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barrel lengths and models that shrouded the hammer spur to lessen the potential for snagging clothes when it was withdrawn from concealment.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
Review: Freedom Ordnance FM-9D
New small arms with groundbreaking designs are rare in an industry where new products tend to be evolutionary rather than revolutionary. Fortunately, Freedom Ordnance marches to the beat of a different drum and invested its creative energy into developing the unique, innovative FM-9D.
Number of Retail FFLs Dwindling
The number of retail outlets with an FFL Type 01 license to sell firearms has declined by more than 13 percent in just the last five years.
Ammunition Depot and NRA Partner to Expand Support for Second Amendment Litigation
The NRA has invested more than $3 million in California Second Amendment litigation since 2021 and has provided support for Rhode v. Bonta; Ammunition Depot is launching a checkout donation option to help fund ongoing legal efforts.
The Murdoch & Co. EM85: An SA80 for America
Most modern service rifles are sold in the U.S. in semi-automatic form. There is one glaring exception, and that is the British L85. Murdoch & Co., an American company, is changing that reality with its EM85.
I Have This Old Gun: The British Brown Bess
One of the most iconic military longarms ever made, the British Land Pattern musket, more commonly known as the "Brown Bess," equipped British infantrymen across the world for more than a century.
Rifleman Interview: CCI Rimfire Ammunition
CCI’s rimfire offerings were part of the Plinkapalooza event in May.
Interests
SECTIONS
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
EXPLORE MORE NRA PUBLICATIONS
