Quantcast

  1. Upgrade efforts paused for now. Thanks for your patience. More details in the thread in Tech Support for those who are interested.
    Dismiss Notice

My new (to me) Colt Detective Special

Discussion in 'Handguns: Revolvers' started by Pat Riot, Dec 19, 2020.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
Page 1 of 2
  1. Pat Riot

    Pat Riot Member

    Joined:
    May 21, 2015
    Messages:
    5,856
    Location:
    West Virginia
    I was going to add to my prior thread about trading a G26 for a Colt Detective Special but decided my new Colt deserves it’s own thread. If you wish to see the old thread it is here: I hope this is okay with the Mods.
    https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...trade-a-glock-26-for-a-colt-detective.876412/

    I picked up my new (to me) Colt Detective Special today and took it to the range with my other .38 Special “Cop Guns”.
    It shot very well with Federal 148 grain Wadcutter rounds. No issues with that ammo at all and accuracy was good (for me ;))
    I did have some light primer strikes in double action with some reloads I was shooting that I used CCI and Winchester primers in, but the Federal stuff went bang every time.
    I am not the least bit upset about the light strikes. Heck, the gun is 48 years old. There may be some gum in the works or the hammer spring may be weak. This is my very first Colt revolver so it will be a learning experience.

    Here she is...my new Colt Detective Special :cool:

    75AED255-1A49-4EC2-9D2F-3B98B7B56BCB.jpeg

    98281711-363A-49F9-9C5B-2E7818C50B94.jpeg

    Here it is with my S&W .38 revolvers (left to right S&W 10-7, 442-1, 36-2 and the DS)
    994F21FA-AC51-43DA-8063-68F9C1B2D477.jpeg

    My first target in double action at 10 yards 1second between shots. I am not crack shot but I am happy with this.
    9249613E-668C-47C0-BAA9-D8BDF680CAC6.jpeg

    All in all, I am very happy with my new Colt. :D
     
    Pat Riot, Dec 19, 2020
    #1
    SW351C, scaatylobo, Great Scot and 25 others like this.
  2. Boarhunter

    Boarhunter Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2005
    Messages:
    706
    Location:
    Huntsville, Alabama
    Congratulations. You done good.

    BOARHUNTER
     
    Boarhunter, Dec 19, 2020
    #2
    Pat Riot likes this.
  3. NIGHTLORD40K

    NIGHTLORD40K Member

    Joined:
    Mar 17, 2015
    Messages:
    10,397
    Location:
    Nostramo (in absentia), Segmentum Ultima
    I find the D-frame DS much easier to shoot well than a J-frame Smith, in exchange for only a tiny bit of bulk and weight. Nice gun.:thumbup:
     
    NIGHTLORD40K, Dec 19, 2020
    #3
    hannstv, GeoDudeFlorida, Oldschool shooter and 4 others like this.
  4. Alte Schule

    Alte Schule Member

    Joined:
    May 19, 2016
    Messages:
    1,018
    Location:
    East of the Brazos and West of the Navasota River
    Can’t go wrong with a nice pick up like that. I carried this 1974 vintage Detective Special as a back up gun and off duty piece for several years. Use to get a lot of “hey that’s really old school” when I had my quarterly qualification. Long retired now I recently sold it to a young city Fire Marshall.
    9F4CB304-679A-4EF0-9A9E-DBD965F8050D.jpeg
     
    Last edited: Dec 19, 2020
    Alte Schule, Dec 19, 2020
    #4
    Heir Kommt Die Sonne, GeoDudeFlorida, Blue Jays and 6 others like this.
  5. Oldschool shooter

    Oldschool shooter Member

    Joined:
    Jul 8, 2014
    Messages:
    939
    Location:
    Michigan
    Nice pick up. I think you did well in that deal. Enjoy your new Colt.
     
    Oldschool shooter, Dec 19, 2020
    #5
    Pat Riot likes this.
  6. barnett

    barnett Member

    Joined:
    Aug 24, 2006
    Messages:
    172
    Location:
    plano texas
    DSCN1292.jpg To my eye, the DS you have there is one of the most beautiful revolvers ever created.
     
    barnett, Dec 20, 2020
    #6
    NIGHTLORD40K, GeoDudeFlorida, shoebox1.1 and 6 others like this.
  7. bannockburn

    bannockburn Member

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2007
    Messages:
    25,668
    Pat Riot

    Let's see...a garden variety Glock for one of the greatest snubnose revolvers ever made! Yeah, you definitely came out way ahead with that deal!
     
    bannockburn, Dec 20, 2020
    #7
    armedwalleye, Waveski, jaguarxk120 and 4 others like this.
  8. Tallball

    Tallball Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2014
    Messages:
    6,625
    It looks to be in very nice condition. Congratulations. :)
     
    Tallball, Dec 20, 2020
    #8
    Blue Jays and Pat Riot like this.
  9. Barry the Bear

    Barry the Bear Member

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2012
    Messages:
    1,920
    Location:
    The Yellow Rose of Texas
    Great trade! I'd do that in a heartbeat as well, are you going to carry it?
     
    Barry the Bear, Dec 20, 2020
    #9
    Pat Riot likes this.
  10. Risky buisness

    Risky buisness Member

    Joined:
    May 25, 2007
    Messages:
    538
    Location:
    Wyoming
    Nice. Glad for you.
     
