Is It Wrong To Lust?

[Stephanie B]

One of the LGSs in my town tends to do a lot more trade in used/older weapons. They just got in a Colt Detective Special, one of the ones with a shrounded ejector rod. A couple of little dings here and there in the bluing and the original grips are long gone, but otherwise.....

The gunsmith is going to do whatever checks he does before he puts it out on the shelf. They're mulling over the price, should be under $600 by a bit.

I think I'm in lust.

[41magfan]

You can't help but notice how most modern Colt revolvers are starting to bring a premium in the used gun market.

This early 70's example had a lot of worn bluing after being carried as a 2nd gun for a couple of decades but it recently got a new lease on life with an application of Hard Chrome. I think it's good for a few more miles now. I hope you enjoy yours when you get it.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/822/jff9.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/mujff9j)

[LSP972]

A pre-1972 Agent, in decent shape and for less than a king's ransom, has been one of my long-time grail guns. I thought I had finally run it down at Cabela's a few months back, but a closer look revealed someone had drilled it- poorly- for the hammer shroud. No shroud, of course, and in pretty ratty shape overall.

Which explained the $400 price tag. I should have known better before even looking closer. Dunno how it is at other Cabelas stores, but the Gun Library here has always been overly proud of their stuff.

Of course, I have to ask myself WHY I want a temperamental Colt when I have the lightweight medium snubby angle covered with a 2" RB M-12 and a M-242.

.

[TR675]

At the ones around here, 90% of the guns are priced at a point that suggest's they're made of 24k gold, but I've seen some very nice Smith and Colt revos for what seem like very reasonable prices - compared to Gunbroker buy it now prices anyway. Always when I have no money, too.

[cdunn]

nice pistols, I have an early 70's model that still has a tag on the trigger, never fired,no marks on the cylinder, it was left to me by my grandmother.

[LSP552]

A pre-1972 Agent, in decent shape and for less than a king's ransom, has been one of my long-time grail guns. I thought I had finally run it down at Cabela's a few months back, but a closer look revealed someone had drilled it- poorly- for the hammer shroud. No shroud, of course, and in pretty ratty shape overall.

Which explained the $400 price tag. I should have known better before even looking closer. Dunno how it is at other Cabelas stores, but the Gun Library here has always been overly proud of their stuff.

Of course, I have to ask myself WHY I want a temperamental Colt when I have the lightweight medium snubby angle covered with a 2" RB M-12 and a M-242.

.

I'll bring MS's 1982 Detective Special when we do a revolver day, then you will know why.:)

I have always liked Colt Detective Specials and Agents. I kick myself for not buying a parkerized Agent when they were churning those out relatively cheaply. Of course, I wouldn't use one today as a high volume shooter when they can't be replaced or likely repaired easily either.

Ken

[Dagga Boy]

I rescued (that is how I justified it..:cool:) a Colt Agent with the shroud from one of my favorite gun shops a couple of years ago. Nearly brought a buddy of mine to tears when he saw it-"Damn, I shot a lot of bad dudes with one just like it". Warms my heart. Its a companion to his old 1911 that was also another black plague on the enemies of America. A lot of guys who were really active in the 70's seem to love the Detective Specials and the the Agents. I think the extra round really made them much better for L/E type folks working in undercover roles in their minds. Imagine a time when six rounds instead of 5 was considered "much" better "firepower". Contrary to what many believe, those were some very violent times and much more dangerous to L/E than today.

[45dotACP]

I rescued (that is how I justified it..:cool:) a Colt Agent with the shroud from one of my favorite gun shops a couple of years ago. Nearly brought a buddy of mine to tears when he saw it-"Damn, I shot a lot of bad dudes with one just like it". Warms my heart. Its a companion to his old 1911 that was also another black plague on the enemies of America. A lot of guys who were really active in the 70's seem to love the Detective Specials and the the Agents. I think the extra round really made them much better for L/E type folks working in undercover roles in their minds. Imagine a time when six rounds instead of 5 was considered "much" better "firepower". Contrary to what many believe, those were some very violent times and much more dangerous to L/E than today.

How did they ever survive without Glock 17's in such a time I wonder? :cool:

[Tamara]

The cylinder turns the wrong way.




