I just got one and am impressed with the build and heft of it. I have looked around some but have not seen it mentioned that its rated for +P, although being an all steel gun, I would assume so.
Is this true?
I also put myself on the list for a Lobo enhanced pancake for it. Looking forward to that.

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“Look life in its iron face”

Yep, you can shoot all the +Ps you can afford in it.
You'll like the LOBO holster. Great craftsmanship a great price.
Jim

Jessie:

I recently picked up a Detective Special myself, and was surprised at how close it is in size to a J-frame - I'd always thought the Colt was much larger (here pictured with my S&W Model 649). Grant Cunningham, a noted gunsmith, and one of the few who will work on a Colt wheelgun, has stated the factory says a Detective Special should be inspected by the factory after every 3,000 rounds of +P have been fired through it. I think for many, 3,000 rounds of +P would only come with a lifetime of use from more than one owner. Still, I plan to only shoot standard velocity ammo out of mine - same stuff I feed my J-frames.

Regards,

Dave

Attached Images

Colt DS & S&W 649 #1.jpg (54.9 KB, 229 views)

Colt heavily advertised its Detective Special series as being ok for +P during the time when S&W said no to +P in its J frames.

That said, the DS has been out of production for so long, I would not shoot it much as repairs and parts are a difficult proposition. There are not many gunsmiths around that know how to work on Colt revolvers. And they are a specialty all to themselves.

I've read where Colt will still work on and has parts for this. I'm sure it's a finite thing.
I plan on shooting +Ps enough to be proficient with them and load it for SD, but otherwise it will be standard loads...in otherwords, the same way I treat my J frames.

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“Look life in its iron face”

It's closer in size to a Ruger SP-101, and will often fit holsters for them.

Mr. C. is correct. Colt said that figure and that light alloy guns, like the Cobra and Agent, needed to be factory examined after just 1,000 rounds of Plus P ammo. The steel Diamondback, Det. Spcl., and Police Positive Special were good for 3,000 rounds.

The guns won't blow up at that point, but the factory was concerned that there might be frame stretching or other issues that needed examining.

I purchased my Cobra in 1968 as my first off-duty gun and have run a handful of +P through it, but nowhere near 1000 & it still runs great. That said I have retired it b/c of the difficulty of getting it fixed, should that become necessary.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

On a lark a few months ago I picked up a very nice older Dick Special. I know it fells lonely in the safe as the only Colt surrounded by those many S&W products.

I have shot the gun and it’s rather accurate and comfortable in my big paws and I would have no problem using it as a CCW. I carried a Model 60 for a while years back and would have no problem with the Colt on my person.

For me I will not abuse it by subjecting it to +P ammo. Most people I know including knowledgeable LGS people and a serious Colt collector I run into at my club say not to or if you do limit the amount of heavy duty stuff you do fire. Parts and personnel to work on it are rather limited, but OP make your own decision on what to do.

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14 S&W Revs none with locks!

I bought this one from an NYPD Capt about 25 years ago, he was the original owner and barely used it. It's too nice to carry, I'd love to find a beater for that.

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Sure you did

My wife has two, both late 1970's. A .38 spcl and a .32 S&W Long. Love s them both. She sticks to standard loads but I'm sure they could handle more.

I have my Dad's .....(like ladder13's) I think it's from the 50s...as I don't remember him not having it as his off duty/plain cloths gun ( he was a Lt. and Capt. in the 60-70s) They practiced and qualified with Dad's reloads but in the last few years the carry load was the FBI +P SWCHP.

I've owed 2-3 others over the past 30 years but have always gone back to a 2.5 Model or finally a 3" 66...... for the trigger, durability and power.

Funny thing just saw one last week in a LGS w/ shrouded ejector rod for $650.......I was tempted..... they are so pretty....LOL

I own three of the Colt DS revolvers, two .38s, one old, one newish, and a mid-1960s in .32. They are fine weapons. I carried one of the .38s for many years. There is something to be said for the operational simplicity and reliability of the revolver.

