Colt Detective Special vs S&W Chief Special (Model 36)?

The DS is a tad bigger and a smidge heavier than the 36. Either is a fine choice. I would buy the DS if it is nice and priced right. They are a bit harder to find than a 36.

The cylinder release on the Colt goes the wrong way. That will get you killed on the streets.

ETA: So what are the unicorn pictures for? We need revolver pictures.

If it ever needs repair,,,
Parts for the S&W will be easily found.

Not so easily for the Colt.

Aarond

.

The Colt Detective Special, along with it's lightweight brethren (aluminum alloy frame), Agent and Cobra, have been out of production for many years now and finding parts or even a gunsmith to work on them might be a bit problematic. The S&W J frame series is still being produced today and you're also able to get it fixed by the factory should the need arise.

Yes the Colt has one more round than the S&W but I always like the slightly reduced width of the cylinder on the J frame for that reason. Both are easy to carry concealed with maybe a bit of an edge to the S&W with it's smaller grip frame. Either should serve you well for many years.

These are both S&W J frames. The Model 649 is all stainless steel construction while the Model 638 has an aluminum alloy frame.

I dont worry about parts or repair on a few hundred buck revolver. I just enjoy it and go on. If it breaks and I can't have it repaired, its still has value as a parts gun. I'll sell it and get a replacement....I carry a D frame of some sort frequently shoot them as much as I want. Haven't needed a repair on one, yet

mcb said:

The cylinder release on the Colt goes the wrong way. That will get you killed on the streets.

Click to expand...

I have had considerable experience with both Colt and Smith & Wesson revolvers, and truly I've found no advantage to either cylinder latch in operation.

Bob Wright

If you're looking for a 6-shot revolver of minimum dimensions, consider the Kimber K6S.

Before you determine to arm yourself with firearms you like and that are your style in order to protect yourself, consider your purpose carefully. It's not advisable to choose a carry firearm like you choose a wrist watch or a bracelet. In the event that you need it, it will be the thing that you have to fight with for your life. No doubt you will hear people say the Chief Special in your pocket is better than the Model 29 left at home. How comfortable will you be with the stylish gun that disappears in your pocket once the fight starts?

BobWright said:

I have had considerable experience with both Colt and Smith & Wesson revolvers, and truly I've found no advantage to either cylinder latch in operation.

Bob Wright

Click to expand...

First up is was somewhat in jest as I am a self identified S&W fanboy and have possible been labled a Colt hater in other threads here. hence the ->

For the average snubby being used for CCW it probably is more about what you're familiar and practiced with than anything but I have been shooting USPSA with a revolver since 2007 and I can tell you the Colt cylinder release would never be as fast for reloading as the S&W in that setting (ie a moonclip fed revolvers being reloading as fast as practical). The push to release is significantly more ergonomic and with a minor upgrade to the release can be done without moving the strong hand from its shooting grip. In all my years of competing the S&W dominated the sport but I have seen a fair number of Rugers, and even Webley or two but I don't think I have ever seen a Colt at a USPSA match, even when it was a 6-shooter game.

My advice is not to choose a handgun based on style, but to learn how to fight for your life with a handgun. The choice of what to carry should be based on what you're most effective fighting with. How are you going to find this out? How are you going to learn to fight with a handgun? You're smart enough not to just drop one in your pocket and hope for the best. What better leads have you come up with on the skills side versus equipment in your consideration for concealed carry?

I've tried a number of times to make myself like a J-frame, but I just can't bring myself to do so. They're good guns, I just don't care for them. I got rid of my last one a couple of years ago, and bought a new Colt Cobra. Now that's a "snubbie" I can get behind. A frame just enough bigger than a J-frame to feel "right" in my hand. six shots instead of five. A grip that (out of the box) fits my hand perfectly, and a big honking fiber optic front sight that just jumps out at me. It's Stainless Steel so I don't have to worry about babying it. Add in the best trigger I've ever had with a gun this class, and I was sold. Oh, and it shoots just fine.

Why do people compare the Colt D-frame to the S&W J-frame when the D-frame is much much closer to the K-frame in size and function. The D-frame and K-frame are both 6-shooters that share speedloaders and the D-frame will fit many K-frame holsters. A better comparison for the Colt Detective Special would be a Model 10 snubby would it not?

The Chief's is a slightly smaller J frame.
I went from a DS to a 640 Centennial, which is a DAO "hammerless" Chief's in stainless.
I needed more substantial grips as the itty bitty J frame grips didn't suit me, but the hammerless feature made it a true pocket pistol which is what I required.
I found the DAO Centennial more accurate than the DS but that could be me, or just the luck of the draw.
Our range master put five rounds into a teacup size bull's eye at 25 yards with his Chief's Model 60!

My DS was a newer version just like the one that's been illustrated. The stock grips suited me better and I liked the idea of having a 6th round, but I didn't like the plastic supporting the cylinder latch. Also the DS punched out the empties with more authority with a slightly longer ejection rod and the heavy barrel gave it excellent balance.

Just something to consider in your selection process.

