In The American Rifleman, July 1926, Colt’s Detective Special (DS) made its first appearance, and had a production life that continued into the 21st century. The carbon-steel, double-action revolver features a swing-out cylinder designed around the .38 Spl. cartridge. Its size, as the moniker suggests, quickly led to the gun finding its way into the pockets of police detectives around the county, providing a concealable option for undercover, or plain-clothes, officers where duty-size revolvers, such as the Police Positive, were not appropriate. As the DS revolver’s production evolved, Colt made running changes, including alterations to the frame, ejector rod, cylinder latch, trigger shoe, hammer spur and stocks. The Detective Special began to be available in nickel- and chrome-plated finishes, along with various barrel lengths and models that shrouded the hammer spur to lessen the potential for snagging clothes when it was withdrawn from concealment. Colt filed for bankruptcy protection in 1992, and in 1995 the Detective Special was phased out. To learn more about Colt’s Detective Special, check out our latest NRA Gun of the Week video hosted by American Rifleman's Mark Keefe.
Additional Reading:
Sheriff's Tips: The Fitz Special--A Defense Gun From Yesteryear
Editors' Picks: 2018 Colt Night Cobra Revolver
Wiley Clapp: this Colt Python Business 
NRA Gun of the Week: Colt’s Detective Special
More like this from around the NRA
Latest
250 Years of the U.S. Army: Bolt-Actions & Semi-Automatics on the Battlefield
In just a few decades, the U.S. Army would see itself go from a single-shot, blackpowder design in the form of the Trapdoor Springfield to a modern, semi-automatic fighting rifle in the M1 Garand.
Modernized & Economical Muzzleloaders: The CVA Optima XP & XP-SB
CVA's longest-lasting muzzleloader design, the Optima, has been updated in 2026 with "modern ergonomics and modularity."
MidwayUSA Awards $7.5 Million in Cash Grants to Support Youth Shooting Teams
MidwayUSA Foundation recently announced that it concluded its most recent grant cycle, which resulted in a total payout of more than $7.5 million to youth shooting teams and organizations nationwide.
The Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act is on the Move
The story of American freedom, now almost 250 years on since delegates to the Second Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence, leads irrevocably to the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act.
Mixing & Matching Gun Parts: What’s The Catch?
How would one about verifying that parts from one gun would fit and function on another of the same make and model? What about aftermarket parts sold as replacement parts for hard-to-get original parts?
U.S. Army & Navy Award FN a $9.9 Million Contract for Machine Guns
FN America has been awarded a $9.9 million contract to supply the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy with FN M240B machine guns, continuing the supply of FN America’s longest-standing military weapons platform.
Interests
SECTIONS
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
EXPLORE MORE NRA PUBLICATIONS
