Detective Special Modifications

[G19NDE]

I have a nice Colt Detective Special that I use for pocket/deep cover/backup type stuff. I've had the hammer spur removed to prevent snagging and to "discourage" cocking the hammer and installed a set of Eagle "secret service" grips. Similar to these (on a S&W J-Frame):



I remember seeing someone who specialized in "customizing" the DS. Things that I'm thinking about...

1. Re-finish the entire gun. Something attractive and durable. (The original blue finish is not great for sweaty deep cover use and it's showing.)
2. Have a tritium bead installed into the front site ramp.
3. Smoothing out the DA trigger a bit (not too much).

Any suggestions?

I remember seeing a feature in one of the gun mags featuring a "customized" DS. It was '96-98 ish. The article was a feature for the customizer, so any of you archivists... Get out those back issues...

Thanks!

 

[ACP]

Search the gun newspapers and Webn sites for a Colt "Fitz Special." It was a det. Spec. factory gun that came out in the mid-1990s. Bobbed hammer, hard chromed, tritium bead in the front sight, trigger job. Nice gun. I had one.

Here's one in blue: http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976312686.htm

They also make one called the "Commando" that's parkerized and has a bobbed hammer.

 

[dfariswheel]

One of the articles was in Handgunner Magazine. The customizer was Cylinder and Slide Shop.

They have an excellent rep for good work on the older Colt revolvers.

The gun had custom fancy wood boot grips by (damn, forgot his name) who designed the grips made by Uncle Mikes.

 

[ACP]

Craig Spegel?

 

[9mmepiphany]

ayup they were by spegel.

C&S is supposed to do a very nice colt action...but i understand that they leave it as a two stage rather than the single pull through of the old masters...but alast they are gone.

 

[Dr.Rob]

A true fitz special has the front of the trigger guard removed as well. There aren't too many of them around.

 

[ACP]

And it's .45 Colt caliber too, correct?

 

[Serpico]

I love detective specials...but for me, they are too beautiful to cut up and throw in a back pocket...if I had one I would keep it a nice deep blue with original hammer and throw an old 442/642 in my back pocket....

 

[LWCmdr45]

Not all the Fitz Specials were .45's; he did up a bunch of D.S.'s, too. "Lucky Lindy" carried one after the tragic kidnapping of his child.

Steve