S&W blasphemy I know. But I picked up a 70s Colt Detective, which has the ejector shroud. I finally go it to the range yesterday and after my eyes adjust to the front sight, damn if it wasn't very accurate, easy on the hands, and the first time I've shot DA so well. The grips were thick, which I liked, and that helped with control and recoil. I need to confirm if they were original. It also came with white faux pearl grips. I gave those to my friend, so he could dress up his nickel Detective.

I was curious about how the S&W 36 would compare. And, would it be less expensive, for a same condition Detective? I'll hit my Detective front site with orange or white nail polish, but how crisp is the front sight on the 36?

Side note, my friend brought his Fitz Colt Detective with him. "Be careful drawing that or you'll kill your feet." It has no trigger guard, a knurled/bobbed hammer, brass front site. That thing is a hoot!

The obvious for one, 5 shot, six shot. Close in weight:
Small grip, bigger grip. I had a Cobra, bit more kick than DS. Both great guns. I also had a 2.5" DB, 24 ozs. Cylinder on DS is a little larger in diameter, puts firing cartridge higher in the frame, a little more muzzle flip, but DS is couple ozs more weight. That's my theory and I'm sticking to it. My Cobra was nickel, mid '70,s, great shape. Of course I TRADED it! Would be worth2-3 times what I paid, $400. Needed money. So, I'm lazy and not too bright, I've been told.

I have always felt that the DS is the ultimate concealable revolver, then and now. I have only one of them, but she is a beauty. I think the absolute best ones were the so-called "Second Issues" made 1947-65 without the extractor rod shrouds. 10-15 years ago, you could find a good one in the $300 price neighborhood. Today it is more like $600 and up. The pre-war DS versions are all priced over $1000 even in NSG condition. There are also some DSs chambered in .32 Long (unusual) and .38 S&W (downright rare). I don't go for alloy frame revolvers.

One goes clock wise the other goes counter clock wise...

To much for my brain to handle.. give me a Smith..

The Colt is much easier to shoot well.

It’s a bit larger than the M36

Neither is a first choice for pocket carry because of the exposed hammer.

I like Detective Specials but like model 36s more. S & W considered making a direct competitor (the C frame model 73) but this didn't get beyond the prototype stage.

"The grips were thick, which I liked, and that helped with control and recoil. I need to confirm if they were original."

We like photos .

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

I admit to being prejudiced, I have three Colt DS and like them very much. I have only one J-frame Smith. The Colts fit my hand very well and shoot very well. The Smith, not so much.

The Colt DS/Cobra was heads and shoulders
above the Smith J-frames. Never understood
how Colt managed to lose that market too
even in the 1950s-1970s heyday of police
revolvers.

But as police switched to K-frames (smaller,
handier than the Colt Official Police) then
I guess the J-frame was a natural follower.

My dislike of the J-frame has always been
its heavier trigger and the fact that it
wasn't a 6-shooter.

If revolvers were more popular today I
think the Kimber would be a runaway
success. Also the Kimber price is
off-putting.

Don't even mention the new Colt Cobra
in the same breath as the older Colt
DS/Cobra models.

First breath!---Yeah that has to be the heaviest "Cobra" I ever saw. Like they said in the old TV show Dragnet, the names have been changed to protect the innocent.

Second breath----FWIW I have two nice examples of a real DS and shrouded Cobra in my safe. Both .38 2''

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14 S&W Revs none with locks!

I ALWAYS shot a Colt DS as good or better as I did ANY S&W K-38 4". I'll still take a 2" DS, Cobra, etc over a J-38 any day!

Plus ya got an extra shot too!

Another fan of the DS here. A third issue was my first legal CCW gun. Although I don't carry it anymore, I won't part with it either.
The J-frame's only advantage is its slightly smaller size. It does fit into pockets where the Colt won't. But that's also always been my problem with the J-frame. Its just too small for me to shoot well.
Not so with a Detective Special. With it I can hit what I aim at with no problem.

My only Colt snub nose guns have been the older Detective Special, Agent, and Cobra, all with unshrouded ejector rods. Can't speak for the newer shrouded ejector rod guns.

I think the Colts are somewhat easier to shoot well and probably a better gun for a beginner to learn with rather than a J-frame S&W. Accuracy-wise, I doubt there is any significant difference, but I've never done a side-to-side comparison.

For concealment, the S&W is the better gun. Five-shots vs. six? Probably only of importance to those who obsess over gun fighting theory.

Both are good guns.

The DS I gave to the grandson several years ago. Still have the older
Cobra. Did have to put goodyear grips as the wood ones bit me on the web of my hand!
The M640 is the J frame I CC a lot.
5 or 6 rounds? Not that much difference as I see..... Just the weight and
size.

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Only difference Fool/Mule-ears

Interesting reading. thanks. Mine has the ejector rod shroud. My friend has several, the worst one he has shows a price tag of $1,078. It's older, as it has no shroud, but although it's his "shooter", the gun is easy 95%. I don't "need" one but admit for some reason I like it without the shroud. I shot the side by side and couldn't notice any real difference in accuracy or recoil, although I did like my fatter grips better.

So many years collecting Colts, etc., and he was surprised to learnt something. the grip frames are actually longer on the older DS. He only has the older models, without the shroud. When I gave him the faux pearl grips from my DS, they had a small wood spacer, for use on my newer gun. When i showed it to him, he then realized that the newer guns had shorter grip frames, as his older DS didn't require the spacer to make up for length. 50 years of collecting and you can still learn something new every day.

While Detective Specials were being made they had larger sights than fixed sighted J frames. Since you are not easily seeing DS sights a Chief Special might not be as good for you. I have a strong preference for S&W but I have to concede that comparing small snubs Colts had the better sights.

The last of Colts small V mainspring revolvers had stocks that look more like reduced size S&W Target Stocks than older DS stocks so the ones on your late DS probably are original. Combined with the ejector rod shroud they made the last D frame's appearance more similar to S&Ws.

I enjoy mine. Love to watch them squabble.



1941 & 1967 Colt DS





and that Colt Cobra keeps getting into the mix as well.

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Mike
S&WCA #3065

Have both a Cobra and a model 36, I carry the Cobra.

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LIVE FROM THE DAWGHOUSE