Any Love For Older Colt Detective Specials?

[texagun]

Saw this gun in my local gun store recently and just "had to have it". I generally favor the S&W in wheel guns but for nostalgia's sake I thought I ought to have at least one Colt double-action revolver and this one has always been my favorite. I particularly liked this one because it is a 1975 model with the covered ejector rod but has the older D.S. short-frame grips that came on the older classic Detective Specials. Action checked out perfectly with perfect timing and excellent lock-up. Finish is about 80% and the price was right after a bit of negotiation.

[mk70ss]

I love the classic Colts. I keep looking for a Magnum Carry and a 4 inch Diamondback .22. Yours is very nice!!

[Snyd]

I have this one which is about a 1950 vintage round butt. I got a hold of another hammer and bobbed it. Kept the original original. Found some larger grips for a round butt and have re-shaped them some. For me I have found that this little snubbie is pretty much a belly gun. Maybe if I shot it a bunch more I could "master the snubbie".

Here's some crappy pics





Summer time carry gun with the "FBI Load"

[oddshooter]

Awesome little carry guns. I love the balance and feel of mine. Nice on short distance, but not much for silhouette:)

[ezekiel38]

Great shooters, a little delicate in the action, but great shooters. Probably get one of the new Cobras for carry and hope they have a bobbed hammer model.

[texagun]

Feb 4, 2017 1:14:11 GMT -5 ezekiel38 said:

...Probably get one of the new Cobras for carry and hope they have a bobbed hammer model.

Me too. I'm looking out for one of the new Colt Cobras that is coming out this year. It's gotten great reviews on the Colt forums and I have read that the whole production for 2017 has already been sold out (to Colt dealers I suspect) but none have showed up yet at the local gun shops or gun shows in the DFW area. In the meantime, I'll be carrying my 42 year old Detective Special.

[ezekiel38]

texagun: I love the D Frame Colts. Hope they bring out a 3" 38 Cobra after the initial rush has been gratified.

[mic214]

I have an old Police Positive that had some barrel damage. I found a 3" Detective Special barrel and had that installed. I also have a 2-1/2" Diamondback that is a great little snubby too......

[ezekiel38]

Mic214 love that 3" Positive/DS. What a handy carry gun. Thanks for posting the photo!

[brushpopper]

The Colt Detective Specials are fine small sixguns. I have a 1966 vintage 3". I am also quite fond of the Smith and Wesson Chief Special having both a 2" and 3" version of that nice pistol. I have one or more of the Colt and/or the Smith and Wesson for at least 50 years. Here is what I have learned about these pistols;

1. The grips are the trick. I have old Mustang grips on all of mine. These add some bulk but not enough to downgrade the concealability, but really boost the ability to shoot these gizmos with fine accuracy. They transform these from belly gun to combat handgun.

3. The 3" barrel pushes these revolvers into the service revolver performance, in terms of velocity. The velocity loss from 3" to 2" is far more than the velocity loss from 4" to 3".

4. I handload a full wadcutter over 3.5/Bullseye for a general defense load. I drop the power charge to 3.0/Bulleye for range use and plinking. Neither of these loads stress these revolvers like +P loads will.

I will try and a few pics.

[mic214]

I agree, the 3" guns are really nice! In addition to my Colt PP/DS 3", I also have a S&W Model 36 with a 3" barrel:

[jayhawker]

Six beans in the pot always beats five.

[Rimfire69]

I was thinking about the 36-1 when reading this the other day, glad you posted mic214.

[mk70ss]

Just found this one today. It was on consignment at my LGS. Belonged to a banker here in Tennessee that carried it to the bank every day for near 30 years.