colt and she put 100 rounds into the target double action. If I didn't have this gun, she probably wouldn't have been able to finish the class...
 
Agreed stainless would have been nice. I really did not want a nickeled one, but every time I went to the gun store it seemed like the price went up $50 so finally I just bought this one.

One comment, there are many out there (blued most commonly) that had serrated front sights. They are much nicer to shoot with less glare of the front sight.
 
I have a Cobra made in 75 and a DS made in 76. Paid $500.00 apiece for them in 2012 and that was after looking for six months. I've always wanted a colt snubby, never wanted any other brand of snubby. I am extremely happy with them and shoot them about once a month with middle of the road reloads. Will never shoot +P. The thing that amazes me is the accuracy. They blow my SIL's P238 and my BIL's Ruger SP101 out the water accuracy wise. The only thing I've done is change the wood grips to Hogue rubber grips. I have other semi's for CC but keep coming back to my Colts for that purpose, even though I am a semi-automatic person with ten semi's and two revolvers, at least I thought I was.

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The only thing I've done is change the wood grips to Hogue rubber grips.

That's funny since I'm in the process of swapping the rubber grips in mine for a set of wood ones.

Bought a set off ebay, not the badgers I wanted, but they should work for now.

I just can't stand rubber grips on a carry gun, guess those little personal preferences are why so many options exist out there.

Nice looking guns.
 
list

A DS is on my list, and I kick myself for not picking one up 20 yrs or so ago when they seemed to surface all at once, for reasonble prices. I think local LEO's traded them all in for 9mm autos or something. I had several in my hands, but no money....you know how it goes.

The shrouded guns are more appealing to me than than the earlier models.

Heck, I'd even settle for the rough agent or Commando.
 
This thread brings back fond memories! I had possession of 2 blue 1970's DS's, one mint w/box and all, and the other a real nice original shooter. Unfortunately they're both gone. I definitely need to find another.

cdbeagle .... I'm perplexed and cannot logically comprehend it either, but I did in fact "loose" both my DS's in a mint Python trade about 10 years ago. I'm "loosed" for words, although it seems to be a common error or misspelling as seen several times on many other gun forums. Maybe your footnote will get somebody's attention.

Good to see some nice snubbies!

True Grit
 
It amazes me how many people make that mistake but no one is perfect. I used to think a "Stay Free Mini-Pad" was a halfway house for midgets.
 
Your thinking is not totally wrong .... in the land of the little people, there sets a mini-pad or small cabin in the woods, somewhere in the Appalachian Mountains in South-Central Ohio. You can't stay free .... but it's there !
 
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