Colt Detective Special?

Double-O-Dave · Feb 16, 2016

I usually carry a pair of J-frames - big believer in the New York Reload. Rather than a Model 686, I'd go with a K-frame in .38 Special, and then carry the Colt DS as a back-up - big reason for that is the speedloaders for the K-frame should also fit the Colt.

Good luck,

Dave

Rick_A · Feb 16, 2016

Double-O-Dave said:
I usually carry a pair of J-frames - big believer in the New York Reload. Rather than a Model 686, I'd go with a K-frame in .38 Special, and then carry the Colt DS as a back-up - big reason for that is the speedloaders for the K-frame should also fit the Colt.

Good luck,

Dave

Not quite. The D frame Colt's use a slightly smaller size.

Most of the DS's I've come across look good, but are often well worn mechanically.

Most of the Cobras I've found to be in great shape mechanically but with heavy holster wear.

I entertained getting one for some time but found a like new 649 instead.

kaaskop49 · Feb 16, 2016

DWalt said:
I ran across a fairly nice Cobra last gun show. Some lady was carrying it around trying to sell it from table to table for $1000. I looked at it and told her that if she lowered her price to $500-$600 she would be more likely to get a buyer fairly quickly, but she insisted that someone told her it was worth $1000, and that was what she would sell it for. When I left she still had it.

She's not alone... Changing the subject slightly, a gal at a show in '14 had a NIB Agent with exposed ejector rod for $700. I was mildly tempted, but if I have to worry about shooting and carrying what is today considered to be a collector's item, why bother?

Kaaskop49
Shield 5103

MacGuffin · Feb 16, 2016

Love the Colt DS! But, I must admit, I'll never carry it as an EDC. It's just one of those "I have to have" guns. Especially, for a fan of snubbies. Mine is a beautiful mint '67 DS that I found years ago. I've fired about 100 rounds or so through it, just to make sure that it does the job for which it was built. And, it does that just fine. Buttery! The only action it sees anymore is the occassional fondling when I pull it from the safe, that accompanies the drift into a daydream that takes place in a bygone era.

Like others have implied... Don't expect the price for a DS to ever move in a southern direction. If you decide to buy it and ever did need to call it into action, it should serve you, or the Mrs., just fine. Good luck!

petepeterson · Feb 16, 2016

Miles2014 said:
Thanks all,

You've all given me a lot of good info to think about. The Colt DS is in fantastic condition, so I'd be apprehensive about carrying it every day and wearing on the finish. That being said, I'd still love to have it. I'm not a big collector so I'm wondering if I'd be better off getting a nice 686 S&W instead. I don't think I'd want to pay $700 for a safe queen, I'd like it to be available in case the wife needed to access it.

Any thoughts?
Many thanks.

Unless you are throwing it on the ground, you can still keep it's value while shooting it occasionally. Carrying it will give the majority of finish wear. It will serve well as a drawer gun for the house.

JcMack · Feb 16, 2016

Cobras were introduced in '50-'51 and were the first of the "Snake" Colts. They're sought after now by people wanting to round out their Snake collection. Agent came out in '55 and ran to '61 in the first short butt style. It had a short butt with rounded corners unlike the following short butt guns. There after Agents took on same frame/butt as Cobras. The earlier Agents are very "collectible".
What surprises me is the interest now in .32 DS style revolvers. I had a couple chambered in .32, one of which was reamed to .32 H&R mag.. 8-10 yrs ago you couldn't give away a .32 DS style gun, now they command big bucks. Smith .32 J Frames the same way.
People are paying big bucks for guns that a true collector wouldn't touch for the money. It's all about the money now and that's ruined the revolver market. I now see HB Mod 10 Smiths that are obvious ex police guns for asking prices of $500.

Dennis The B · Feb 16, 2016

I own a pair, one nickel, and another in blue. I found a set of used stocks and had them finished for the blue one.

kilo charlie · Feb 16, 2016

'74 and '68. I carry the '74 almost every day. In my area, that's a fair price.

Zebadiah · Feb 16, 2016

My latest EDC is a 1972 Colt Detective Special that I bought at a local gun show for $370 out the door. It was obviously carried a lot and shot very, very little. The lockup is factory new. I had been looking for one for a long time, and this is the first one I had seen "in person" for sale is maybe twenty years. I was and am delighted to give it a new, warm, caring home. Colt rates it for limited +P usage, its new carry ration.

...just to give you an idea what is lurking out there. The same dealer had just taken in a 1975 Detective Special in excellent nickel finish with really good, full coverage, non-factory engraving. The action was clean and factory tight. I was sorely tempted for $800 but resisted.

Guevera · Feb 16, 2016

You'll forgive the slight hijack here, but I wanted to take advantage of what seems to be some knowledgeable people on this subject: where does the three-inch DS fall in values? More desirable, less?

This one is in good condition and those obviously aren't the factory stocks, but I am curious about it and rarely see the DS with the longer barrel mentioned.

JcMack · Feb 16, 2016

Guevera said:
where does the three-inch DS fall in values? More desirable, less?

This one is in good condition and those obviously aren't the factory stocks, but I am curious about it and rarely see the DS with the longer barrel mentioned.

