Colt Detective Spec

**GOVT1911** · June 28, 2011, 19:27

I just snagged a nice little Colt Detective Special in a trade. A little searching shows me that it was made in 1974. It's my first "Nickle-plated-sissy-pistol". LOL

It has some HUGE Pachmyer (sp?) rubber grips on it, gotta find a nice set of wood for it, as well as some speedloaders and plenty of ammo to practice with.

Anyone have any suggestions for some decent grips, speedloaders and holsters?

Thanks.

**bykerhd** · June 28, 2011, 20:28

An OLD set of Herret's stocks in good shape would look just fine.
It's tough to find the right grips for Colts sometimes though.
They aren't quite like S & W with everything pretty straightforward mostly J, K or N with round & square butts being about the only issues.

HKS speedloaders can often be found used and usable for about 1/2 the price of new in lots of shops and gunshows. Again, you need the right ones.

**GOVT1911** · June 28, 2011, 20:58

Thanks. I'll be looking around at the next funshow for speedloaders and grips.

Any recommendations on a particular holster maker? I don't have ANY experience with revolver leather, but have seen a couple that look good from Don Hume and a few other makers that I do have experience with.

I've always been more into black autos. Besides a stainless Springfield 1911, this is the first "pretty" pistol, and first revolver at all, that I've owned. I almost want to find some mother of pearl grips for it! LOL

**bykerhd** · June 28, 2011, 21:52

Most of the holsters I've had I bought used.
Some came from dealers, others from gunshows and others from E-Bay.
Old time classics would be Lawrence, S.D. Myres and Heiser.
Older production Safariland and Bianchi can be very good.
New Safariland holsters are all composites and semi-universal crap.
New Bianchi stuff is made in Mexihole !!!
Current favorites are from Simply Rugged and El Paso Saddlery.
Kramer, Milt Sparks and Rosen are also excellent. Especially Kramer horsehide.
Galco are ok, as are Desantis.
I don't think much of some of their designs though.
There are bunches of designs out there, many very good, but I think you'll find your revolver will limit your choices quite a bit.

Stay away from old police leather. They are heavy, overly large, usually beat to crap and have a bunch of features designed for gun retention while wrestling bad guys, lawyers and ugly women.

Also avoid cheap leather like Hunter and definitely stay away from the nylon "bag" holsters like Uncle Mikes.

**GOVT1911** · June 28, 2011, 22:40

I beleive in quality holsters, as well as quality belts. I've seen guys with $1000 pistols stuffed in UTG "One size fits none" holsters on K-mart weave belts.

I have a couple nice thick gunbelts that I carry autos on (in decent holsters, usually IWB), so I'm looking for something like that. Like I said, it's my first revolver and I just don't have much experience with'em.

And just for the record, I do also have a bunch of Fobus plastic holsters, too. They're cheap, but can't beat'em for playing in the woods with a pistol on....they retain well (at least my Beretta and 1911's), I don't care if I scratch'em up and I can just hose'em off when I get home. BUT.....I'm looking for a GOOD leather holster for my new six-shooter.

Is there any special care to take with the nickle finish? It's not pristine, but it is in really good shape. I plan on shooting the hell outta this one and maybe even running some IDPA or IPSC matches with it, just for kicks.

Timber Wolf · June 29, 2011, 07:07

I miss my old nickel plated Dick Special but did make a little money on it at the time it left me for a new home. I actually have a set of Mother of Pearl grips for a Colt but they are on my Nickel .22 L.R. Banker's Special. Talk about a little Pimp Gun!

Ditto about the old Cop leather as posted above. I won some Galco cheap off fleabay and it probably was a good holster at one time but now is just worn out and really rides the gun up much higher than I like anyway. A good IWB holster would be a nice ride for an old Colt. I like to carry my snubbies that way. Although I do not have a D.S. these days I do have a couple of old Cobras, one with factory hammer shroud, and a newer parkerized Agent with a Tyler T-grip that is a favored carry. Love them old Colts, six in a Colt snubbie beats five in a S&W anyday. Although I do have a few five shooters in the safe (and one in the console of the truck).

