I always admired the old Colt Detective Specials because they were carried by my heros of the 40's and 50's; Edgar G. Robinson, Humphery Bogart, Alan Ladd, Richard Widmark, The Thin Man, Joe Friday, Barney Fife, and many others. It was the gun of the pulp detective movies. I think they are excellent guns, but every Colt revolver I ever bought I eventually sold. I didn't care for the action, the trigger, or the exposed extractor rod. I always favored the older S&W's and still do. The Model 10 may be a bit bigger and bit heavier but anytime I could conceal a Detective Special, I could also conceal a Model 10 snub. I preferred the extra heft and the smoother trigger of the S&W, and I liked the grips better with a Tyler T-Grip attached. If I needed a smaller gun, the Chief Special in a J-Frame was always available. They are both excellent guns, but my preference leans heavily toward the S&W. Now if we are talking about 1911's, Colt is my overwhelming choice.