;)

[Tamara]

How did they ever survive without Glock 17's in such a time I wonder? :cool:

The same way they survived before repeating pistols, or reliable percussion caps, or flintlocks, or slowmatch, or steel...

People survived before air conditioning, but if I catch you outside monkeying with my Trane in July, we're gonna have words.

[LSP972]

I'll bring MS's 1982 Detective Special when we do a revolver day, then you will know why.:)


Ken

Well, if you would stop jetting around the country handling the king's business, maybe we could HAVE that 'revolver day'. But I've got your game figured out now... first you're shoving that Ruger BlackHawk at me, now this. No doubt Dave will "let" me shoot his Ed Brown, next.

My buddies...

.

[45dotACP]

The same way they survived before repeating pistols, or reliable percussion caps, or flintlocks, or slowmatch, or steel...

People survived before air conditioning, but if I catch you outside monkeying with my Trane in July, we're gonna have words.

Quite so...My inner whipper snapper just had to come out though :D I'm just one of those 20 somethings who never knew what life was like without the modern conveniences. 17 round magazines*, air conditioning*, and internet*. I'd likely die without those things.

*These things are untrue. I grew up on a farm in Lebanon, not terribly far from Indy actually. But the house was well past the century mark and was bereft of HVAC or internet connection. And as my formative years of shooting were spent during the tenure of a good ol' boy from Arkansas (spit), I was taught to shoot on a Smith K-38 target masterpiece. I still lust for that gun as it sits in my older brother's safe in St. Paul...

[Stephanie B]

I picked it up from the LGS.

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rokr5PrscWc/U1cXPviMXGI/AAAAAAAAFPI/S_f_B6_CP1A/s1600/Pony+gun.JPG

There was interest from other customers, but I was first in line. :D

Serial lookup on Colt's web site dates it to 1976.

[Stephanie B]

The cylinder turns the wrong way.




;)

And the cylinder release works backwards, too...

[SeriousStudent]

Congrats, Stephanie, that's a nice snag.

I have an old Colt Lawman, and it shoots very well. I hope you have fun with yours.

[NEPAKevin]

My beat up old pocket gun.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-mwOLhP8rStg/U1hzkU3uyuI/AAAAAAAAAXM/YEnQndsrqGk/w695-h474-no/DSCN1576.JPG
No shroud.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-xURXwfgLQcw/U1h1D1KHi_I/AAAAAAAAAXY/xwjCMOck1tc/w582-h474-no/DSCN1578.JPG

[45dotACP]

My beat up old pocket gun.
No shroud.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-xURXwfgLQcw/U1h1D1KHi_I/AAAAAAAAAXY/xwjCMOck1tc/w582-h474-no/DSCN1578.JPG

Dat fedora!

[LSP972]

No shroud.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-xURXwfgLQcw/U1h1D1KHi_I/AAAAAAAAAXY/xwjCMOck1tc/w582-h474-no/DSCN1578.JPG

That's what I'm looking for… right there.

.

[Al T.]

How does it shoot, accuracy wise*?

* Had to add that or some smart kitten would 'splain to me the loading process... :D

[Dagga Boy]

Mine looks like the top one with the bottom ones grip.

[NEPAKevin]

How does it shoot, accuracy wise*?


It has been a while, but best as I can recall, when I first got the shrouded one, Bob, our local human Ransom Rest, shot a ragged hole at seven yards and 3" with a called flyer at twelve using his hand loads. I used to carry with Winchester SXT which was around 3" slow fire at seven yards. Truth be told, the other one went from the gun shop's shelf to my safe. <shrug>

[theJanitor]

I had one made out of a Police Positive.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7144/6755387269_aa0a523a7f_z.jpg

and yes, it does pair up nicely with a Government Model

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7157/6755389407_f4a037b787_z.jpg

[LSP972]

Did Frank Glenn do that? Very nice.

.

[theJanitor]

Yes, Frank shortened the barrel, and rewelded on the front sight. The 1911 was done up by him as well

[NEPAKevin]

I had one made out of a Police Positive.


That's pretty sweet. But it gives me bad ideas.