**BUFF** · June 30, 2011, 00:15

I like good revolvers. I have had my remaining Detective Special since 1984. The original wood grips that came with it are quite fat, not a lot smaller than the Pachmayrs. There are better, smaller aftermarket stocks out there, but unless your hands are the same dimensions as mine, I can't tell you what to get.

I like HKS brand speedloaders. One advantage is that they make them for a huge number of different revolvers and they all work the same. This commonality of operation is a good thing if you carry the revolvers you have for serious They are durable and don't dump their rounds out if you drop them.

The HKS Colt D.S. speedloader is marked DS-A.

About the only thing I don't like about my D.S. is the smooth, unserrated front sight blade. Disappears sometimes depending on where the light is coming from. It would have cost Colt what, $5.00 to have cut those little grooves during production?

Nickel isn't hard to maintain, just wipe it down with an oily or silicon treated rag on a regular basis. If you use a metal solvent on it, make sure you clean the solvent off after cleaning it. Lots of folks like to apply a wax finish to their handguns; the most popular brand is Renaissance, but I can't tell any difference between it and old fashion Turtle Wax paste wax, but then I don't carry my nickel guns much. Most of my daily packers are stainless.

The D.S. is a classic design. It just looks like a small revolver ought to look.

**Andy the Aussie** · June 30, 2011, 04:31

There is a great deal to be said for the little extra bulk and extra round the Dick Special gives you over the (almost) comparable S&W product. I am a diehard S&W revolver junkie but I can also admire those older Colts !!! I have a Colt OMM in .22 that is one of my most used handguns. My first revolver was a Python

June 28, 2011, 19:27	#1
GOVT1911 Curio & Relic Silver Contributor FALaholic #: 9433 Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Raeford, NC Posts: 3,215	Colt Detective Spec I just snagged a nice little Colt Detective Special in a trade. A little searching shows me that it was made in 1974. It's my first "Nickle-plated-sissy-pistol". LOL It has some HUGE Pachmyer (sp?) rubber grips on it, gotta find a nice set of wood for it, as well as some speedloaders and plenty of ammo to practice with. Anyone have any suggestions for some decent grips, speedloaders and holsters? Thanks. __________________ I don't make policy, I just enforce the last 300 Meters of it.

June 28, 2011, 20:58	#3
GOVT1911 Curio & Relic Silver Contributor FALaholic #: 9433 Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Raeford, NC Posts: 3,215	Thanks. I'll be looking around at the next funshow for speedloaders and grips. Any recommendations on a particular holster maker? I don't have ANY experience with revolver leather, but have seen a couple that look good from Don Hume and a few other makers that I do have experience with. I've always been more into black autos. Besides a stainless Springfield 1911, this is the first "pretty" pistol, and first revolver at all, that I've owned. I almost want to find some mother of pearl grips for it! LOL __________________ I don't make policy, I just enforce the last 300 Meters of it.

June 28, 2011, 22:40	#5
GOVT1911 Curio & Relic Silver Contributor FALaholic #: 9433 Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Raeford, NC Posts: 3,215	I beleive in quality holsters, as well as quality belts. I've seen guys with $1000 pistols stuffed in UTG "One size fits none" holsters on K-mart weave belts. I have a couple nice thick gunbelts that I carry autos on (in decent holsters, usually IWB), so I'm looking for something like that. Like I said, it's my first revolver and I just don't have much experience with'em. And just for the record, I do also have a bunch of Fobus plastic holsters, too. They're cheap, but can't beat'em for playing in the woods with a pistol on....they retain well (at least my Beretta and 1911's), I don't care if I scratch'em up and I can just hose'em off when I get home. BUT.....I'm looking for a GOOD leather holster for my new six-shooter. Is there any special care to take with the nickle finish? It's not pristine, but it is in really good shape. I plan on shooting the hell outta this one and maybe even running some IDPA or IPSC matches with it, just for kicks. __________________ I don't make policy, I just enforce the last 300 Meters of it.

