I have two D specials--a '36 and a '60. Don't carry them much--that's usually a 642 Smith...a bit smaller and lighter. I have been looking for an Agent for carry though. I love the Colt snubbies...shades of all those Dragnet episodes I saw as a kid. They are the classic revolver of the 20th century, much as the SAA is of the 19th, and will still do the job. BTW--my carry load (a handload) is a non plus P that moves a 158gr LSWCHP at around 900 fps...potent, and fine in the older Colts and the alloy-framed guns.

nice holsters!

Mine's been updated with a T-grip, thanks to JcMack, a friend on the forum:

My carry Colts. Top to bottom: 1953 Detective Special, 1955 Agent (1st yr. production), 1964 Cobra.
The Agent gets carried the most, the D.S. the least. I recently acquired a 96% condition 1952 Cobra (my birth year) but it's just too nice to carry.
This time of year I usually carry a Mod 640, a 1957 Mod 38, or the Agent in a front pocket holster in cargo style shorts. Too hot for IWB.

I carry a 1975 Colt DS, third generation.

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NRA Firearms Instructor

This 1st year Cobra has a history I won't go into, except to say I inherited it from my father-in-law at a time when I was already carrying one of the mid-80s production Agents. I later used it as my daily carry gun for several years. It was recently replaced by a 642.





The original grips were "Coltwood" plastic which I replaced when I decided to carry it.

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I need ammo, not a ride.

I carried Cobera and an agent as off duty guns for years, but switched to S&W, due to the Colts going out of time a lot ....the smiths did not do this.

Hot dang what a gun!! I love those! I like the ones with the slightly shorter frame so you can do round or square butt, but I'd prefer round butt if I had a full frame. Very nice and the nickel is beautiful!

I know this is an old thread, but I'm new to the forum. I would absolutely carry a DS for a carry gun. I do carry a Chief's Special, but I don't own a DS yet but one day I will. I want a second issue in nickel, one blued both in 38 special, and I want one in nickel in a 32. I also really want a blued and a nickel 3rd issue as well. I want magnas on all 5 and I want pearl magnas on the nickel ones and checkered wood on the blued ones. A nice 5 piece set. Oh one day. Unfortunately I just got into revolvers about a year ago. Been shooting them my whole life and never cared for them until about a year ago. So much time wasted!!!

My poor man's Detective Special (AGENT) with Craig Spegel's extended
boots.
2nd in a Eubanks Pioneer holster.
3rd in a Black Hills Lizard skin high ride.
4th in an IWB by Ken Null
5th in a 120TS by Price Western Leather

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In Omnia Paratus

Here is a picture of a Colt Cobra 1st generation that I purchased as shown from a private party several years ago. It is brand new in the box and unfired. The splochiness on the metal surface is apparently original factory grease that's never been removed. I have no intentions of ever firing it as I have other examples:
As an aside: After going thru this thread in it's entirely it's truly a shame what Photobucket is done to threads like this one.
Jim

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I wouldn't be able to keep from wiping that thing clean, just to see how pristine it really is.

Many years ago this three inch DS was my "woods walking" gun, just because I enjoyed it so much. Now, reality has set in and I have graduated to less handsome but more appropriate companionship when I am out and about. Great revolver, though.

I have only one, a 1939 Detective, from the Bill Powell collection. I don't carry it. It's just too pretty.

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ANTIQUESMITHS
LM1300 SWHF425

Yes, regularly carry Detectives, Agents, and Cobras from the 60-90s. Usually, IWB with TT Gunleather holster ir Barami Hip Grip and Tyler T.

Here is a 1980s wearing Badger Goncalo Alves boots. Bought them unfinished and hit them with Tung oil myself.



Been carrying the new Cobra a bit too.






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I have a Det Spcl in Nickle. Made in 1974. It was a PDW that a local police officer wore to and from work. Bought it for short money in 1977 and put a fair number of rounds thru it over the years. He'd see me carrying it occasionally and asked if I'd sell it back to him my response was always no. It sits in the safe but I have no intention of ever selling it.

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MA Gun Law & NRA Instructor

I guess this is a zombie thread, but still interesting to me. And apparently others as well. I have a number of Colt Detective Specials, Cobras and Agents.