[theJanitor]

A Fitz special sounds like a great bad idea

[Dagga Boy]

A Fitz special sounds like a great bad idea

As soon as I find the right person to do it, I have a New Service in the safe waiting to become a Fitz Special.

[Sigfan26]

As soon as I find the right person to do it, I have a New Service in the safe waiting to become a Fitz Special.

http://www.mobguns.com/home.html#/2
These folks have some serious drool inducing items in their portfolio...

[NEPAKevin]

As soon as I find the right person to do it...

There almost has to be a youtube how to video. If you want, I can loan you my sawzall, dremel, and RCBS deburring tool. :eek:

[LHS]

There almost has to be a youtube how to video. If you want, I can loan you my sawzall, dremel, and RCBS deburring tool. :eek:

Don't forget the buffing wheel for refinishing.

[LSP972]

Don't forget the buffing wheel for refinishing.

And the hardware store screwdriver to give the screw heads character…

.

[SeriousStudent]

BLASPHEMY!!

[LHS]

And the hardware store screwdriver to give the screw heads character…

.

Dude, only wimps use hardware store screwdrivers. Real men use Leatherman tools.

[45dotACP]

http://www.mobguns.com/home.html#/2
These folks have some serious drool inducing items in their portfolio...

The top breaks in their portfolio really speak to me. I know nobody makes them anymore, but I'd jump all over a nice top break in .44 special.

Seriously.

[LSP972]

Dude, only wimps use hardware store screwdrivers. Real men use Leatherman tools.

Silly me…:D

.

[Rich]

Back in the late 90`s when Colt was making the DS again. I bought 1 and took it home.
I was pissed that I missed the crooked barrel at the shop ! So I had to send it to colt for a fix.( Very common with the DS)

Colt fixed it and the service was excellent.

I took it out to my back yard and started to shoot. The revolver wasn't as near as accurate as my M640 or M649 at 7Y. Couldn't do the 5rd ragged hole group. But was good enough to get the job done.
Really the only thing THIS DS had over my S&W M640/M649 is that it held 1 extra cartridge.

Since I didn't care for the accuracy and would have to pay a gunsmith to put a shroud over the hammer . I got rid of it and stuck with the M649/640.

Maybe it was a lemon?

[Rich]

The cylinder turns the wrong way.




;)

LOL
I notice that when I bought my first Colt revolver. Or is it my S&W are turning the wrong way?

[NEPAKevin]

Maybe it was a lemon?

Colt seemed to have a lot of problems with all their guns during the 90s. I kind of wanted to pick up a stainless DS but like the 3" have never seem one in person.


LOL
I notice that when I bought my first Colt revolver. Or is it my S&W are turning the wrong way?

Samuel Colt and God seemed to think clockwise was the right way to spin things, but what do they know.

[Malamute]

As soon as I find the right person to do it, I have a New Service in the safe waiting to become a Fitz Special.


I'm not a big fan of the Fitz style guns, but I've seen some very cool New Service and large frame Smiths that were turned into compact-ish carry guns. I save pics of such things when I see them.




Back in the late 90`s when Colt was making the DS again. I bought 1 and took it home.
I was pissed that I missed the crooked barrel at the shop ! So I had to send it to colt for a fix.( Very common with the DS)



By "crooked" do you mean off at an odd angle to the frame centerline (like bent), or not clocked top dead center with the frame?

I had a Trooper that wouldn't adjust the sights far enough to sight in. The barrel was obviously not indexed center. I took it to the local old timer gunsmith, he indexed it dead center. I started with the rear sight centered to sight it in. I was shooting at about 100 yards at odds and ends to rough sight it for windage. It was hitting right exactly on, and shot very well when I got it on paper at closer distances. Indexing the barrel isn't usually that hard to do with the right tools, (and sometimes with the wrong tools). Sad they were not getting them centered at the factory. Smith had that problem in the 80's also. I looked at about 6 or 8 629's at a shop before I chose one that was perfectly indexed.

[Stephanie B]

How does it shoot, accuracy wise*?

* Had to add that or some smart kitten would 'splain to me the loading process... :D

Just a skosh to the left at 7 yards. That may be more a matter of my technique than the gun itself.

Well within "minute-of-thug".... ;)