Home from the show - All I found was a Colt Detective Special

[WC145]

Going to the gun show in Waterville, ME today. It's usually a pretty good one, I almost always find something I can't live without but since I got lucky at the Bangor show I'm not expecting much. Keeping my fingers crossed though!

 

[pred]

Yea, Pick me up a 1/2 Moon front sight 5 screw Pre 36.
Any functioning condition will do.
I have 360 bucks to send you to ship it here to PA.
Thanks a bunch!
Peter

 

[ladder13]

Pick me up a 686-4 with 3 inch tube and 7 holes.

 

[WC145]

Sorry guys, didn't find either of those but we had a good time (took the wife), looked through everything twice. It was a pretty good show, some decent prices, lots of autos but a decent number of revolvers. Most of the wheel guns were pricey and nothing special among the S&W's except for a stainless 6" .44spl, no lock, for $650, nothing I was looking for and now I can't remember the model number.

There were several Colts, kind of a surprise, for some reason you don't see many around here. There was a very nice 6" Colt Trooper for $495, which was interesting but I like shorty guns, and this nickel Detective Special. The guy couldn't tell me a thing about it and I don't know much about them but it is in excellent shape and locks up tighter than any other revolver I have. It doesn't appear to have been used much and there is only two small blemishes which may come out with polish - a stain on the right side of the barrel where something splashed on it and a small mark on the right side of the frame between the pins. I paid $500 total, which I think may be about all it's value, but it's my first Colt, my first nickel gun, and my first with pearl grips, so I think it's kind of cool. It'll be a nice "going out" gun.

The serial number is C07277, can any of you tell me anything about it? Maybe the year it was made?

 

[RonJ]

Wow, A 6 shot pocket snubbie. Next time you're there see if there are any C frames available. I also have $360.00 bucks to spend.

 

[MKT]

The serial number is C07277, can any of you tell me anything about it? Maybe the year it was made?

Well, it looks like a Colt.



Besides the obvious, Proofhouse.com tells me it was made in 1972.

 

[Wheelgunner840]

Those Det. Specials are great little guns. You will love it. Good luck with it.

 

[reerc]

Awesome find sir, congratulations!

 

[whitecoyote]

Excellent find.
What kind of grips is the Colt wearing. Looks like some pearl?

 

[JcMack]

Excellent find.
What kind of grips is the Colt wearing. Looks like some pearl?

More than likely faux pearl from J Scott. I've got a few. Assuming it locks up tight thats a fair price. The short D frame is much easier to find grips for than it's predecessor. Nice gun. Don't try to repair the finish!!! I've got a couple Cobras.

 

[WC145]

Yes, I believe the grips are Jay Scott, there's a pair of brand new ones in the package on ebay and they look exactly the same. The upper part of the grip frame is real skinny feeling in my hand, I think I'll be ordering a polished aluminum T-grip for it.

It's raining here today but I'm going to get out back and at least put a couple of rounds through it and see how it shoots.

 

[PALADIN85020]

Congrats on a nice find! You have a late second model of the "Dick Special." The first series had half-moon front sights; earliest of which had square butts rather than rounded. The second series began after WWII. I have a second series example made in May of 1959, much the same as yours, but blued. The serial number on this one is 735xxx. Later in this series, sometime in the early '60's, the grip frame was shortened to the same size as the similar Colt Agent. The grips were modified so as to give the same overall grip length as before. The third and last series had shrouded ejector rods, starting in 1972. Yours is a second series with the shortened grip frame, so I estimate it was made in the mid- to late '60s.

I wrote an article on the Detective Special which appeared in Dillon's Blue Press catalog/magazine in the November, 2008 issue. You could call 1-800-223-4570 and ask one of the sales reps if he'd get that back issue from the editor and send it to you.

Here's mine (with the longer grip frame) for comparison:

 

[Rule3]

Congrats on a nice find! You have a late second model of the "Dick Special." The first series had half-moon front sights; earliest of which had square butts rather than rounded. The second series began after WWII. I have a second series example made in May of 1959, much the same as yours, but blued. The serial number on this one is 735xxx. Later in this series, sometime in the early '60's, the grip frame was shortened to the same size as the similar Colt Agent. The grips were modified so as to give the same overall grip length as before. The third and last series had shrouded ejector rods, starting in 1972. Yours is a second series with the shortened grip frame, so I estimate it was made in the mid- to late '60s.

I wrote an article on the Detective Special which appeared in Dillon's Blue Press catalog/magazine in the November, 2008 issue. You could call 1-800-223-4570 and ask one of the sales reps if he'd get that back issue from the editor and send it to you.

Here's mine (with the longer grip frame) for comparison:

Well Sir, I am shocked, shocked I tell ya. Of all the beautiful guns you have and equally as nice pictures, the upper right screw appears buggered. I just do not believe you would allow such a thing!

Both Colts are truly very nice. I kick myself for not snagging the one I could, of should of, didn't.

 

[PALADIN85020]

OCD1,

Yeah, I really didn't notice the less-than-perfect screw until I got it home. Not of my doing - I've never popped the sideplate on this one. Still, I've got the gun, the original box and papers, so maybe someday I can get an unbuggered screw to make it mo betta. Colts aren't high priority items with me, so I'll put that on my "someday when I find the time" list... In the meantime, if anyone has an extra screw, I'm open to donations!

 

[Rule3]

OCD1,

Yeah, I really didn't notice the less-than-perfect screw until I got it home. Not of my doing - I've never popped the sideplate on this one. Still, I've got the gun, the original box and papers, so maybe someday I can get an unbuggered screw to make it mo betta. Colts aren't high priority items with me, so I'll put that on my "someday when I find the time" list... In the meantime, if anyone has an extra screw, I'm open to donations!

It's just that your photos are so good just can't help but notice. I would be more than pleased with the condition of that fine revolver.

 

[WC145]

I got out yesterday and put a few rounds through it. Nice shooting gun, easy to shoot, not a lot of felt recoil using WWB FMJ and one cylinder full of 125gr +P HP. It does shoot a bit to the left for me but I think it may be due to the narrow grip, hopefully the T-grip will help with that. I have to say that the double action pull feels completely different than my S&W's, much shorter and a bit strange. It'll take some getting used to. The nickel finish sure cleans up easy when you're done!