Colt revolvers-snubbies

[Jonesy9]

I've been looking at snubbies lately and am torn. I like the old SW66, the new 642 is great too. I've also been attracted to some old Colt Detective .38 snubbies, they just feel right, but I never hear much about them and have never shot one.

Any opinions on the Colts?

 

[BigG]

They are a nice gun. They are larger than the S&W snubbies, therefore not exactly a pocket piece in the same way a five shot J-frame hammerless is. As a pro, they have six shots and can be fitted with a factory hammer shroud. The butt is a little more prominent on the Colt, also. Good, accurate shooters, though.

 

[Ala Dan]

Greetings Jonesy9,

I've been the proud owner of a few of the older
model Colt snubbies, starting with a 2" nickel
Cobra, then adding the old model 2" Agent
as well. After that I added a 2.5" blue Python,
and then a new 2" model Detective Special.

All is well with the Colt's; however I would not
feed the alloy frame models (Cobra & Agent)
a steady diet of +P or +P+ type ammunition.
The old Python which dated back to the late
50's, finally jumped time; and had to be sent
to a 'smith for repairs.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[Erich]

Fine guns.

The Colt Agent (aluminum frame, short butt) with the factory hammer shroud is every bit as pocket-concealable as my J-frame Centennials. It's what I use - gotta love that extra round!

I agree that the usual D-frame butt (as found on the Cobras or Detective Specials) is a little large.

 

[Bart Noir]

Small grips may be had from...

Eagle Grips. I put a set of Secret Service grips on a Dick Special made after 1966, that has the short frame. Yes, my pinky finger goes under the bottom of the grip but that allows me to wrap my hand around the whole grip, like squeezing a tennis ball. Very secure in my hand. Eagle grip downside is that I had to file and sand the grip nearest the cylinder (when opened) 'cause one of the empty cases would jam between the cylinder and the wood. This is not the only grip that has required this Modification-by-Bart, by the way.

Bart Noir

 

[Dr.Rob]

Magnum Carry.. hard to find 357 Detective Special, shoot all the +p you want.

Factory shrouded 3rd models can be had at a reasonable price.

 

[Bullet Bob]

Gotta have a Dick Special if you're an old revolver guy, but for carry, it's my S&W 642!

 

[kennedy]

I just bought my first det sp at a local gun show, blue, 2nd issue, made 1952, took it to the range last weekend, 29 degrees, windy and snowing, with cheap 148 gr lead bullets at 30 ft, 10 shots in 4 inches, on first 2 targets, usually it takes me 200 rds to get fiamilar enought with a gun to shoot that good, it fit me so well, it seemed I had owned it for ever, and fit in the pocket of my coat just fine.

 

[Standing Wolf]

My third-generation Detective Special is a tack driver, and has a trigger as good as any of my Pythons' triggers. I bought it to carry quite a few years ago, but it's become a bank box gun: my pre-agreement Smith & Wesson model 60 packs a .357 magnum punch.

 

[4thHorseman]

Standing Wolf, I have numerous Det Spec's. I also have a hard chrome one produced only one year and was special order.
Is the picture you posted a hard chrome one also, or nickel plated?

 

[Paul "Fitz" Jones]

Det Spl, Cobra, Viper Police Pos Spl Grips

Due to my advanced age I am releasing my collection of my Fitz after market grips for the above mentioned revolvers that were made by uncle Barney in the 1920s and later as the officers with their duty weapons could not shoot accuratly enough to earn their monthly shooting pay so Barney invented grips that "FIT" and the Fitz company startes in 1920 to 1979 when I closed it. I have a few grips left in my collection to help anyone with these pistols to shoot better so contact me by private message.

There are only a few available and a tracing is needed of your bare grip showing holes and pins as there were three different frames used for the Det Spl. Depending on your frame I may have 6 or none grips.

 

[schromf]

Detective Special

Thumbs up to a detective special, I like mine a lot. Small, reliable, accurate, good fit and finish, and a great trigger, plus it fits my hand, Whats not to like. They are cheaper than a new S&W even in pristine condition, I just don't see any downsides.

 

[BigG]

Bullet Bob: That is the classic from the good old days! I had the AGENT model which was the same, except bottom of grips were cut off to match the grip frame, also was alloy. The older Cobras/Dick Specials had a longer grip frame that went all the way to the bottom of the wood. Makes me nostalgic looking at that gun! When I started, the only snub revos were those and the S&Ws.

 

[Majic]

Colts can be short, SS, and pack the puch of a .357mag also.

...but you pay the price in weight which I find makes shooting more tolerable.

