colt detective special
- Thread starter clarence
- Start date
I'm a man 5'4" and small hands. The D (?) frame Colts are smaller and more female friendly than the Smith K frames. I use K frames alright, but they are a stretch.
The D frames are enough smaller that picking one up makes my hand feel the way your feet do when you take off your shoes and put on a pair of old slippers. The Police Positive Special, the Detective Special, the Viper, Cobra, and Agent, and the Diamondback may be right for your wife's hands. If you want to go lethal looking, get her a nickled 4" Diamondback. Looks just like the Python except for the scale, and in a "little lady's" hands, it AND her are both going to look a LOT bigger. Remember the old Spenser tv show where his friend Hawk carried a nickeled 8" Python?
Don't ask us, let her handle one and see if SHE gets great big eyes and says in amazement "This fits me!"
The D frames are enough smaller that picking one up makes my hand feel the way your feet do when you take off your shoes and put on a pair of old slippers. The Police Positive Special, the Detective Special, the Viper, Cobra, and Agent, and the Diamondback may be right for your wife's hands. If you want to go lethal looking, get her a nickled 4" Diamondback. Looks just like the Python except for the scale, and in a "little lady's" hands, it AND her are both going to look a LOT bigger. Remember the old Spenser tv show where his friend Hawk carried a nickeled 8" Python?
Don't ask us, let her handle one and see if SHE gets great big eyes and says in amazement "This fits me!"
There are two types of Detective Specials. The older one is built on the same type of action as the Python (V springs, rebound lever) and the newer one is based on the Anaconda (similar to the S&W internally). Both produce good smooth trigger pulls, but the Anaconda type action is simplier to work on and service. Both are reliable, but for longevity (if properly tuned), I would prefer the older Python action. Mind you, finding a smith who can service them is getting to be very difficult today.
That set aside, the Colt D frame is a good size revolver and feels much more comfortable than the S&W Chief series. I gave a woman relative a choice of which gun she wanted for her home, and she choose the Colt. Suggest you have your wife check it a buddies or one at the store. Let her decide.
That set aside, the Colt D frame is a good size revolver and feels much more comfortable than the S&W Chief series. I gave a woman relative a choice of which gun she wanted for her home, and she choose the Colt. Suggest you have your wife check it a buddies or one at the store. Let her decide.
For eight years I carried a S&W J frame
Bodyguard. It was okay. Then, fifteen
years ago, I shot a Colt D frame (Cobra).
Big improvement in my ability to hit what
I was aiming at. The Detective special has
better sights than it's Smith counterpart.
The trigger "stacks" more on the Colt, but
I found that acceptable. To me the selling
point is the better sights...I carry mine
almost daily with a Barami Hip Grip...It
is most comfortable. Detective Special
may be more user friendly because of its
weight.
Bodyguard. It was okay. Then, fifteen
years ago, I shot a Colt D frame (Cobra).
Big improvement in my ability to hit what
I was aiming at. The Detective special has
better sights than it's Smith counterpart.
The trigger "stacks" more on the Colt, but
I found that acceptable. To me the selling
point is the better sights...I carry mine
almost daily with a Barami Hip Grip...It
is most comfortable. Detective Special
may be more user friendly because of its
weight.
I have an older version of the DS. It's a nice gun and shoots well for what it is. I'd see no reason for your wife not liking it for a home gun. If the grips are to big for her hands take a look at the Smith J frames. I have two of those and I carried the airweight 37 for a lot of years 
Hope this helps
Happy Shooting
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We preserve our freedoms by using four boxes: soap,ballot,jury, and cartridge.
Anonymous
Hope this helps
Happy Shooting
------------------
We preserve our freedoms by using four boxes: soap,ballot,jury, and cartridge.
Anonymous
Rocky Road
Retired Screen Name
The Colt Detective Special is a fine old design, safe and comfortable to shoot with the hottest factory +P .38 Special loads. It fits right into the niche between the smallest, lightest practical .38 revolvers, which are five-shooters, and the K-frame S&W and equivalent Taurii. It is small and light enough to carry comfortably, but large enough and has enough weight to shoot fairly easily.
I am personally a big fan of the small, alloy frame revolvers, but, really, these take some getting used to, and need fairly constant practice to maintain proficiency.
The Colt DS, like the all steel S&W J-frames, is a little heavy for pure pocket carry. With a proper holster, though, or, better still, the Barami Hip Grip mentioned by Sport, it is a joy to carry and shoot. Even with 158 gr LSWHP +P loads. All the D Frame Colts I've shot were notably accurate.
Also, SGT Joe Friday (Jack Webb) carried one in the old Dragnet series on TV. What better endorsement could you have?
Best regards,
RR
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---The Second Amendment ensures the rest of the Bill of Rights---
I am personally a big fan of the small, alloy frame revolvers, but, really, these take some getting used to, and need fairly constant practice to maintain proficiency.