Here's my Detective Special with appropriate Tyler T Grip:



Here's a Cobra:



Here's one you don't see very often, a Colt Bankers Special from about 1930...this one (I think) issued to the Boston Police Department.



Best Regards, Les

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

Nice. Looks like I've got the 1969 Agent version. This one has evidence markings in the top strap. Found it at a pawn shop in Robbins, NC about 10 years ago.





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Picked up a Detective Special a month or so ago. It has a three inch barrel and a born-on date of 1977. Doesn't really need it, but I might add a Tyler T-Grip.

An old thread, but I'm newer.

A Detective Special was the first revolver I started using for conceal carry. It was a 1968 vintage I found for $325 shortly after getting into Colts. I bought it from a younger guy around my age who wanted a new Tavor or Bullpup. I asked him the story on it and he said it was his LEO father's old gun, came with holster. So I gladly helped him achieve his objective.

After owning it, I found "C4" inscribed on the grip frame with electro pencil, then up further someone lightly etched A then C/G/6. It was well carried and had to of been shot some but still pretty tight. A light action job and some correct service grips really spruced the old girl up.

I also have a 1961 Cobra that I got for $375 shortly after the Detective. This one had original grips, but upon exam someone had "played" with the insides before. I got it back in pretty good shape, but it still needs some bolt adjustment to cure a bore misalignment issue upon lockup. Don't really use it, but doesn't hurt to have.

I no longer carry any of these daily because I bumped up to 357mag. Much prefer a gun I can shoot at distant too, so compact revolvers have fallen to the side.

Detective Special 1.jpg

Detective Special 11.jpg

Duty Holster 1.jpg

Cobra 1.jpg

I had a 3 inch Detective Special (short grip frame/stock grips) with a Tyler T-Grip that I carried for several years. It thought it was a target pistol and was sweet! Somehow I caught "gotta get a Glock!" fever and made a complicated three-gun swap. Long story short - I ended up with a Glock 23 that wouldn't shoot a sombrero-sized group with 180 grain bullets. It finally shot well enough with 155 grain and lighter bullets, but the fever had been broken and my Colt was long gone.

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CPT, Armor (Ret)
Luke 22:36

Now that this thread is 8 years old, I can finally say: Yes. I carry a Detective Special.



Vintage 1947. Ancient stags. Slightly misfit Tyler T. 200 grain Super Police loads.

All is well.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

I carry a beat up but tight 74 Cobra everyday. Bought it plus an old I Mark IWB holster for $350 a few years ago.

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LIVE FROM THE DAWGHOUSE

Just bought a 57 Cobra with Colt Shroud and smooth wood grips.

I'm sure that I speak for a lot of other guys when I say that we would love to see some photos!!

That sounds like a great carry gun for any era.

Best Regards, Les

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

Through a series of trades, I acquired this DS about four years ago, and I'm into it for just shy of $250. It's a 1994 (4th issue), it shoots excellently, and it's what I carry most of the time.

It's pictured with its grandfather, who will be 102 in January. He doesn't get to play much any more.

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I carry this Colt Agent at times. Never owned a Detective Special.

I'm envious of the stag grips I see in this thread.

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C & L

That holster is sure easy on the eyes C&L.

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In Omnia Paratus

I’m looking for my old Colt DS service revolver used in a gun fight in 1974 and any help would be most appreciated. The serial number is 689642. Thanks in advance.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

I've had a couple over the years....... didn't really like the double action trigger or the thin front sight. Do have my Dad's "off duty" and suit DS from the 1950s.

Carry this 1954 vintage Cobra on occasion, but prefer the extra inch of barrel on the 102 year old Police Positive Special. The Lawman is just a tank! About as stout as a short .357 gets, but not as sleek as the S&W 640. Of the lot, the 640 has displaced the others for serious business.

Made 1963,I.W.B. horse hide, FBI load.

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Nice looking Colt and holster

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C & L

Not me. I carry a Glock 17 pistol. But I used to CCW an S&W M36 3-inch.

Occasionally my 1970 Cobra. Love D frames!