June 29, 2011, 07:07	#6
Timber Wolf Registered FALaholic #: 805 Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Southern U.S. Posts: 2,813	I miss my old nickel plated Dick Special but did make a little money on it at the time it left me for a new home. I actually have a set of Mother of Pearl grips for a Colt but they are on my Nickel .22 L.R. Banker's Special. Talk about a little Pimp Gun! Ditto about the old Cop leather as posted above. I won some Galco cheap off fleabay and it probably was a good holster at one time but now is just worn out and really rides the gun up much higher than I like anyway. A good IWB holster would be a nice ride for an old Colt. I like to carry my snubbies that way. Although I do not have a D.S. these days I do have a couple of old Cobras, one with factory hammer shroud, and a newer parkerized Agent with a Tyler T-grip that is a favored carry. Love them old Colts, six in a Colt snubbie beats five in a S&W anyday. Although I do have a few five shooters in the safe (and one in the console of the truck). __________________ First rule of gun fighting: "have a gun!" "Guns don't kill people. Daddys with good looking daughters do!"

June 30, 2011, 00:15	#7
BUFF Old Fart Silver Contributor FALaholic #: 789 Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 7,141	I like good revolvers. I have had my remaining Detective Special since 1984. The original wood grips that came with it are quite fat, not a lot smaller than the Pachmayrs. There are better, smaller aftermarket stocks out there, but unless your hands are the same dimensions as mine, I can't tell you what to get. I like HKS brand speedloaders. One advantage is that they make them for a huge number of different revolvers and they all work the same. This commonality of operation is a good thing if you carry the revolvers you have for serious They are durable and don't dump their rounds out if you drop them. The HKS Colt D.S. speedloader is marked DS-A. About the only thing I don't like about my D.S. is the smooth, unserrated front sight blade. Disappears sometimes depending on where the light is coming from. It would have cost Colt what, $5.00 to have cut those little grooves during production? Nickel isn't hard to maintain, just wipe it down with an oily or silicon treated rag on a regular basis. If you use a metal solvent on it, make sure you clean the solvent off after cleaning it. Lots of folks like to apply a wax finish to their handguns; the most popular brand is Renaissance, but I can't tell any difference between it and old fashion Turtle Wax paste wax, but then I don't carry my nickel guns much. Most of my daily packers are stainless. The D.S. is a classic design. It just looks like a small revolver ought to look. __________________ BUFF

June 28, 2011, 20:28	#2
bykerhd Dinosaur Bronze Contributor FALaholic #: 2798 Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Burlington Vermont area Posts: 13,262	An OLD set of Herret's stocks in good shape would look just fine. It's tough to find the right grips for Colts sometimes though. They aren't quite like S & W with everything pretty straightforward mostly J, K or N with round & square butts being about the only issues. HKS speedloaders can often be found used and usable for about 1/2 the price of new in lots of shops and gunshows. Again, you need the right ones.

June 28, 2011, 21:52	#4
bykerhd Dinosaur Bronze Contributor FALaholic #: 2798 Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Burlington Vermont area Posts: 13,262	Most of the holsters I've had I bought used. Some came from dealers, others from gunshows and others from E-Bay. Old time classics would be Lawrence, S.D. Myres and Heiser. Older production Safariland and Bianchi can be very good. New Safariland holsters are all composites and semi-universal crap. New Bianchi stuff is made in Mexihole !!! Current favorites are from Simply Rugged and El Paso Saddlery. Kramer, Milt Sparks and Rosen are also excellent. Especially Kramer horsehide. Galco are ok, as are Desantis. I don't think much of some of their designs though. There are bunches of designs out there, many very good, but I think you'll find your revolver will limit your choices quite a bit. Stay away from old police leather. They are heavy, overly large, usually beat to crap and have a bunch of features designed for gun retention while wrestling bad guys, lawyers and ugly women. Also avoid cheap leather like Hunter and definitely stay away from the nylon "bag" holsters like Uncle Mikes.

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