Petrol & Powder
Well-Known Member
Time to explore the Detective Special and all its brothers.
Allow me to start by saying that I am not a Colt guy. I’m not against the Colt DA revolvers and I’ve owned quite a few over the years, they just aren’t for me. When it comes to DA Revolvers, I’m a Ruger/S&W guy. No hate, the Colt just doesn’t “click” for me.
Years ago, my quest for the “right for me” snubnose DA revolver sent me on a journey that included a few Colt D frames. The short-barreled versions of the Police Positive Special had a lot going for them. 6 round cylinders, smaller than a S&W K-frame and good accuracy.
The Detective Special was introduced in 1927 and pre-dates the introduction of the S&W Chief’s Special by decades. It always had the advantage of being smaller than a 2” S&W model 10 and for those that like the 4” Police Positive Special, the Detective Special was a natural, more concealable companion to the full-sized Colt revolver. Later the introduction of lightweight alloy frames (Cobra 1950 and Agent 1962), provided even more options. The steel framed Detective Special and alloy framed guns went through several generations that mostly affected sights, ejector rod shrouds, and grip frames. While parts wouldn’t always interchange between generations, the guns were essentially the same.
When it came to the snubnose revolvers, Colt was late to the stainless-steel option. When Colt finally got around to offering a stainless gun, they were in the era of the Magnum Carry, SF-VI and DS-II (Detective Special II). There was a little overlap but for the most part, the old V-spring D-frames were out of production. Some people lamented that by the time Colt got their act together with a modern snubnose platform, they were facing yet another financial crisis. In my opinion, Colt remained in the blued, carbon steel only mindset; a little too long.
We now have the new Colt Cobra, a modern version of the snubnose concept made with stainless steel. Time will tell how this turns out. I don’t believe the new Colts will pull me out of the S&W/Ruger camp but I’m happy to see the option exists for others.
The old Detective Specials, Cobras and Agents are now solidly in the collector’s realm. Today good quality examples are rarely used as everyday carry weapons because they are just too valuable. Every now and then you will run across someone with an old beat-up looking Cobra or DS that they are familiar with and don’t mind that it is subjected to the wear of daily concealed carry. Most of the better examples of the type spend their time in nightstands, desk drawers, and gun safes. The little 2” D-frames and their off-spring have now been with us for nearly 100 years.
Allow me to start by saying that I am not a Colt guy. I’m not against the Colt DA revolvers and I’ve owned quite a few over the years, they just aren’t for me. When it comes to DA Revolvers, I’m a Ruger/S&W guy. No hate, the Colt just doesn’t “click” for me.
Years ago, my quest for the “right for me” snubnose DA revolver sent me on a journey that included a few Colt D frames. The short-barreled versions of the Police Positive Special had a lot going for them. 6 round cylinders, smaller than a S&W K-frame and good accuracy.
The Detective Special was introduced in 1927 and pre-dates the introduction of the S&W Chief’s Special by decades. It always had the advantage of being smaller than a 2” S&W model 10 and for those that like the 4” Police Positive Special, the Detective Special was a natural, more concealable companion to the full-sized Colt revolver. Later the introduction of lightweight alloy frames (Cobra 1950 and Agent 1962), provided even more options. The steel framed Detective Special and alloy framed guns went through several generations that mostly affected sights, ejector rod shrouds, and grip frames. While parts wouldn’t always interchange between generations, the guns were essentially the same.
When it came to the snubnose revolvers, Colt was late to the stainless-steel option. When Colt finally got around to offering a stainless gun, they were in the era of the Magnum Carry, SF-VI and DS-II (Detective Special II). There was a little overlap but for the most part, the old V-spring D-frames were out of production. Some people lamented that by the time Colt got their act together with a modern snubnose platform, they were facing yet another financial crisis. In my opinion, Colt remained in the blued, carbon steel only mindset; a little too long.
We now have the new Colt Cobra, a modern version of the snubnose concept made with stainless steel. Time will tell how this turns out. I don’t believe the new Colts will pull me out of the S&W/Ruger camp but I’m happy to see the option exists for others.
The old Detective Specials, Cobras and Agents are now solidly in the collector’s realm. Today good quality examples are rarely used as everyday carry weapons because they are just too valuable. Every now and then you will run across someone with an old beat-up looking Cobra or DS that they are familiar with and don’t mind that it is subjected to the wear of daily concealed carry. Most of the better examples of the type spend their time in nightstands, desk drawers, and gun safes. The little 2” D-frames and their off-spring have now been with us for nearly 100 years.
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