Sold my Detective Special for this very reason in favor of a 649-3...

If the humpback held 6 I wouldn't miss the DS that much...

It's about ready to make my 2.25" Lawman surplus, too.

Despite the hype associated with the more collectible models, a Det. Spec. is the only Colt revolver I want. If a nice one falls in my lap at a price I can't refuse...

The 3rd issue has to be one of the most beautiful revolvers ever made. Like a K-frame with a 3 inch barrel, it just looks right.

I inherited my Grandfather's 3rd issue Detective Special. I saw the same info as Double O Dave, with the caveat it only applied to the 3rd issue, and one should not fire +P in the earlier models. On the rare occasions I carry it, I use Federal low recoil std pressure Hydra-Shok

I have one, and one on loan from a friend. I've always fired only standard pressure ammo. The latest .38 Special ammo made for shorter barrels, and others with modern bullets are effective enough for me. I'll pass on +P.

Personally, I would not shoot +Ps in my DS.
I pretty much shoot only 148gr. WCs in all my .38spl revolvers, even for SD.
Accurate, low recoil, fast recovery, inexpensive, so more practice.
Shot placement is everything.

Colt only rates the later D frames (Det Spec, Cobra, etc) with the shrouded ejector as acceptable for +P ammo. It does not recommend +P ammo in the earlier guns without the shrouded ejector.

Colt recommends the gun be checked at 3,000rds (steel frame) or 1,000rds (alloy frame) of +p by a certified Colt tech, or the factory for stretching, etc. The round count isn't a limit, just a recommendation for inspection.

I don't know if there is any limit on the Colt DSII, which is not technically a "D" frame, but it's later replacement that used different lockwork similar to the King Cobra. It should be a stronger gun.

The Colt Carry Magnum was essentially a DSII in .357 mag and was made for one year. Obviously it can handle +P.

The later guns use the same grips, holsters, etc. and would be the ticket for higher use with +P, but like all things Colt, cost an arm and a leg.

I recently purchased a used 4th issue DS. The owners manual states OK to shoot +P's but not all the time. I have also owned a Magnum Carry and DS II. The II was approved for full time +P's. Previously I owned a electroless nickel DS. I carried it as a backup to my Python on patrol. But it started to rust so I sold it and went back to a blued version.

I have had some great guns over the years, and sold most of them. That is why I strongly believe

You should never sell any guns.

I have a 4th and a 5th issue. Both are great guns, and get carried regularly. Usually the 4th goes into my Lobo pancake and the 5th goes into the pocket. I can shoot both into 2" at 15 yards, using 125 grain +P SD loads. Both are close to POA with that loading. Great guns!

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Even older, even crankier....

TTSH, I can just about guarantee you that it was hard-chromed.

I have only one Detective Special, although I do also own a Cobra and an Agent, all made before the advent of ejector rod shrouds on Colts. At one time, it occupied a unique spot in my collection of carry guns, and perhaps still does.

I was loitering in my LGS when a local policeman came in, and was interested in selling or trading his backup gun, a bobbed-hammer DS. This was in the early nineties, and the store owner, while sympathetic, explained that in order to sell it, he would have to get a new hammer installed, which, while possible at the time, wasn't all that inexpensive. In short, it wouldn't pay. At the time, I had been carrying and practicing with various lightweight narrow-sighted J frames, although my records show that I did own at a 642 with decent sights. Still, a little light. I asked to see the gun, and with an old Pachmayr grip adapter on it, it was quite comfortable. a bit of a change from some of what I had been carrying, and not much bigger. I asked the fellow what he wanted for it. At $90, it changed hands fairly quickly.

