Thinking on making an offer to a friend on his Colt Detective Special .38spl. No box or papers. Condition would be VG to Excellent. Serial No. 916XXX which Colt website has 3 manufacture dates of 1964/65/66? What would be a fair offer to my friend? GB is all over the place on prices.... Appreciate the help! Thx!

Assuming you have done the mechanical tests and all is OK $600- $650 would be in order

__________________
14 S&W Revs none with locks!

Howdy
That's a 2nd issue, which were made between about 1947-1972. Since yours has the short grip frame, it was made in 1966 or later. The grips are in nice shape. $750 to $1000. If you can get it for less, good for you.

I prefer the looks of the 3rd issue, but my nickel
2nd issue from 1964 is pretty handsome - into it for about $1100. One of my birth year guns.

Attached Images

	C7107470-A254-497C-9F3A-A7653BA5A134.jpg (73.8 KB, 26 views)
	205122F7-FA1B-4355-A2A3-649F25BDA8AE.jpg (132.4 KB, 24 views)

__________________
213th FBINA

I agree with $600-650. If I were the seller I’d ask $650 but as the buyer I’d offer $600 which is fair.

Thank you for the valuable information concerning 2nd issue, short grip frame & year of manufacture. Bet it's a 1966 then. Going to make my friend an offer. Appreciate the help here!

In CA at retail that would be close to a $1k gun. Might even hit $1k. Of course the selling store would get 20-25% of that on a consignment so $700 more or less would be a fair price for it IMHO.

Those with the postwar long grip frame are more desirable. In a friend to friend transaction, I would go along with the $600-650 range. I would go $50-100 more for a postwar DS with the longer grip frame. Of course, prices would vary in different parts of the country. The last one I bought was seven years ago, from ca. 1960, about 90%. I paid $450 for it. The very early square butt DS versions can bring ,somewhat higher prices.

This assumes a .38 Special. Those in .32 and .38 NP will bring substantially more, especially those in .38 NP. Those are very unusual.

A quick way to assess what year a DS like this is by looking at the hammer rivet. Colt used a hollow rivet similar to an S&W from 1966 through 1969.
Before and after the period, Colt used their traditional solid rivet polished at the surface to be almost undetectible against the sides of the hammer.

Excellent point on the hollow hammer rivet. I guess they are not as desirable and keeps this revolver to "me" in the $600-$650 range. Finding out something new every time I come here. 2nd generation, 1966 manufacture. Still a great buy. I'm stopping by sellers house in a couple hours so I'll make offer. Appreciate the input!

I picked up this Detective Special with original box (2nd Issue, ca. 1952) a few years ago for $750. I had to make a few repairs on the box, and the revolver shows some honest wear, but I was glad to get it. IMHO, $800-$900 would be a fair offer. Good luck!

Attached Images

	IMG_2112.jpg (37.9 KB, 44 views)
	IMG_2113.jpg (43.5 KB, 38 views)
	IMG_2117.jpg (115.0 KB, 27 views)

I purchased this Detective Special and brought it home. $600. Gave it a good needed cleaning. Honestly, this DS was shot only maybe a couple time since 1966. No scratches, dings, wear, very tight no cylinder play. Absolutely amazing it fell into my lap. I'll post up some pictures sometime today. Appreciate the accurate feedback from members here.

Congrats. Sounds like a reasonable deal for everybody concerned. I am confident you will enjoy your new pony.

The essential snubby. It takes you back to the film noir and crime movies and TV shows of the 1940s and 1950s. No other snubby has the same look and feel. Colt Detective Special - Internet Movie Firearms Database - Guns in Movies, TV and Video Games

Colt Detective .38spl (1966)

Wow, looks like it just came out of the factory, congrats! Even better that it came from a friend.

I am not sure of exactly when, but sometime in the 1950s, the DS extractor rod was lengthened by about a half inch for more complete fired case extraction. I like using heavy reloads in .38 Short Colt cases in snubbies in order to get improved extraction.

Approximately mid 1952

Shoot that and enjoy it; I have a 1963 model. It is an amazing shooter with every brand and weight of .38 special I have tried. Definitely a keeper.

