Detonics Combat Master mods- new tricks for an old dog.

[Michael Tinker Pearce]

The only modification I had made to my Detonics was hand-cut 20 LPI checkering on the front of the grip frame, but I recently decided to swap some parts. I added a checkered aluminum flat mainspring housing and a long trigger with an overtravel stop. I retained the original parts in a marked back of course.



The mainspring housing fits higher on the hand with the short grip so I did have to blend the bottom edge so it wouldn't grind into the heel of my hand. Between all the checkering and custom grips this thing is super-grippy now, which I like.

When I had it apart to install the new trigger I felt it was only natural to slick up the sear engagement a bit. The trigger now breaks at 2-1/2 lbs. and has a total travel of just shy of 1mm as near as I can tell.

Hopefully I can either find some large pistol primers or scrape up some extra dough for some ammo; I can hardly wait to get this to the range and try it out!

 

[armoredman]

Beautiful old warhorse.

 

[EMC45]

Super neat little cannon.

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

Very '70s-80s -- I love it!

 

[Mark_Mark]

that’s a cool gun! like a chopped down 1911

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Looks great, Mike!
Have you shot it yet? Im curious how it feeds....most super-short 1911s are kinda "iffy" until you find a load it really likes.

 

[Michael Tinker Pearce]

Looks great, Mike!
Have you shot it yet? Im curious how it feeds....most super-short 1911s are kinda "iffy" until you find a load it really likes.

I've put a couple thousand rounds through it with no issues that weren't directly related to ammo (particularly bad reman/reloaded ammo.) The gun will hand-cycle empty cases from the magazine!

 

[nofendertom]

Is the rear sight on a Detonics pistol mounted the way it is (forward) for a specific reason ?

 

[CapnMac]

Is the rear sight on a Detonics pistol mounted the way it is (forward) for a specific reason ?

Design "feature" for sure.
I've read that it was 'meant to be' a way to "one hand cock" the slide by catching the sight on the belt or similar handy surface. Seems sketchy to me, your mileage may vary.
I know that sight location complicates holster design.

 

[Michael Tinker Pearce]

Is the rear sight on a Detonics pistol mounted the way it is (forward) for a specific reason ?

The original designer, Pat Yates, believed in carrying hammer down on a loaded chamber. He moved the rear sight forward the length of his thumb to facilitate thumb-cocking the gun on the draw. When the design was rationalized for production they retained this feature for functionality and to give the product a distinctive look. They judged that since this was designed as a defensive pistol the shortened sight radius was of little consequence.

 

[nofendertom]

Thanks MTP---I always wondered about that.

 

[9mmepiphany]

The original designer, Pat Yates, believed in carrying hammer down on a loaded chamber. He moved the rear sight forward the length of his thumb to facilitate thumb-cocking the gun on the draw. When the design was rationalized for production they retained this feature for functionality and to give the product a distinctive look. They judged that since this was designed as a defensive pistol the shortened sight radius was of little consequence.

Interesting how there different stores come about to explain odd features.

The story I read, I think it was in American Handgunner, was that it was to meet the requirements of a large contract…when they needed the money to get the pistols into production.

In its heyday the Detonics Combat Masters played a key role in a paperback series Survivalist by Jerry Ahern (gun writer and final owner of Detonics USA). The protagonist carried a pair in dual armpit shoulder holsters and thumb cocked them on the draw

 

[Michael Tinker Pearce]

Interesting how there different stores come about to explain odd features.

The story I read, I think it was in American Handgunner, was that it was to meet the requirements of a large contract…when they needed the money to get the pistols into production.

In its heyday the Detonics Combat Masters played a key role in a paperback series “Survivior.” The protagonist carried a pair in dual armpit shoulder holsters and thumb cocked them on the draw

Mythology grows, and the gun community is far from immune. My version of the story came from people who were there at the time, like Peter Dunn who helped develop the gun as a commercial product.

 

[9mmepiphany]

My version of the story came from people who were there at the time, like Peter Dunn who helped develop the gun as a commercial product.

Yup, Peter Dunn carries more weight than American Handgunner

 

[Doorstopper]

My Cylinder And Slide Adventurer is like the Detonics with grip safety. Very easy and fun to shoot. I like your checkering. Looking forward to hearing how it shoots for you.

 

[Mainsail]

That's a beauty! I got mine from a police auction, and it was in rough shape. By rough I mean dirty, like filthy dirty. It was in great mechanical shape but the hammer was not original - and the hammer even bit my FFL friend who received it for me, when he racked the slide. No wonder it ended up in the evidence locker!

 

[Reinz]

Nice mods Tinker! That checkering should be a huge help.

 

[Reinz]

Mythology grows, and the gun community is far from immune. My version of the story came from people who were there at the time, like Peter Dunn who helped develop the gun as a commercial product.

I remember Jerry Ahern collaborating this story when he bought Detonics and renamed it The New Detonics Gun Company.

 

[Michael Tinker Pearce]

I remember reading The Survivor. Pretty good stuff.

 

[FL-NC]

I always thought those guns were neat.