When I got it home, the first thing to go was the grip adapter. [Those old composite grip adapters often leave one's hand black. They certainly don't last forever.] A Tyler took its place. The second thing to take a temporary leave of absence was the sideplate. As I recall, I had to make a tool to disassemble the crane, but everything went well. The only disconcerting thing was that after all that work to make a tool and detail disassemble the revolver, it didn't need it. The whole revolver was clean. No black. Just clean oil. I have never, before or since, seen such a clean revolver. It looked like it had been cleaned by a gunsmith who knew that his own son was going to carry the gun on the job.

Oops. I forgot to tell you. That IS what happened. His father, a cop and a home gunsmith, was the one who had bobbed the hammer. Obviously, he cleaned it while he was at it.

For a few years, it was the gun I left in the car when parking at the airport, since I had only paid $90 for it. Later, in MA, I couldn't do that, although it has since become legal if unadvisable. But you can see from the above that it is kind of special, anyway. The policeman I bought it from is still around, and I see him once in a while. As of a few years ago, he was still on the job, undoubtedly carrying something lighter on his vest. But not cleaner.

They are really special with a 3" barrel.

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Wayne
Torn & Frayed

Got this 1933 one in the box with original pearls. Its a real looker. Also picked up a 1950's shooter for $300 to keep it out of trouble.



Charlie

I just got my Lobo (early) and its a great fit. A pleasant surprise is that my 642 fits in it pretty well, also. I probably couldn't hang upside-down and shake around with it, but then I couldn't do that anyways.
I also picked up a b8 belt with it.

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“Look life in its iron face”

And one with the 642

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“Look life in its iron face”

Colt offered a few of their Police Positive Specials with an unmarked 2" bbl in 1927. They were received so well it was decided to continue production and mark them as the "Detective Special", thus inventing the first full production 38 Special snubnose.

Back when most men of action packed a 38 Special or 357 Magnum six-shot revolver for work, the Colt DS (and its variants) fell into an interesting niche. It was the smallest "real gun" one could carry. Yes, it was acuurate, reliable, and in a real fighting caliber but easy to carry around all day. Smaller guns were around, but always at a sacrifice of some kind.

I did not fully understand the Colt DS "smallest real gun" status until I bought a late model a few years ago, put some Spegal grips on it and started carrying it in a Pancake holster. It is small, concealable, and comfortable yet a six-shot 38 in a fight. Still, the action is more delicate than our beloved Smiths and is more easily out of time. I am not comfortable with +P ammo for it, although it will certainly not blow up. I would never use +P in a Cobra or Agent as I have personally seen these frames crack under such stress.

I've got A Colt Marshall 2" snubbie, while it's not rated for +P I'd bet it wouldn't have much of a problem as it's off the OP frame. Easiest shooting snubbie I own bar none.

I have a DS & Cobra.



Have CC both but there DA is not as good as any of my S&W "J" frames.

All mine are loaded with Hornady Custom 158 gr XTP rounds.

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Only difference Fool/Mule-ears

I'm a big fan of the DS, it's become one of my favorite revolvers I've ever owned. It's like a perfect cross between a J-Frame and a K-Frame! Mine has a Hogue Goncalo Alves grip, it's the one that fits my hand the best. The Colt emblem is on a shirt I have.

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DSC_0294.jpg (55.5 KB, 20 views)

The stupidist thing I ever did was trade off my 3 inch Detective Special to get a freaking Glock.

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CPT, Armor (Ret)
Luke 22:36

Wow.....that is a sad deal....

Dennis.

I carried an issued Detective Special, both the older and updated models in .38 SPL. I let one slip through my fingers and I would jump at another one if I could find a clean one.

They're great guns with one more round of capacity over the ChieF Special.

Man! There's $3000 worth of pictures of it!
Sure is a nice looking firearm.

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“Look life in its iron face”

One thing I've noticed with mine that I haven't seen elsewhere are the older style grip panels on the later model DS.
Maybe add ons? Or did they also come like that from the factory?

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“Look life in its iron face”