My opinion only, and we all know what opinions are worth

. 3" DS's are bringing (or at least asking for) 40-50% more than the 2"er in the same condition. The LNIB 3" DS's do bring as much as twice the price of a similar 2". Does your gun have a long or short butt? What year was yours made and what overall condition would you rate it?

Jim

ladder13 · Feb 16, 2016

JcMack said:
$700 is lower end price of a collector 98% DS. For that money it should come with an appropriate box in good cond. Since it's a shrouded barrel they're "supposed to be" O.K. with +P if you're fond of that load and intend to carry the gun. Even then a steady diet of +P is not recommended. The DS/Cobra/Agent has had the "short butt" since '66. Those type grips are much easier to find than the "long butt" grips should you want replacements. Timing is all important on these guns and the tests for timing on a Colt are different than S&W tests. If you're unfamiliar with Colt test go the Colt Forum and check out their sticky on the subject.
Parts for these guns are hard to come by. It's to the point some parts are being rough manufactured by skilled hobbiest machinists and once you buy the part you need to find a gunsmith very familiar with Colts to install it.
I realty like the DS format and carry an agent or Cobra regularly.
The only DS I have now is on the lower right of pic. The others are 2 Cobras and 1 Agents. The gun on the upper right is a well finish challenged Cobra I got 2 weeks ago for $155. Lockup on all these guns is perfect, though they range in finish quality the DS being about 96.6786%.

A Cobra for $155?

Got this one for $200 but that was almost 20 years ago from a retiring police Capt.

Fellow forum member wheelgun28 and I ran into 2 DS's that were in a local gunshop. One was a Masback Trophy gun given to an academy graduate from NYPD circa 1968.
I went back about 2 weeks later and both were gone.

Otreb · Feb 16, 2016

Guevera said:
You'll forgive the slight hijack here, but I wanted to take advantage of what seems to be some knowledgeable people on this subject: where does the three-inch DS fall in values? More desirable, less?

This one is in good condition and those obviously aren't the factory stocks, but I am curious about it and rarely see the DS with the longer barrel mentioned.

I encounter one of similar vintage recently in very good shape with original stocks, it was priced $850.

Guevera · Feb 16, 2016

JcMack said:
Does your gun have a long or short butt? What year was yours made and what overall condition would you rate it?
Jim

I am afraid I don't know enough about the subject to tell you about the butt, but the serial number is C444XX.

JcMack · Feb 16, 2016

That would make it '73 production. "Short butt". I'll look around and see if it makes any difference to value. What would you consider overall mechanical/appearance condition?

Guevera · Feb 16, 2016

JcMack said:
That would make it '73 production. "Short butt". I'll look around and see if it makes any difference to value. What would you consider overall mechanical/appearance condition?

[I really should apologize to the OP for getting so far afield]

I am no judge, but I would rate it good to very good. The action is nice and crisp but there are some wear spots on the bluing, principally the cylinder. I don't have the box, but do have the original stocks.

DWalt · Feb 16, 2016

"8-10 yrs ago you couldn't give away a .32 DS style gun, now they command big bucks."

Have you seen the prices being asked for a DS in .38 NP (.38 S&W)?

JcMack · Feb 16, 2016

DWalt said:
"8-10 yrs ago you couldn't give away a .32 DS style gun, now they command big bucks."

Have you seen the prices being asked for a DS in .38 NP (.38 S&W)?

Yes, I'm not a collector, I couldn't dream of spending money on something I couldn't carry. Lack of funds comes with my retirement. It's crazy ain't it. I know they made .22 Cobra 3" guns that are pricey too.

Here's some GB'er links to 3" DS's. Give some idea of pricing.

GunBroker.com - Error
Colt Detective Special 3" Great Condition With box : Revolvers at GunBroker.com
Restored Colt Detective Special 3-Inch Barrel Blue : Revolvers at GunBroker.com

Double-O-Dave · Feb 16, 2016

Rick_A said:
Not quite. The D frame Colt's use a slightly smaller size.

Please see entries #22 and #23, above - I'm not trying to be argumentative, but at least with the Safariland Comp II speedloaders, the same one I use for my K-frames does fit and function with my Colt Detective Special. See photos - #1 shows the loaded Safariland Comp II speedloader along with my Model 65-3, and the Colt DS. #2 shows how the Comp II works as expected in the Model 65-3. #3 shows the same Comp II speedloader feeding the Colt DS. I assure you, no Photoshop or Jedi Mind Tricks were used here.

Regards,

Dave

Rick_A · Feb 22, 2016

Double-O-Dave said:
Please see entries #22 and #23, above - I'm not trying to be argumentative, but at least with the Safariland Comp II speedloaders, the same one I use for my K-frames does fit and function with my Colt Detective Special. See photos - #1 shows the loaded Safariland Comp II speedloader along with my Model 65-3, and the Colt DS. #2 shows how the Comp II works as expected in the Model 65-3. #3 shows the same Comp II speedloader feeding the Colt DS. I assure you, no Photoshop or Jedi Mind Tricks were used here.

Regards,

Dave

Sure. I use HKS. Different size.

Colt Detective Special?

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