The Colt DS, like the all steel S&W J-frames, is a little heavy for pure pocket carry. With a proper holster, though, or, better still, the Barami Hip Grip mentioned by Sport, it is a joy to carry and shoot. Even with 158 gr LSWHP +P loads. All the D Frame Colts I've shot were notably accurate.
Also, SGT Joe Friday (Jack Webb) carried one in the old Dragnet series on TV. What better endorsement could you have?
Best regards,
RR
------------------
---The Second Amendment ensures the rest of the Bill of Rights---
I have a 70s vintage DS in nickle that I keep in the nightstand as the wife doesn't know autos. It is well made and more accurate than the S&W counterparts that I have shot. The wooden grips of that time period are very nice also and everyone knows the prettier the gun the better it shoots!
The new 'Detective Specials' are not worth talking about
The original DS, based on the old Colt Police Positive Special, was a standard for plain-clothes cops and dresser drawers in the 30's, 40's and 50's, but was obsoleted in the minds of many shooters by the advent of the Chief's Special Smith.
I owned a Cobra for a long time. Single action it was more accurate than my Smith, but recoil was heavy from the 14 oz. gun. Double action trigger action was inferior to the Smith and Wesson. Since a defense gun will be fired DA more than SA, I traded it off. Kinda sorry now I did. Still have the Smith M60, though, and it fits a pocket better, though it is heavier, being all steel.
BTW, Sgt. Joe Friday on Dragnet wound up with a Smith M36...I remember the episode in which he got the gun and retired his DS...the Chief's was the co-star of that episode.
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If they take our guns, I intend to let my hair grow long and acquire the jawbone of an ass.
The original DS, based on the old Colt Police Positive Special, was a standard for plain-clothes cops and dresser drawers in the 30's, 40's and 50's, but was obsoleted in the minds of many shooters by the advent of the Chief's Special Smith.
I owned a Cobra for a long time. Single action it was more accurate than my Smith, but recoil was heavy from the 14 oz. gun. Double action trigger action was inferior to the Smith and Wesson. Since a defense gun will be fired DA more than SA, I traded it off. Kinda sorry now I did. Still have the Smith M60, though, and it fits a pocket better, though it is heavier, being all steel.
BTW, Sgt. Joe Friday on Dragnet wound up with a Smith M36...I remember the episode in which he got the gun and retired his DS...the Chief's was the co-star of that episode.
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If they take our guns, I intend to let my hair grow long and acquire the jawbone of an ass.
I had a Colt AGENT (alloy) and DS all steel. I really liked the Agent with its six shots and it was accurate and light. I traded it though. Also traded the Dick Special without shooting it. By that time I was sold on S&W revos. I still shoot Centennial Smiths, despite their politics.
For bedside use, a Dick Special is hard to beat.
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o I raised my hand to eye level, like pointing a finger, and fired. Wild Bill Hickok
o If you have to shoot a man, shoot him in the guts... Wild Bill Hickok
o 45 ACP: Give 'em a new navel! BigG
o It is not the function of our government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the government from falling into error. Justice Robert H. Jackson
o It is error alone that needs government support; truth can stand by itself. Tom Jefferson
o When you attempt to rationalize two inconsistent positions, you risk drowning as your own sewage backs up. BigG
For bedside use, a Dick Special is hard to beat.
------------------
o I raised my hand to eye level, like pointing a finger, and fired. Wild Bill Hickok
o If you have to shoot a man, shoot him in the guts... Wild Bill Hickok
o 45 ACP: Give 'em a new navel! BigG
o It is not the function of our government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the government from falling into error. Justice Robert H. Jackson
o It is error alone that needs government support; truth can stand by itself. Tom Jefferson
o When you attempt to rationalize two inconsistent positions, you risk drowning as your own sewage backs up. BigG
I`ve had mine 26 years. Used to fire the Model 36 at the range all the time for recruit training. I`ll take the DS. I changed the grips to the smaller ones (Agent, Cobra?) years ago. In the summer I carry it all the time tucked in my waist. My belly may be a mite larger than your wifes` though. Now instead of 158 gr. SWC +P I use 110 gr Hydro Shoks non +P.
If you`re looking for a strictly house gun, the S&W Model 10 4" should be in abundant suppy used from police supply places. It`s available in round butt as many female LEO`s chose it before the semi autos became popular. 6 shots, accurate as heck and was the choice of comp. shooters years ago because of the action.
[This message has been edited by dinosaur (edited August 09, 2000).]
Now instead of 158 gr. SWC +P I use 110 gr Hydro Shoks non +P. If you`re looking for a strictly house gun, the S&W Model 10 4" should be in abundant suppy used from police supply places. It`s available in round butt as many female LEO`s chose it before the semi autos became popular. 6 shots, accurate as heck and was the choice of comp. shooters years ago because of the action.
[This message has been edited by dinosaur (edited August 09, 2000).]