The Snubnose Colt D frames

[Petrol & Powder]

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.

 

[RicinYakima]

Bought this Colt Agent when I graduated from Ohio's Peace Officer's Academy in 1970. Still in the nightstand drawer today.

 

[Rick H]

When I went into our detective bureau I was carrying a 1911 gov't model with ambi safety and Novak high profile sights. The deputy chief thought that looked "a bit aggressive" for office and courtroom wear. I also had my issued 4" Model 66 and an OMC Backup 380 (precursor to the AMT). He didn't like either of those so he rummaged around in his desk and gave me a 2" Detective Special, from the 40's or 50's with the exposed extractor rod (slightly bent). He had carried it for years had it reblued (by a hack who polished a lot of the lettering off) and told me to carry it around the office and for court duties.

I shot that little gun surprisingly well once I added a Tyler grip adapter to it. I carried the FBI load 158 lead SWC HP's in it. Yes, they were plus P's but it hit to point of aim at 25 yds. When I left the DB I tried to turn it in but no one wanted it. I kept it in my locker until I retired. I left it with the Department. No one could find any record of that revolver ever being on the department's or any one else's books. (Michigan had/has defacto handgun registration)

Try as I may, I was never able to get that ejector rod perfectly straight, it always had a little wobble. My guess is it was dropped and generally abused before I got it. I like to think the old Deputy Chief bent it on some fools noggin way back in the day.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

RicinYakima, I like the factory hammer shroud. Those are hard to find these days.
Rick H, That exposed ejector rod on the first couple of generation DS's was a bit of an issue. It's rare to see one perfectly straight. A lot of them were bent just from aggressive activity on part of the user during reloads. Unless they are severely bent, they seem to work just fine.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

The Cobra's, Agent's and other Detective Specials all went away, but I held onto this 3rd gen DS.

 

[Charles Graff]

The Colt and Smith DA have a different dynamic in your hand when they are shot. Some folks prefer Colt and other prefers the Smith. I cut my DA shooting teeth on the Colt New Services. If a fellow can get one of those beasts to jump though hoops, he is Colt friendly all his life.

Given my druthers, I would pick up a Smith medium or large frame revolver every times over the Colt. That is not true when it comes to the snubbies. I have long preferred the Cobras and Detective Specials. I can just shoot them better. Today, I have a 3" Colt DS and it is a working gun.

 

[CZ93X62]

I am VERY FOND of the Gen 3 Colt DSs. To my mind, they are the best rendition of the "38 Special snub-nose" ever produced in this country. They are "Plus-P-rated", hold 6 shots, and every one of them I have shot (n = ~12) places the FBI-touted 158 grain LSW/HP +P right where the sights look at 15 and 25 yards. These third-series DSs also fit my hand perfectly with those OEM stocks they came with; that has been very uncommon IME.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

Colt DA revolvers with the V-spring always seem to have a pronounced stacking near the end of the DA trigger stroke. I never quite mastered that.
I think all of my trigger time with Smiths and Rugers ruined me.

 

[Charles Graff]

Colt DA revolvers with the V-spring always seem to have a pronounced stacking near the end of the DA trigger stroke. I never quite mastered that.
I think all of my trigger time with Smiths and Rugers ruined me.

We have certain ideas and notions that are considered almost holy writ that may not be so, but we dare not challenge them. The one that comes to mind is that only a straight through DA trigger pull is acceptable. Staging the DA trigger is almost equal to devil worship. Consider if you will (thanks Rod Serling) that DA trigger staging may not be evil, but in many cases just might be helpful to some people.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

Oh, I can stage a trigger like a champ. With a Ruger I can rotate the cylinder with the trigger, pause ever so briefly when the cylinder locks and drop the hammer without even thinking about it. Just can't do it as well with a Colt.
And thanks for the Rod Serling reference

 

[RicinYakima]

RicinYakima, I like the factory hammer shroud. Those are hard to find these days.

It came with the shroud, but I took it off for LE work because I carried it in a belt holster (I was skinny in those days). Put it back on about 1980 when I no longer used it for work. The anodizing on the shroud is much better done than the aluminum frame was done.

 

[KeithB]

In the first Equalizer movie the corrupt cop that accompanies the principal bad guy into the Irish mobster's concrete company business office uses a Colt revolver.

 

[david s]

I've only a single D frame Colt the 22 L.R. Diamondback and it doesn't really qualify here with a four-inch barrel. As Petrol & Powder mentioned the D frame Colts two strongest selling features are being smaller than a Smith and Wesson K frame but still managing a full six rounds. Colt double action revolvers take getting reacquainted with when I shoot them. Mostly a S&W revolver shooter and the Colt grip frame sloops more for a different hand feel. I get to relearn things when shooting Colts. The hammer shrouds and the Tyler T Grips are both getting hard to find and expensive when you do find them.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

The hammer shrouds and the Tyler T Grips are both getting hard to find and expensive when you do find them.

The hammer shrouds were available from Colt and there were also some aftermarket copies of the factory part. Both are somewhat rare these days.
Tyler T-grips are still available. That family run operation suffered a serious illness last year. They do not take internet orders in the conventional sense. You must print out and fill out, an order form. They also make the grip adaptors in batches, so delivery times are a bit inconsistent depending on where you hit the production cycle. However, I've ordered from them several times and they have always straight shooters.

 

[Outpost75]

I have several 2-inch and 3-inch D-frames. Like them all.

 

[Missionary]

Good afteroon
This Colt s been with us for ear 25 years. Wears a Hip Grip ad has been a fine companion walkng or on a 2 wheeler.