Howdy

This photo might clear some things up. At the top of the photo is a Colt Police Positive Special. In the middle is a Colt Detective Special. Both of these revolvers were built on the same size frame. At the bottom of the photo is a Smith and Wesson Model 36, Chiefs Special. Notice too that like all S&W revolvers, well almost all, the front of the ejector rod is latched to a lug under the barrel. The Colt ejector rods are not. Later Detective Specials had a large shroud under the barrel, that protected the front of the ejector rods, but these do not. Even with the shroud under the barrel, Colt ejector rods are not latched at the front of the ejector rod.







Here is a comparison of the cylinders of the Model 36 (Chiefs Special) on the left and the Colt Detective Special on the right. The Smith is built on the J frame, which is not big enough to house a cylinder that accommodate six 38 Special chambers. The cylinder of the Detective Special is a little bit bigger, and it can hold six 38 Special chambers

mcb said:

Why do people compare the Colt D-frame to the S&W J-frame when the D-frame is much much close to the K-frame in size and function. The D-frame and K-frame share speedloaders and the D-frame will fit many K-frame holsters. A better comparison for the Colt Detective Special would be a Model 10 snubby would it not?

Click to expand...

Happy? S&W K frame Model 10 at the top of this photo, Colt Detective Special at the bottom. Sorry, the Model 10 has a four inch barrel.






Smith and Wesson K frame snub nosed 38 M&P, which would have later been known as the Model 10. Sorry, I don't have a photo of it compared to a Detective Special, one of my many faults.






I am a Smith and Wesson fan boy too. The Colt fanboys will tell you a S&W revolver rotates the wrong way, and the latch at the front of the ejector rod is necessary to keep the cylinder from trying to spring open when yank the trigger double action, which is bunk. The cylinder does not build up enough momentum to wedge the cylinder open.

Personally I prefer the thumb piece of a S&W revolver. Pushing it forward to unlatch the cylinder seems to me to be a more ergonomic solution. Unlatching a Colt requires pulling the latch at the rear of the cylinder backwards. Not as intuitive as pushing the S&W thumb piece forward. I find it takes two hands to pull the Colt latch backwards. I can do it with one hand by hooking my thumb over the latch and pulling back, but it is difficult. Much simpler to push the latch forward on a Smith, it can easily be done one handed.

Let's not talk about slamming cylinders shut as they do in the movies.

As I stated in a previous post, I've not found any significant advantage or disadvantage to either the Colt or Smith & Wesson when used in my hands. I open the latch and swing out the cylinder and shift the gun to my left hand, invert it and punch out the empties. I reload with my right hand, close the cylinder and grasp the gun butt. Maybe I'm not getting blinding speed, but I have really never seen the need to speed reload. I don't do the gymnastics of competition shooting, moving from one position to another. If I were to walk into a combat situation, I'm going to be armed with something other than a handgun.

And, if y'all really want to have a shock, here is my daily carry rig:



Bob Wright

Hi Bob

If the S&W and the Colt are priced the same, I would buy the Colt and get a J frame later if you want one.

This coming from a S&W guy, but Colt Detectives are just darn cool.

I'm a Colt fanboy. With that said, the mechanics of the Colt are more prone to getting out of action if you don't take care of the gun right. Granted, it'll take you several hundred or thousand rounds, but it can happen and when that does you're out of luck because hardly anyone fixes or works on old Colts anymore.
The Smith & Wesson is one less shot, but it's more intuitive for a non-experienced shooter. You can beat those around much more than you can a Colt. Plus since you already have a Model 29, I'd say get the Smith & Wesson just because it'll operate the same way as the Model 29.
You can find plenty of J-frame holsters and accessories still being made.
I love Colts, but I wouldn't recommend to someone who's not savvy with revolvers.

EDIT: the fact that I can speak so hard against the Colt brings to question if I really am a Colt fanboy.... (I just don't own any Smith & Wessons)

I own both. My Colt is late 50s vintage, the S&W esrly 70's. From the factory, the Colt trigger was better. $70 for a spring kit and some polishing done by a local gunsmith, now the model 36 is smooth as glass with an 8 1/2 lb DA trigger pull. It was over 13lbs before the trigger work. If you aren't going to use it for concealed carry, choose whichever fits your hand and feels better to you. I also own a 4" model 10, for general use and home protection, that would be my choice. I hsve never shot a Security Six, they are rock solid. I have an SP101, I like it, but needs some trigger work to suit me. Snubbies require a lot more practice to be able to shoot well, so you may reconsider and wait on a Model 10 or a Security Six.

Between the two I definitely would pick a Detective Special. I own both but the last few times I had to shoot a qualifying it was not one of my semis, not my S&W M19 or Highway Patrolman, not my pre-model number Chief's Special but rather my Detective Special.

mcb said:

The cylinder release on the Colt goes the wrong way. That will get you killed on the streets.

ETA: So what are the unicorn pictures for? We need revolver pictures.

Click to expand...

No, the cylinder release on the Smith goes the wrong way. That will get you killed on the streets.

BobWright said:

If I were to walk into a combat situation, I'm going to be armed with something other than a handgun.

Click to expand...

Just curious, but how do you KNOW when you're going to walk into a combat situation?