Detective Special questions, finish etc.
From Sunny...and still cool..Florida [8D],
I looked back over Colt Detective Special questions posed and didn't quite find my answer. My serial number is 625878 without a prefix or suffix. There appears to be a letter "L" lying on it's side unser the first number 8 in the serial number. I also see the number 5 stamped well below the serial number just above the frame. Then on the left side of the frame, in the "V" that is formed naturally where the front of the trigger guard meets the frame there is a triangle stamped with a "P" inside the triangle. There is also a "G" stamped near the base of the left side of the frame grip and an "S" stamped above the grip post on the right side of the frame grip.
My big question, besides id-ing the gun is: this Colt looks like it was never fired. The barrel and rearing colt figure are sharp...the bluing is beautiful but, the entire circumference of the frame, like tracing the outlie on the sight plane and around the rest of the gun (not barrel) is a matte finish. Is this correct? The gun has no grips and I want to get it the correct ones.
Thanks...sorry about being long winded.
Jim Michaels
GunHawke on GB
"They blink an eye or draw a breath before they pull a trigger. I won't!" J.B. Books
I looked back over Colt Detective Special questions posed and didn't quite find my answer. My serial number is 625878 without a prefix or suffix. There appears to be a letter "L" lying on it's side unser the first number 8 in the serial number. I also see the number 5 stamped well below the serial number just above the frame. Then on the left side of the frame, in the "V" that is formed naturally where the front of the trigger guard meets the frame there is a triangle stamped with a "P" inside the triangle. There is also a "G" stamped near the base of the left side of the frame grip and an "S" stamped above the grip post on the right side of the frame grip.
My big question, besides id-ing the gun is: this Colt looks like it was never fired. The barrel and rearing colt figure are sharp...the bluing is beautiful but, the entire circumference of the frame, like tracing the outlie on the sight plane and around the rest of the gun (not barrel) is a matte finish. Is this correct? The gun has no grips and I want to get it the correct ones.
Thanks...sorry about being long winded.
Jim Michaels
GunHawke on GB
"They blink an eye or draw a breath before they pull a trigger. I won't!" J.B. Books
0
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Jim,
I am no expert but I have a Det. Spec. in nickel ser# within 9,000 of yours.
It has the matte finish around it as you describe, so I will say that yours is correct.
Mine has plastic Colt grips that have shrunk over the years.
I believe these Colts are second models and have a longer grip frame than later models.
Can anybody confirm or dispute this? Thank you.
Jim0 -
#625878 would've been made in 1954 and would be a Second Issue.
As to the grips, the Blue Book says "plastic grips 1947-1954, wood grips thereafter".0 -
I find this topic confusing.
First, the 1st & 2nd issues have the exposed cylinder rod; the 3rd issue has the recessed cylinder rod. Which do you guys have?
Second, I can't recall seeing any 2nd issues that had a matte finish anywhere until recently, when I saw a couple of guns at a show with the finish Gunhawke describes. I assumed that they were recent refinish jobs with the matte part of the finish sprayed on. How long have you guys had these guns?
Neal0 -
Neal,
Mine has the exposed ejector rod.
It is a nickel finish with the matte part just being dull looking. Not sprayed on.
Jim0
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