Colt Detective Special - range report

[DHart]

I picked up my 2nd DS today (the one I'm going to shoot!).... as you may recall I got my first one not long ago and it was so perfect new-in-box that I decided I really should just keep it that way and buy another one as a shooter. I tried to find another very nice one, but not necessarily in PERFECT condition like my first one is, because I wanted to carry it and shoot it. Well the second one which I received today is almost, very close to being as perfect as the first one! DANG. I cannot detect that the gun has been used at all!

But oh well... perfection be damned, I'm going to shoot this one and tonight I did. I fired about 24 or so rounds of 158 gr. reloads and about 18 125 gr. +P's and 9 of Speer's new 135 gr. +P Gold Dot.

The 158's hit a little high, but not surprising with the bullet weight. At greater distances 15 to 25 yards, the 158 grainers would probably be POA=POI. All were centered fine. The 125's were pretty close to POA at 18 feet (close, I know, but that's the distance of my in-home range and also what one might expect in a defensive situation.)

Ran like a champ and pure joy to shoot, single or double handed. Already I'm quite comfortable trusting my life to this little Pony. And it'll only get better with time!

My chosen defense load with this gun is Speer's new 135 gr. +P Gold Dot.

Amazing thing about this fine little Colt is that everything shot so comfortably, and the +P ammo felt practically indisguishable from the standard load stuff. This gun absorbs recoil wonderfully and is pure joy to shoot.... including +P. The stacking trigger takes a little getting used to for a S&W shooter, but the adjustment was pretty quick and easy.

My S&W J-frame .38's (642 and 60) are not quite as comfortable to shoot as the DS is, nor is it quite as easy to hit well with them. And they hold 5- instead of 6-rounds.

The Colt DS certainly is one of the worlds finest snub nose revolvers... a true legend, for sure. Too bad they're a vanishing breed. I've wanted one ever since first seeing the bull barrel/shrouded ejector version which came out in the mid seventies and I'm really thrilled that I finally got around to getting my Detective Special! I may still pack my stainless models more than the DS, but this one will see some great use as well.

So, if any of you have been thinking about gettin' one for yourself, you should just get your butt in gear and do so... you won't regret it. You can find them like-new-in-box for around 4 bills. Found both of mine on GunsAmerica. First one $375, second one $400. Betcha in ten years, they'll be worth a heck of a lot more than that! But you won't want to let go of yours. ;-)=

 

[BluesBear]

Now all you need is one with the hammer shroud and you'll have one of the all time greatest pocket guns.

Those 3rd generation D-Specials and Cobras are still works of art.

 

[Old Fuff]

The earlier Detective Specials were supposed to be "regulated" to shoot POA/POI with 158-grain/standard loads @ 20 yards. Later ones that I've shot (including my own) seem to be set up for 125-grain hollow points at the same distance.

Now don't tell anybody about this, because I wouldn't want it to get out, but sometime set up a B-27 or similar man-sized silhouette target at 100 yards, take a regular sight picture, and hold between the center to bottom of the head and see where the shots go. A precise sight picture is important but hold anywhere in the head area.

 

[DHart]

Old Fuff... yes.... it would seem that this gun is regulated for 125 grainers, but since I only shot it at 5 yards rather than 20, I could be wrong. The 158 grainers hit about 2.5" high at 5 yards and the 125 grainers perhaps 1/2" high at 5 yards... so at 20 to 25 yards (a distance I doubt I would ever be shooting in self-defense!) those groupings would probably be at center of target. In any event, for a belly defense gun, which the DS is, the accuracy is as good or better than anything else out there and far more than adequate for close range self-defense scenarios! And, of course, in the heat of an adrenalin ridden freaky defense shooting, I doubt that any shooter would even notice that there are sights on the gun.... it would pretty much be point and shoot! Repeat. Repeat again rapidly.

 

[Paul "Fitz" Jones]

Some old history

My Fitz Pistol Grip Co. had been around for a while from 1919 when the Viper and Detective Special pistols arrived and the officers they were issued to began to call them Knuckle Busters for beating up their center finger knuckle in their monthly shooting qualifications. Many of them asked my Fitz company to solve that problem so we invented a grip that filled in behind the trigger guard and we have sold thousands of the grips of Walnut, Cherrywood and our Duramite Nylon blend material.

During and after WW2 when the frame was shortened to save steel many officers loved it when they found that their short frames still fit in our full length grips with no pinkie dangling.

The current pistol is beautiful and it appears that Colt learned from Fitz to fill in behind the trigger guard and to make a place for the pinkie finger.
I still have some walnut and cherrywood grips for the older model Diamondback, Police Positive, Agent and more cheap to appreciative shooters.

This brings back memories
Thanks Paul

 

[DHart]

I like the supplied rubber grips in all ways but one: the seam between the rubber panels has a sharp edge and where the knuckle of the second finger comes against the rear of the trigger guard, this sharp edge is very irritating! I'm working on trying to smooth it out, but with little luck so far...

 

[Paul "Fitz" Jones]

I have several Hart customers with my grips

But you must be another Hart. I would like to know if your new pistol has a different frame than the pre ww2 and up to 1970's model and I would really appreciate someone sending me a tracing on paper of the inside and outside of a bare grip frame with the bolt and alignment pin shown so I can know if my walnut and cherrywood grips will fit the new models.

I have learned that Smith J K-L and N frames have stayed the same but the alignment pin has moved a little so my wood alignment pin hole needs to be keyholed a little.

I would like to know what has happened with your grip frame.

thanks Paul [email protected]

 

[DHart]

e-mail sent

 

[spook]

My brother who was an FBI agent in the 50's told me the story of an agent carrying a Detective Special with a hammer shroud that would't fire during a range session because the shroud was bent. The problem was not very noticeable on inspection and was a major embarassment to the agent involved. Hammer shrouds were frowned upon by the FBI after that event.

My carry gun is a stainless SF-VI and is very accurate with an outstanding trigger. I can't do it, but a friend who is a bullseve master can put 5 rounds in 4 inches at 25 yards double action with my revolver.

 

[DHart]

spook... I have never liked the hammer shrouds and wouldn't use one. Your story just confirms.

 

[Preacherman]

Nice pics and a nice gun!

If anyone's interested, a buddy of mine in Federal LE service is selling two Colts right now: a blued Detective Special of the same vintage as the one shown in this thread (i.e. 3rd generation), and a similar Cobra (the lightweight alloy version of the DS) in nickel. Both have factory wood grips, etc. He wants $400 apiece for them (and they're worth it, IMHO), but for a friend (namely, me ) he's willing to take $375 for each. If anyone's interested, PM me, and I'll see what I can do for you. (Obviously, you'd have to send an FFL for transfer, and pay for shipping.)