Have my Dad's 1950-something. His off duty, then his duty gun as a Captain in a suit.

Very nice Colt DS at a fair price. I am not a Colt expert but I think any pre 1970 Colt revolver in excellent condition at a fair price should be bought. Maybe Colt experts can correct me but around 1970 Colt change the internal mechanisms from the way they had been made previously. This is my only Colt revolver a 1956 Official Police shot very little. I bought it at a local estate auction in 2015 for $395 out the door. What a great revolver.

Attached Images

IMG_0468.jpg (72.0 KB, 24 views)

You boys beat me to the rivet! The best-looking version of the DS/Cobra/Agent line in my opinion.

We have a '71 DS and am curious as to what VaTom
stated in a previous post.
Will RenWax that Colt and post a picture later.
When I was almost 10, my Dad's NYPD Detective buddy, put his Snub on the card table on top of a large denomination bill.
Is that real, I asked.
The gun or bill, he replied.
The gun, said I.
Received my first lesson with a real revolver.
Couldn't remember if it was a Colt or Smith.
After I bought the DS, about 12 or so years ago, and looked at it carefully, I remembered it was a Smith.

__________________
Have Fun/Stay Safe

This morning I took the Detective Special to the range with my winter switchover CCW pistol & wheel gun. Luckily I have plenty of .38spl target 130gr FMJ & 158gr LRN on hand. This little guy shot like a champ! All my shooting was at the 15yd line DA/SA at steel plates. Did better than I thought I would.

Doubtful that I'll CCW it, but never say never. Then of course another holster etc. Lol. .38spl +P is out of the question. I'll look into some 158gr SWC possibly if I get the urge. Again, appreciate all the accurate input/schooling that I was provided with before this purchase.

Even though I am a Smith guy, the Colt without the ejector shroud has WAY better sights. So these days, the gun I carry when I am not carrying a gun is a Colt Cobra.

Attached Images

Cobra target.jpg (89.5 KB, 28 views)

Nice looking Detective Special, Norton 750. What year is your's since you also have the hollow rivet hammer pin?

Colt Lockwork Changes | The High Road

Reference to Colt changes - See the link above for a discussion

I do know that the official police was discontinued in 1969 as it was too expensive tp manufacture with the lock work used previously for many years. The older Colts were hand fitted lock work. They may have also changed from the V mainspring.

"This assumes a .38 Special. Those in .32 and .38 NP will bring substantially more, especially those in .38 NP. Those are very unusual." D Walt

Colt D.S. 1952 Colt .38 New Police







Colt Cobra 1952 Colt .38 New Police, even more rare than the D.S. in this caliber. This one was owned by Gary H Peer, author of the book "The Colt Double -Action Snub-Nose (Pocket) Revolver", a definitive research book on the subject. As referenced on page 128 of his book.









Colt D.S. 1951/52 Colt .32 New Police with factory hammer shroud

I know this is a Detective Special thread but since the above post has a 38 NP Cobra I’ll post my 1953 32cal Cobra. The grips were originally Coltwood (plastic) but shrunk about 50%. These are OEM Colt grips.

Attached Images

	IMG_5300.jpg (113.5 KB, 12 views)
	IMG_5297.jpg (103.6 KB, 14 views)

I like to carry my late 50's Agent every once in a while. I feel like Sam Spade.

I passed up a .32 DS about 20 years ago as I was a bit short on disposable income. Foolishly, I passed up one in .38 NP about 10 years back at a very good price. Not sure why I did that, no money issues at that time. I was never too interested in Agents and Cobras.

I've had all three versions of the Detective Spl's and I prefer the action of the Gen 2 to be the best. I also prefer the feel of the Gen 3 with the square butt grips over the overs.

So if I could find a Gen 3 DS and a gun smith who can perform the Gen 2 trigger job on it, I would have the ultimate BUG.

It’s not a DS, but is an Agent. Nice find here on the forum.

Attached Images

IMG_0542.jpg (70.1 KB, 16 views)