Colt Detective Special First Gen

[JesseA]

I recently acquired a First Gen Colt Detective Special, it was made in 1945 and is in very good shape. I was wondering if anyone could give me some info on this gun, value and anything that might be useful or worth knowing. I love the gun and have been looking for a long time.
Thanks
Jesse


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[Berto]

A great revolver; not much bigger than the S&W J frame, but gives you an extra round and more to hold onto.
I'm used to seeing those sell in the $450-550 range in good or better shape in my locale.
The gun will be OK for an occasional cylinder or two of +P, but lots of +P will wear the lockwork- specifically the hand and bolt engagement. The frame is plenty strong though.
A good bet would be sticking to standard pressure .38sp loads for practice and loading up +P 135gr Gold Dots or the Rem 158gr LSWCHP for defensive needs.
The difference in recoil between +P and std pressure won't be as pronounced and felt in an alll steel snubby like that.
Those guns really feel nice too, with a Tyler T grip insert and the factory stocks.

[BamaTrooper]

I found a Colt Agent in a local shop. Frame lost all the finish but they still want 449 for it.

[ArtCrafter]

A great revolver...

Definitely.




I'm used to seeing those sell in the $450-550 range in good or better shape in my locale...

The next time you see a prewar DS in any condition for that price, you should buy it.

In the condition shown above, it would bring at least $1000 on GunBroker, probably more.




The gun will be OK for an occasional cylinder or two of +P...

I strongly disagree with this statement.

Ask the Colt factory, and I bet they will, too.

To cite the most obvious analogy, Smith & Wesson advises against +P in any .38 Special revolver made at their factory before the introduction of model numbers in the 1950s. That includes models on the K-frame, which is arguably closest in size and strength to the Colt D-frame.

The subject gun is almost 70 years old and was never intended for use with +P type ammunition.

If I wanted to use it for self-defense, I would load with that old skool favorite, wadcutter (match) ammunition − and then hope I never had to use it.

If I wanted to shoot it for sport, I would use only standard-pressure ammunition loaded with non-jacketed lead bullets. The old barrel steels simply aren't up to the modern alternative without seeing undue wear over time.

HTH @ OP :wavey: