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Thread: Couple Colt Detective Specials

  1. #1
    Member Checkman's Avatar
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    Couple Colt Detective Specials

    In the past few years I've become rather enamored of Colt DA revolvers. In particular the non-Mk III actions (though I have no issue with the Mk III models). The post-73 DS (top) was gifted to me by my grandfather for my 16th birthday in 1984. He purchased it new in 1975. Those are the wood grips that came with it (most of the time they sit in my safe and Pachmayr Grippers are on the DS). A few times over the past thirty-six years it almost slipped away from me, but I gained control of my senses and held onto it. The older DS was won by me at auction last year. A search of the serial number shows that it was manufactured in 1968. I think they make a nice pair.
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  2. #2
    Site Supporter FrankB's Avatar
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    I bought a MINT 1952 Colt Detective Special a couple of years ago. It locked up tight as a bank vault, but some members here kept saying that Colt DS revolvers would go out of time a lot, and without an ounce of warning. I agonized about the possibility of ruining a very fine gun, and finally sold it here last year. Damn Shame.....

  3. #3
    Site Supporter Paul D's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by FrankB View Post
    I bought a MINT 1952 Colt Detective Special a couple of years ago. It locked up tight as a bank vault, but some members here kept saying that Colt DS revolvers would go out of time a lot, and without an ounce of warning. I agonized about the possibility of ruining a very fine gun, and finally sold it here last year. Damn Shame.....
    I used to agonized over this too. However, my guns are are like my kid's artwork or my piano playing: nobody will ever love them more than me so I might as well enjoy it. So I got a set of Kuhnhausen books and the stuff below and keep shooting and worry about it breaking later.


  4. #4
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    Parts is parts! That's a smart move on your part, Paul. Good thinking to see the value in that de-milled revolver.

    Dave

  5. #5
    Member Checkman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by FrankB View Post
    I bought a MINT 1952 Colt Detective Special a couple of years ago. It locked up tight as a bank vault, but some members here kept saying that Colt DS revolvers would go out of time a lot, and without an ounce of warning. I agonized about the possibility of ruining a very fine gun, and finally sold it here last year. Damn Shame.....
    I don't carry my Colts and I don't shoot them all the time. However I've talked to a few old-timers who carried and shot Colts in the past. In a couple cases thousands of rounds fired through their respective Colt revolvers. The feeling was the myth about Colt revolvers being fragile was nothing more. I do know that for many years Colt was considered to make a stronger revolver. Colt used higher grade steel then S&W (one reason why Colt was more expensive) and was held in high regard.

    However as I stated at the beginning I don't carry my Colt revolvers. They're part of my collection and are taken out to the range a few times a year. At the range I fire factory ammo and usually just plain old 158 grain LRN 38 Special.

    My "real-world" handgun is a Glock 19 which I take care of, but I don't pamper.

  6. #6
    The Nostomaniac 03RN's Avatar
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    I really miss my detective special. I think it was a 48'.

    Pulled it a half dozen times while working in New Haven. Ironic a couple times were while chasing druggies and dogs from the old winchester plant

  7. #7
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    Had a 1970 very similar to that 1968. Really liked that gun. All my other revolvers are S&W, and I decided I needed something else more and I didn’t want to put wear on the old girl, so I sold it for well over 2x what I paid for it and moved on.

    I would enjoy having another someday, but will probably stick to my S&W hoarding habit.

  8. #8
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    Name:  IMG_0530.jpg
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    I picked this one up several years ago at the Richmond gun show.
    Pros:
    Fits my hand better than any J Smith and almost as good as my K frame RB Smiths;
    Six shots versus five from my Js;
    Very mechanically accurate;
    Cons:
    Trigger pull stacks a bit at the end of the stroke;
    Front sight visually washes out in certain lighting conditions;
    Stock grips do not always allow for one stroke ejection of empty cases.

    All that being said, I have started carrying it as a belt gun now that I am retired from LE.
    Along with a pocket Smith five shooter, a 2x2x2 ammo pouch of spare 158 grain LHPs and a speed strip of Ranger Bonded 130 grain cartridges, I think it will serve well if I do my part.
    I need to paint the front sight and either replace or modify the grips to allow clean ejection of cases.

  9. #9
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    DeputyG23, that's a NICE D-Frame you have there! You're right about the Front Sight "Washing Out" in a lot of lighting conditions--My way around that with the "New Style" Colt Front Sight is to have my Gunsmith serrate the Front Sight blade--IIRC, he does that @ 40 LPI...

    As far as the durability of the D-Frames go, I have shot a coupla' older Cobras loose with just standard-pressure .38's, but have yet to "Loosen Up" any of my three Detective Specials, even shooting a modest amount of Plus-P ammo thru them from time to time...

  10. #10
    Hillbilly Elitist Malamute's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mikey357 View Post
    ... You're right about the Front Sight "Washing Out" in a lot of lighting conditions--My way around that with the "New Style" Colt Front Sight is to ...

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    The Traffic Cone orange, a bottle of white nail polish for undercoat and a small bottle of acetone nail polish remover will take care of the sights for many years. I re-do them after months of pocket carry nick or wear it a bit.
    “Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.”
    ― Theodore Roosevelt

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