Loyaljeeper
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The hollow hammer means it is a 66 or 67.
Detective Special Picture Thread!
- Thread starter Etalksalot
- Start date
kwill1911
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Military:
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Etalksalot
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This one is from around 1961. Coltwood grips shown are not original, but I later traded them even for a minty pair of correct checkered wood grips.
That's nice! Glad to hear you got the wood grips. I've seen a couple DS's for sale online that were really nice but had the Coltwood grips. Not a big fan of those. They aren't terrible, they beat a lot of other grips in my opinion, but I love the walnut.
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Etalksalot
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Etalksalot
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That's cool! 8 had just learned about the hammer with the hole. Guess it looked too much like a Smith so they changed it. I love that both companies made great revolvers, but not only were they great, but were so different in the most mynute ways. Cylinders going opposite directions, also one is a pull release, the other push. Hole in the hammer and not. Completely exposed rods (in the early days of Colt) and smith having shrouds and lugs at the end, and yet both were classic works of art. Amazing.
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Etalksalot
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Very nice! I love the grips. They look beautiful! I love the style a lot on the DS even on the 3rd issue DS. Very nice gun.
RobertJ.
Member
Military:
I just learned something new!
I was under the impression that the square butt was phased out in 1933. According to proofhouse.com/colt, the square butt models with the 466xxx serial number were made in the late 30's, #4763xx was made between '41 and '42, and #4780xx was made between '42 and '43.
What do the dates listed for each represent?
Nice collection, BTW!
kwill1911
Member
Those are the ship dates. There were some small early shipments to military organizations that were round butts but the bigger contracts from the Ordnance Dept. during WWII specified the older square butt configuration.
RobertJ.
Member
Interesting! Thank you for the info!
DevilDog72
US Veteran
w o w a perfect set, gun and holster
Engine49guy
Member
Purchased this early SS version of the Detective Special many years ago.
IIRC Colt didn't want to brand it as the DS2 yet to avoid confusion during the transition and instead named it the SF-VI in the interim.
Supposedly these have the lightest trigger pull of any production Colt revolver.
This one has never been fired but I can confirm the trigger pull is VERY LIGHT.
IIRC Colt didn't want to brand it as the DS2 yet to avoid confusion during the transition and instead named it the SF-VI in the interim.
Supposedly these have the lightest trigger pull of any production Colt revolver.
This one has never been fired but I can confirm the trigger pull is VERY LIGHT.
Last edited:
crsides
US Veteran, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Picked this one up at Tulsa last week. A 75 year old guy came to the table, asked if anyone wanted to buy old Colts. He had two ACE's, a "unfired" det spl from 1930, a 1928 commercial 1911 in original box, and a Rem Rand 1943. He didn't know alot about them, but his Dad had bought them and he knew his guns.Someone got to him first and bought an early 1930's 38 super. All were in nice condition, he had called Colt, described them and got prices from Colt. (apparently Colt doesn't give phone appraisals, so ...) I can't agree with this process, but he was not taking a nickle less than what he got over the phone. We paid up. Couldn't abide watching them walk away. I got one of the ACE's and the Det Spl, my buddy bought the 1928 Commercial model. The Det Spl came with a document printed off the internet about Harry Ward, chief of police 1930-1934. Also Brigadier General of the Iowa National Guard. A hand written note said this info went with the Det Spl. Nothing else to tie this gun in with Harry Ward.
crsides
US Veteran, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Got home and pulled the grips to check for rust etc, and found Harry Ward C of P written in pen. A letter request is on the way.
Oh, my, Charlie....that is just exquisite. What a beautiful DS. I guess they are still out there!!!! Thanks for sharing with us.
Best Regards, Les
Best Regards, Les
Rayfan87
Member
You guys are gonna get me in trouble. I've gotten an itch lately to add a snub .38spl to the collection, possibly as carry gun, and this thread just makes me want one even more. Right now the only non-top break revolvers I have are a couple .22lrs.
crsides
US Veteran, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Jump on in. Plenty of room in the pool.
Texas Star
US Veteran
Picked this one up at Tulsa last week. A 75 year old guy came to the table, asked if anyone wanted to buy old Colts. He had two ACE's, a "unfired" det spl from 1930, a 1928 commercial 1911 in original box, and a Rem Rand 1943. He didn't know alot about them, but his Dad had bought them and he knew his guns.Someone got to him first and bought an early 1930's 38 super. All were in nice condition, he had called Colt, described them and got prices from Colt. (apparently Colt doesn't give phone appraisals, so ...) I can't agree with this process, but he was not taking a nickle less than what he got over the phone. We paid up. Couldn't abide watching them walk away. I got one of the ACE's and the Det Spl, my buddy bought the 1928 Commercial model. The Det Spl came with a document printed off the internet about Harry Ward, chief of police 1930-1934. Also Brigadier General of the Iowa National Guard. A hand written note said this info went with the Det Spl. Nothing else to tie this gun in with Harry Ward.
Can you get good pics of that 1928 Colt .45 auto? Hopefully sharper than the photo here?
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Etalksalot
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Picked this one up at Tulsa last week. A 75 year old guy came to the table, asked if anyone wanted to buy old Colts. He had two ACE's, a "unfired" det spl from 1930, a 1928 commercial 1911 in original box, and a Rem Rand 1943. He didn't know alot about them, but his Dad had bought them and he knew his guns.Someone got to him first and bought an early 1930's 38 super. All were in nice condition, he had called Colt, described them and got prices from Colt. (apparently Colt doesn't give phone appraisals, so ...) I can't agree with this process, but he was not taking a nickle less than what he got over the phone. We paid up. Couldn't abide watching them walk away. I got one of the ACE's and the Det Spl, my buddy bought the 1928 Commercial model. The Det Spl came with a document printed off the internet about Harry Ward, chief of police 1930-1934. Also Brigadier General of the Iowa National Guard. A hand written note said this info went with the Det Spl. Nothing else to tie this gun in with Harry Ward.
Oh my goodness! That is an absolutely perfect DS!! THAT is perfect!
I had lost track of this thread, but here's my latest Detective Special, nickle plate, from the 1960s....
Best Regards, Les
Best Regards, Les
Targets Guy
US Veteran
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