Colt Question: Does anyone have a Coller/Bushing for Colt Detective Specials?

D

Doug.38PR

Moderator
I sent my Detective Special to Pittsburg Handgun Headquarters due to the sights having gradually been moving to the left. The barrel was coming unscrewed a little. The Smith at PHH told me that he no longer had the part needed in order to fix the gun because his had worn out. The tool he needed was what he called a Coller or Bushing which is a tool that is used to take the barrel of Colt Detective Specials.

Do any of you have this tool and means to fix the sight?

Thank you,
Doug
 
I assume he means a barrel vise bushing. I don't know how one of those "wears out" but they can easily get or make a new one. It sounds like he doesn't want to work on Colts any more. Call Colt and see if you can return the gun to them. I thought PHH was a factory authorized repair service for Colt; if so, they should know PHH can't do some of the work.

Jim
 
I may have this wrong, but I believe he said it was similar to a wrench. You put the gun in somekind of vise and use the Coller tool to unscrew the barrel (specifically made for DSs). THis tool has some protective nylon or or some kind of subtance on it's inside to keep from scratching or damaging the barrel while unscrewing it. The last one he had he had thrown away because it was worn out. He used to a while back on another DS and it has broken the sight off due to wear on the tool (but in that case it didn't matter since the owner of the gun wanted a 3rd gen issue barrel with a shroud put on anyway). The task he told me about didn't sound too complicated. Sounded like the idea was to unscrew the barrel and put some kind of substance on the inside to keep it tight and from unscrewing. But his problem was that he didn't have the tool. He's tried to find another one, but since DSs are discontinued, they aren't made anymore.
 
The normal practice is to clamp the barrel in a bushing in a barrel vise block, then unscrew the frame from it. With a short barrel, the bushing has to be cut out for the front sight, so if it is not tight, the barrel can move and the front sight can be bent. Both the vise bushing and the frame wrench have to fit the particular gun, and the wrench usually has a nylon cushion. Proper fit is especially necessary with revolvers where the frame is relatively fragile and can easily be bent, which is the reason I don't suggest revolver barrel removal as a DIY proposition.

I think he was probably just going to use LocTite on the threads, which should be OK to keep the barrel from turning, although rolling the barrel shoulder would be the traditional way to go.

If you don't want to try Colt, you might try Cylinder and Slide; they are not quick, but they have a good reputation. (www.cylinder-slide.com)

Jim
 
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