Detective Special ammo ?

B

biere

New member
Now that I am finally getting used to the sights on my older det special I am also wondering what power level it can handle without any problems in the long run.

I have an older copy with the unshrouded ejector rod, and a half nickel front sight. It was identified down to the year in a previous post but I figure either these can handle +p stuff or they can't so I did not dig up the old post.

Any advice for a det. special newbie? I know several people on here have them and was wondering if you might carry with +p but rarely shoot it.
 
There was a discussion on this over on the Tactical Forums a while back. The concensis of opinion from the ballistic researchers over there is that no HPs (+P or not) open up reliably or consistantly out of a 2" barrel. The recommendation was for full target wadcutters, on the theory that they are extremely controlable, accruate as a given, easy on the small guns, and appear to perform ballistically out of proportion to their numbers on paper.

I found this interesting as some old time LEOs (Border Patrol, Customs, etc.) who were my mentors, routinely carried target wadcutters in their 2" pocket 38s in the "old days". Kind of a re-inventing the wheel sort of thing.
 
The only Detective Specials factory rated for +P ammo, were the post-1972 shrouded models. The older guns like yours can handle a very occasional cylinder of +P but these will wear the gun.

A good load is any of the newer non-+P loads like the 125 gr jacketed hollow point or the 158 grain, lead semi-wadcutter loads.
 
Thanks for the answers. No +p for this one then.

I will go mess around in the tactics area, I should do so more often.
 
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