Colt 38 Detective Special - Age Question

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CT,
A "good" smith doesn't necessarily mean one who can competently work on the old Colt V-Spring actions, even if he could find parts.
They are a world of their own.

I will emphasize that many gunsmiths today may say they can work on those old Colts, but few really can & it's far from unheard of to get one back from a gunsmith in worse shape than it went in.

The action was designed in a time when it simply was not expected to be fired regularly like many people do today.
You can shoot it all you want, just be aware you'll wear it out quicker & you may not be able to get it repaired correctly.
Denis
 
Thank Depris I hear what you are saying. I will be careful about who touches it. At least for now it seems to be in fine working order so I'll just keep it as is.
 
Ooh, you've even got the T grips on it. I ordered some a couple of years ago but haven't installed them yet.

Nice gun!
 
First handgun I ever bought was a cheap, German-made .22 SAA copy with a cast-zinc construction with steel liners in the cylinders and barrel.

Second was a Detective Special much like the one pictured; would have been about 1965 when I was a young lad in the army in Germany. We could only get the swaged-lead RN 158 grain loads over there, but they shot quite well through the little thing.
I traded it for something after i got out of the army, but for the life of me I can't recall what....
 
Nice purchase at a great price! I would refrain from significant amounts of +p ammo. There isn't much difference between non +p and +p but a good standard velocity 158 grain HP from Hornady or Buffalo Bore will do whatever you need in the way of defense. Practice with 148 grain wadcutters or something similar. The D frame Colts were regulated to shoot 158 grain to POA from the factory. I occasionally carry a 1950 Colt DS but usually carry either a 1965 Cobra or a 1969 Agent because of the weight difference. The Tyler T grip on your gun is a good addition to factory stocks as it gives you a little better hold and keeps the trigger guard from slamming back into your middle knuckle. I believe Bell Charter Oak and D.M. Bullard, among others, make excellent OWB and IWB holsters for your revolver. They both believe that the D frames are not dead.
 
I don't see a problem with its age. I sometimes carry my S&W M1917 Brazilian Contract (74 years old) or my S&W M1905 4th Change (90 years old). I also have no worries shooting standard pressure ammo through them.
 
Debonai ... Are you by any chance a member of the Hartford gun club? I ask because I see you are located close by?
 
I prefer to do all of my serious shooting up in New Hampshire. There's a town sandpit that's free to use as long as everybody picks up their trash. It's residents only, but my friend from Glastonbury owns a house in town, so as long as he's with me we're good to go. So I've never felt the need to join a local club. However, I can hear the club's range from my place, and I sometimes get jealous. :)
 
Yeah, I have considered it. I've become spoiled by that town sandpit, though. We're the only ones there 99% of the time and we can shoot safely in a 90 degree arc. It's a lot more fun than a controlled range. We adhere to the basic safety rules, of course, but calling the range hot or cold is obviously much easier.
 
Well I just had an opportunity to shoot the Colt Detective Special. At 25 feet I was able to keep 85% of my shots com on a man sized target, though some shots were a little left. This is by FAR the most accurate snub I have ever shot. By comparison my 442 wasn't even in the same league. Not bad for a 79! Year old gun. :D
 
Maybe so. Perhaps people also cared for, and maintaind their tools, better.
Click to expand...

Some yes and some no, but economic conditions allowed the companies to employ craftsmen and additional work in fitting and finishing - and that's what you'll find in your new/old Colt. It's reflected in your shooting.

At 25 feet I was able to keep 85% of my shots com on a man sized target, though some shots were a little left. This is by FAR the most accurate snub I have ever shot.
Click to expand...

Which comes as no surprise to me. :cool:
 
Sure and I thought it was all just nostalgic hype. :) next ill have to find a 1911 to keep the DS company.

I ran 158 grain swc's through it. Is that the best load for this gun?
 
No j-frame is in the same league.
Click to expand...

Not wanting to be disagreeable here but I've owned and shot several Detective Specials and none of them hold a candle to my 640-1 Pro Series J-frame in terms of shootability and accuracy.

If I had to choose one over the other I'd take the one shot handicap of the 640-1 every time. YMMV or course.
 
Bikemutt

The geometry of the J Frame is not conducive to a great trigger pull.

I have an old flat latch that just came back from Clark Custom. For a J-Frame it is very good. But it is no K or D frame.

Admittedly the detective specials of the 70s had much heavier triggers than the earlier models.
 
About 15 years ago I had a very nice Colt D.S. Then I got married and somehow, my wife has a very nice D.S. I'm still trying to figure out how that happened.:scrutiny: Oh well, enjoy it while you can.
 
Six weeks ago I bought a brand new in the box never fired 1998 Colt DS II for $800 with all the tags and never looked back. It's now been shot about 200 times and goes outside with me in a Safariland paddle holster. Happy to go out and happy to be shot so much so that it puts a lot in the bulleye much to my delight and surprise. Semis rock but revolvers rule.

HiCap
 
"I would really like to carry it though it's a bit weird to think about holstering something that is 79 years old!"

While I don't do it every day, I frequently holster up a S&W revolver that is 91 years old.
 
Knife

Question, in the 30s I'm assuming most of these went to cops, true? If so did most police of that era carry a knife and if so what would have been common? The DS doesn't pair well with my delica 4.
 
I imagine most cops did carry a pocket knife.
Every male carried a pocket knife in 1930!

Probably an old Case or Schrade three-blade stockman or something like that.

Tactical folders, one-hand openers like your Delica, and pocket clips were not invented until about 1980.

rc
 
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