    Risky buisness, Dec 20, 2020
    #10
    Pat Riot likes this.
  11. Pat Riot

    Pat Riot Member

    Joined:
    May 21, 2015
    Messages:
    5,856
    Location:
    West Virginia
    No, not here in California. In a couple of years when I retire and move, probably.
     
    Pat Riot, Dec 20, 2020
    #11
    NIGHTLORD40K, bannockburn and Blue Jays like this.
  12. Riomouse911

    Riomouse911 Member

    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2013
    Messages:
    9,550
    Location:
    Ca.
    Another “Yea!” vote here. I would’ve made that swap in a heartbeat. :thumbup:

    Congratulations on finding a little piece of firearms history :).

    Stay safe.
     
    Riomouse911, Dec 20, 2020
    #12
    Barbaroja, Blue Jays, Oldschool shooter and 1 other person like this.
  13. Dframe

    Dframe Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2013
    Messages:
    1,256
    Location:
    Central Illinois
    Very nice. Glad you're pleased with it. I've been collecting and shooting D frames for years and think them to be about perfect for snubbies
     
    Dframe, Dec 20, 2020
    #13
    Gordon and Pat Riot like this.
  14. jar

    jar Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Jan 17, 2003
    Messages:
    2,326
    Location:
    Deep South Texas!!!!!
    The last qualify I had to shoot I used my DS.
     
    jar, Dec 20, 2020
    #14
    bannockburn, Gordon, ColtPythonElite and 1 other person like this.
  15. brutus51

    brutus51 Member

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2013
    Messages:
    1,367
    Color me green with envy, always wanted one like that, top on my bucket list. Bought a new Cobra which I really like but it ain't the same.
     
    brutus51, Dec 21, 2020
    #15
    stevekozak and Pat Riot like this.
  16. Dframe

    Dframe Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2013
    Messages:
    1,256
    Location:
    Central Illinois
    I have let's just say I have "more than one" cobra. I shot a qualification this year with my new king cobra. Shot like a dream.
     
    Dframe, Dec 21, 2020
    #16
    Pat Riot likes this.
  17. brutus51

    brutus51 Member

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2013
    Messages:
    1,367
    There's just something about a blued steel Colt revolver.:notworthy:
     
    brutus51, Dec 21, 2020
    #17
    rwilky78 and Pat Riot like this.
  18. Pat Riot

    Pat Riot Member

    Joined:
    May 21, 2015
    Messages:
    5,856
    Location:
    West Virginia
    Well, I removed the grips and the side plate and flushed the works out with Hornady One Shot. The internals looked okay with no gunk or gum. The mainspring did not appear to be modified from the pictures I found. After cleaning i reassembled it and took it to the range.
    I will get light primer strikes in double action with CCI primers but not Federal so I will be ordering a new mainspring for it.
     
    Pat Riot, Dec 24, 2020
    #18
    Blue Jays likes this.
  19. Dframe

    Dframe Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2013
    Messages:
    1,256
    Location:
    Central Illinois
    With VERY careful bending you may be able to get enough tension on the mainspring to eliminate light strikes. It requires patience, trial and error and great care. Bend the spring slightly, replace in the gun try for function, repeat. Then repeat as many times as it takes. Be aware it's pretty easy to go too far and break a spring but you may be able to restore normal function without replacing the spring
     
    Dframe, Dec 25, 2020
    #19
    Pat Riot likes this.
  20. Pat Riot

    Pat Riot Member

    Joined:
    May 21, 2015
    Messages:
    5,856
    Location:
    West Virginia
    Thank you. I went ahead and ordered a new factory original spring today. I will definitely keep this advice in mind for the future.
     
    Pat Riot, Dec 26, 2020
    #20
    Gordon and Blue Jays like this.
  21. Buckeye63

    Buckeye63 Member

    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2018
    Messages:
    1,880
    Great trade for u !!!
     
    Buckeye63, Dec 26, 2020
    #21
    Pat Riot likes this.
  22. crestoncowboy

    crestoncowboy Member

    Joined:
    Feb 22, 2011
    Messages:
    2,953

    Gander outdoors has them (det. Specials) in stock for 550. Look a bit used as they are trade ins but if anyone is interested not terrible
     
    crestoncowboy, Jan 28, 2021
    #22
    Gordon and Pat Riot like this.
  23. armedwalleye

    armedwalleye Member

    Joined:
    Jan 23, 2011
    Messages:
    1,024
    Location:
    Central MN
    A trade?? As in "even up"??? You able to sleep at night?? Very nice. I've been jonesing for one as a mismatched pair to my J frame Smith model 60.
     
    Last edited: Jan 28, 2021
    armedwalleye, Jan 28, 2021
    #23
    Pat Riot likes this.
  24. Paul7

    Paul7 Member

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2008
    Messages:
    1,996
    Location:
    Florida
    That shooting would convince a bad guy to go pick on someone else.
     
    Paul7, Jan 28, 2021
    #24
    Pat Riot likes this.
  25. Oldschool shooter

    Oldschool shooter Member

    Joined:
    Jul 8, 2014
    Messages:
    939
    Location:
    Michigan
    While I normally carry a J- frame, I agree100%, the DS is easier to shoot well. Mine is an older DS, 1957 vintage. Nice looking DS, enjoy it!
     
    Oldschool shooter, Jan 28, 2021
    #25
    Pat Riot likes this.
Page 1 of 2
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Accept Learn More...
    Dismiss Notice