I know a lot of folks prefer the older look, but to me you have the best looking Colt Detective Special ever made. Beautiful nickel, protected ejector rod, and factory grips (or stocks, to Coltphiles). Very nice.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

Here ya go Les. Been carrying old Western 200 grain Super Police Lubaloys in it. I know Sig220 and Erik like that load too.

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Sometimes the factory trigger pulls can be bad, especially when you start getting newer into the '70s and later. Other than that, they always exhibit the stacking.

I always recommend a little tuning to the V spring action just to get the DA pull cleaned up. Even just a basic action job to curb some of the stack will do wonders.

Carried this one today. It is a 1975 with Colt / Pachmayr grips from an early 90s Detective.





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For years I carried this Cobra around ....

No mini-revolver for me. G17 9mm or M1911A1 .45 ACP for me.

I carry (every day ) a short butt Cobra loaded with the old and best I can tell no longer available 125 gr Winchester +p+ LSWCHP . I bought 4 boxes of them about 15 years ago and have not found any since .

Eddie

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Grumpy Old Man With a Gun

It is nice to see all of these CCWers here. TX could have used us recently.

What's your experience with shooting those +P+ rounds out of that Cobra? I'm curious.

Personally, I wouldn't put any +P through a Cobra let alone +P+. However, the newer Cobras with the shrouded ejector barrel ('73 on) may have been rated for minimal +P use, but I can't remember. Also, some +P+ ammo isn't that much more powerful than regular +P. So I suppose you could get away with limited use in the proper vintage Cobra. I wouldn't risk it though, and definitely wouldn't try that the older Cobras like my '61.

I tested some +P+ 147gr Hydra-Shoks in my '68 Detective. This was after confirming there was little felt difference between regular +P and the +P+. The DS shot a couple rounds of it fine, but that was the only time. I will only carry +P in the steel frame Detective. Those +P+ chrono'd at 950fps.

Due to the frame stretching possibility of shooting stout special loads, I always recommend any older Cobra being considered for purchase is given a thorough exam by somebody well versed with what to look for. Back before these guns were "collectible", folks didn't baby them.

I have a couple of Detective Specials, a shrouded version, and an earlier version without the shroud. Here is the Shrouded version, can’t find the serial number in the Colt database, so not sure when it was made:



Here is the pre shrouded version, with the Tyler T Grip. In this configuration it fits in my pocket holster, but with the larger grips from the model above, not so well suited for a pocket gun:



Best Regards, Les

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

Joey, that is a sweet looking Cobra!!....sorry, I just saw your post. Hope you don't mind if I enlarge the pic...:



Those D frames with the factory shroud are handy and hard to come by. I had a Detective Special drilled and tapped for a shroud once, but someone had removed the shroud and filled the screw holes with filler screws. I foolishly let it slip away in a trade, and that was a shame, as back then you could still find a spare shroud now and then. The only one I have seen at a gun show was a shrouded Agent, and it was over $1,000.00.

Best Regards, Les

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

It has held up fine so far , still tight . I don't shoot them in it very often . They are a bit more snappy than standard 158 grain loads but not too much . I am not what I call a collector and do not treat this gun as a collectors item . It is strictly used to keep my old hide intact if needed and if it ever has to do that I will be ok with it if the frame is stretched ( or cracks ) in the process of doing so . I can buy another Cobra but the older I get the dearer my hide gets .

Eddie

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Grumpy Old Man With a Gun

I forgot about one.



This Agent was in parts in a bag at a cop shop with a note that said "broken mainspring". Sure enough, the mainspring was broken. "How hard can this be?" says I. If only I knew......



90 bucks later it was mine. I got a mainspring, put it together, and then learned the rule of Colt internals: If you fix one thing, you just broke another.

I've got it to where sometimes the bolt won't drop down at the beginning to the firing process. Wiggle the cylinder or pull the hammer back a little, and it will shoot. In my world, this passes for success.

I keep shooting it, hoping the little explosions will joggle everything back into place.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

Sounds about like my gunsmithing ability.

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Everybody could shoot

Can finally say I have a Detective Special. 1969 model some dope blued the hammer on. Have matching walnut grips too.

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