Looking for the year my Colt D. Sp. was made
Hello experts! My Colt .38 Detective Special has a serial number of 830733 B. Can you tell what year it was manufactured? Can you tell me anything else? Thanks!
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Most all of our charts go through 1985. After that ??
The B suffix is a stumper for me, but I'm just a junior expert! [:I]
The DS had a B prefix in the early 1970s.
If no B, I'd say 1963.
Is there a shroud on the barrel for the ejector?
What kind of stocks does it have?
Hopefully we can nail it down for you with a little more info.0 -
It's definitely a 1st or 2nd issue (no shroud) and the grips are in two pieces and rounded. The "B" appeared under the serial number, not really adjacent to it...
I found references on this site to two serial numbers and dates. one was 946xxx/1967 and the other was 902xxx/1965 so I did a little math to calculate that 830xxx would fall around 1961 or 1962 (aumming that sales were a constant, which could be a big assumption). Anyway, your estimate of 1963 sounded pretty good!0 -
If you look at the butt of the DS, can you see the metal frame, or only the wood bottom of the stocks? Metal means prior to 1966, while wood means after 1965. (There was a transition period so there is some overlap during 1966.) The "B" suffix (since it is identified as being below the serial number, it could be considered a sufix I suppose) is a new one on me, but there was a "B" prefix in the early 1970s. I suspect the "B" is an assembly mark of some kind, and the revolver may therefore be of 1964 vintage.
I curse that "issue" business apparently introduced by the Blue Book. While I suppose it is one way to identify the variations, in my opinion, the Blue Book does not make enough distinction between the variations, apparently using First Issue for Pre-War, Second Issue for Post-War guns with no ejector rod shroud, Third Issue for guns with shrouded ejector rods and Fourth Issue for the reintroduced DS in the 1990s. To me, that is short a few "issues."
When introduced in 1927, the DS had a square butt. In 1933-1934, the round butt was introduced. Post-War, the ramped front sight blade was introduced, as were Coltwood stocks. In the middle 1950s, wood stocks returned. In 1966, the short butt was introduced. In 1972, the shrouded ejector rod was introduced. When the DS was reintroduced in 1993 after being discontinued in 1986, that could be another variation, as could the scarce SF-VI made a short time before Colt abandoned the double action revolver market all together in the late 1990s. What is that, seven "issues?" Eight if the switch from plastic stocks back to wood in the 1950s is counted as an "issue." In my opinion, a square butt first year DS is worth a lot more than a late Pre-War, yet the Blue Book does not make any distinction.
Sorry for the diversion. I will now get off my soapbox and post!0 -
You see the metal frame when you look at the butt. I think the 1961 - 1963 is pretty accurate. Is there a publication out there that lists serial numbers and production dates?... 0
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