 

[guy sajer]

I own both S&W and Colt snubbies . Both are solid . Is one better ? I feel well protected with either . I guess it's an individual "thing" .

and a classic from 1938

 

[ACP230]

I have a Colt Cobra and several Smith snubnoses.
I like the Colt's sights a lot better than the ones on the Smiths, but the Cobra isn't as easy to conceal. The Smith triggers are quite a bit better than the Cobra's.

Too bad each maker didn't poach the best features off the other brand!

 

[JNewell]

Combat Cobra -- excellent! Had one of those, traded it. No real regrets, but no complaints either. It had what I think was one of the greatest-fitting sets of grips on any revolver I've ever owned or handled. Had a spare set of Pachys that I sold with the CC but kept the original grips just in case a MkV Colt ever comes back into the house.

 

[4thHorseman]

In my humble opinion, Colt has unusual triggers in respect that when the Colt's triggers are "tuned" nothing is smoother, not even a "tuned" Smith. I think Smith's triggers are better out of the box though. Smith's are much smoother in that respect.
I love the Colt in how it fits my hand.
But to each their own.

 

[PX15]

Colt Cobra's

I have 2 first issue Cobra's. I also have 2 S/W J-frames (model 49 & 638). I enjoy shooting the Cobra's much more than the Smiths. For me the triggers are just better. Single action is super/double not bad. Two things I would suggest you consider,and these items are rarely discussed on these forums for some reason. 1. Tyler -t grip. Custom metal finger grips that fit in the hollow in front of the grip. These are still produced new and run about $25. One of my Cobra's came with them on it, and it really makes an improvement in the way it grips and feels. My wife uses this particular pistol as her "vehicle" carry. 2. The other item I have found useful is the "Barami Hip Grip" which is also still produced new and runs I think less than $25. These plastic grips (much nicer than they sound) replace the standard grips and the new right grip is molded so as to have an overhang on it so you can slip it in your waistband without having to have a holster of any type. The overhang slips over your belt to secure the pistol inside your waistband. Both products are available on the internet and I highly recommend them. The only negative to the hip grip is that it is not available for us "wrong handers", but I like mine so much I use it anyway. These Cobra's are great little revolvers, Jack Ruby swore by his. And for anyone who thinks the 38 special isn't a man stopper, give Lee Harvey Oswald a call.. (oh yeah, he won't be answering the phone)

 

[Standing Wolf]

Is the picture you posted a hard chrome one also, or nickel plated?

4thHorseman:

That's the only nickel-plated gun I've ever owned. I wouldn't have bought it, but couldn't find a blued Detective Special to save my soul at the time. I've never cared for the look and feel of nickel plating, but it's too accurate a gun and the trigger is too delightful for me to sell it.

 

[kennedy]

here`s a pic of the 1952, damn right its loaded

 

[444]

I have a Colt Detective Special. I have no idea when it was made, but I would say it is of fairly recent manufacture (the last 20-30 years). It has that beautiful deep blue, and I love the look of the factory stocks.
I haven't shot it a whole lot, in fact I think I might have only taken it out once. It was very accurate and shot to my point of aim (which is more than I can say for one of my Smiths).
Personally, I won't carry mine. It looks too good. I have a S&W Model 60 that I have carried for years that fills that niche. But I am a proud and happy owner of the Detective Special.

 

[Paul "Fitz" Jones]

Det Spl, Cobra, Viper Police Pos Spl Grips

I attend a yard sale a couple of blocks away and saw a apir of original Detective grips for sale. I asked him why sell them and he told me he had bought a better pair years ago at a gun show 400 miles away. I had to see what was better and it turned out that he had bought a pair of grips from me 25 years before. In the attachment his pistol is on the left with a pair of my plastic grips. The center is my open cherrywood grips with a tracing of his frame inside and on the right a pistol frame I used for display at gun shows.

The bigger grip helped officers to shoot more accurately and filled in, in the front which was more comfortable than the steel inserts. I only have one cherrywood grip left of thousands produced and it is in the center of the picture.

I guess all the officers that bought my grips before WW2 were pretty ham handed to need a larger grip.

Fitz

 

[Jonesy9]

thanks

thanks for all the reply, this place rules!

 

[Mike Irwin]

I had use of a Detective Special when I was in my teens. I really liked it.

Then, during and after college, I discovered S&W revolvers.

About 10 years ago I bought a Detective Special with a factory hammer shroud. REALLY wanted to like that revolver, but in the interim, I had simply gotten too used to S&W's cylinder latch mechanism.

So, in the end, I traded the DS on a Model 36 3" square butt with a nickle finish.

Which I later sold to a friend's Father when he needed a house gun.