Detonics, are they any good?

[Kurac]

I picked up an almost new Detonics Mark VI a few weeks ago and was wonder what you guys think of them. I am not sure I am going to keep it and I was also wondering what a fair market value would be.

 

[duncan]

Company started around Seattle and is now out of business.

 

[Gordy Wesen]

They're back in business. Jerry Ahern is running the organization. The reviews aren't so bad. Most here don't want to spend 1200 bucks and complain loudly about it. Jut read another review in G&A (Feb 06 Complete book of the model 1911).

 

[Stevie-Ray]

At one time they were incredibly good. I have always wanted a Scoremaster. Pricier back then by comparison than Kimber, now.

The .451 D-mag was interesting, but I probably would have gotten it in .45ACP.

 

[Slowhand]

Davidson's has them "on sale" until sometime in early December. Maybe it's an early promotion for the brand. I can get one for around $940 out the door in my area.

 

[Jim Watson]

Original Detonics were highly variable. I have seen jewels and I have seen lemons. Local guy is on about his fourth one. It MIGHT be as good as the first one he had, but it was blue and he just could not live without a stainless model.

 

[duncan]

By golly, they are back in business.

http://www.detonicsusa.com/

However, I fear that they products will have to appeal to collectors limiting their production.

Kimber
Springfield
Smith & Wesson
Les Baer
Ed Brown
Para Ordance
STI
Dan Wesson
Wilson Combat

Sorry but the 1911 market is already flooded and it will take a lot to build credibility with the masses.

DETONICS .45 “SUPERGUN” FIRES 31 THOUSAND ROUNDS AFTER GETTING SHOT OUT OF A CANNON!!!

Pendergrass, Georgia… What do you do after flinging a $1200 .45 automatic onto a concrete slab from shoulder height at least a half-dozen times? Well, you may as well fire it out of a Civil War Union mortar about 125 yards up into the air and close to 350 yards downrange. And, if you’re going to do that, you may as well fire 31 thousand rounds out of it in five days without giving it any kind of a real cleaning.

Interesting torture test but why only 31K rounds? 100K or 200K would be impressive.

 

[Slowhand]

I dunno, I'm kind of tempted. I'm tossed up between a Colt Gunsite CCO and the Combat Master. Both have their good and bad points. I can wait a while for more Detonics reviews to come in, my Brown Kobra Carry will hold me over.

 

[macavada]

What's the story on the rear sight on those Detonics pistols? Anybody know?

 

[nextjoe]

The explanation I've heard re: the rear sight is that the guns were meant to be carried hammer-down on a loaded chamber, and the top of the slide was reshaped to facilitate thumb-cocking. That's why they had to move the rear sight forward.

I think it's a pretty poor feature, since it significantly shortens an already-short sight radius and encourages an unsafe carry mode. Actually, *carrying* hammer-down on an empty chamber should be safe; the problem is that there's no really safe way of lowering that hammer on a live round, especially on a gun without a firing pin safety.

 

[Hypnogator]

What's the story on the rear sight on those Detonics pistols? Anybody know?

Believe it or not, when the gun was being conceptualized, one of the founders was talking with an purchasing official of a foreign country (I don't remember which one) that insisted that they wanted a small .45 that would be carried with the hammer down on a loaded chamber. The sight was placed forward, and the "ramp" machined into the rear of the slide because the department insisted that the weapons be able to be cocked one-handed by "wiping" them on the side of the leg. IIRC, that's why the Tokarev had that high hammer also -- so that cavalry ofcrs could cock them by "wiping" them on their legs while holding the reins in their weak hands.

Got this from the horses mouth -- during a discussion with one of the gunsmiths at Detonics in Seattle as he was doing a throat and trigger job on mine.

And oh, yeah, they're good. Mine is more accurate than many accurized full-size 1911s, shoots exactly where it points for me, and is so reliable it'll feed empty cases. Wouldn't trade it for anything.