Type: | Revolver |
Produced: | 1956 |
Caliber: | .38 Spl |
Action: | revolving chamber |
Trigger: | double-action (DA/SA) |
Safety: | none |
Cylinder: | 6-round |
Frame: | blued finish steel |
Grip: | walnut |
Sights: | fixed blade and notch |
Notes: | second issue |
Colt's Detective Special is considered the first "snubnose" revolver and was intended to be a concealed weapon used by plainclothes police detectives. It was the first short-barreled revolver produced with a modern swing-out frame. Between 1927 and 1993 the gun was produced in four variations, or "issues" that incorporated changes in the frame dimension, sight type, barrel shroud and grip. While the Detective Special was produced primarily for the .38 Special cartridge the "second issue" variant was also chambered for the .32 S&W long (AKA .32 Colt New Police).