Colt Detective Special

[mes]

Before I go and shoot a lot of +P in my .38 Colt Detective Special, how well do they hold up to the pressure of a .38 +P round?
Thanks in advance

[spruce]

IIRC the use of +P ammo is not recommended in a Det. Special.

[Lloyd Smale]

i personaly shot one loose doing it. YOu wont blow them up but the lock work wont hold up long to it.

[mes]

I guess I will limit the loads to standard .38 Spec..  Its kind of a neat little revolver.

[Dee]

It's a great little revolver. I would carry +Ps for protection in it, just don't practice with them.

[Mike in Virginia]

A steel Det. Spl. should hold up against the stoutest loads.  The gun was produced before +P was available, but that doesn't mean it can't handle it.  I wish I had one.  What I have, is an aluminum Cobra, which for sure won't withstand much +P, but I wouldn't hesitate to fire that higher pressure stuff in an all steel Detective Special. 

[Siskiyou]

Get the manual here    http://www.coltsmfg.com/publications.aspx

If I read the manual correctly they recommend that after two to three thousand rounds that you have the firearm check.  Referring to the steel frame colt detective special.

[Lloyd Smale]

mike the cylinder and frame are plenty strong for plus p but the lockwork is just to fragile in these guns. YOu will not blow one up but it will shoot loose in a very short time. I would think if the only time you used them was loading your gun for self defense youd be fine but im a firm believer in practicing with what im going to use. Theres enough good non plus p 38 ammo out there now that you dont have to feel that undergunned using it.

A steel Det. Spl. should hold up against the stoutest loads.  The gun was produced before +P was available, but that doesn't mean it can't handle it.  I wish I had one.  What I have, is an aluminum Cobra, which for sure won't withstand much +P, but I wouldn't hesitate to fire that higher pressure stuff in an all steel Detective Special. 

[gcrank1]

Its a shame to shoot one loose if you really care about your piece. IMHO, shoot a few defensive loads to know where they go and carry with such for social engagements, but become proficient with it using less stout loads. In a code red you will not notice the difference.

[mcwoodduck]

It's a great little revolver. I would carry +Ps for protection in it, just don't practice with them.

+1 when my late 60's vintage Det Spl goes out it gets some 129 grain +P JHP's.
But gets the 130 FMJ white box for practice.  I did put a ox of the +P ammo through it to see where it would shoot with them.  But that was just the 20 Rounds.  Did not seem to hurt the little gun.

[AkRay]

The Detective Special is really the same gun as the Police Positive Special, except for the shorter barrel.  The Police Positive Specials were all steel guns, but they weren't recommended for use with +P ammunition either.   

[pneuby]

IMHO, shoot a few defensive loads to know where they go and carry with such for social engagements, but become proficient with it using less stout loads. In a code red you will not notice the difference.

I wholeheartedly agree. Repeat the process with each new box of the 'same' load, just to verify the OEM didn't change anything in the assembly which would change the POI relative to your POA.  "In a code red you will not notice the difference." Also well documented by those who've been-there, and done-that.

[trex1310]

I don't shoot +P in my Detective Special. I use a good quality,
standard pressure, hollow point for carry purposes.

[Frank V]

Buffalo Bore now markets a .38 Special load using a 158gr SWC HP listed on the box as NON +P. They say the velosity is 850fps, I shot one through a chronograph & got 876fps, that's what I carry now. It's not the cheapest on the market, but I think it'd work in a have to situation.
Frank

[gcrank1]

Is that a nice, big hollow point cavity? Sounds like a good load to me.

[Frank V]

Is that a nice, big hollow point cavity? Sounds like a good load to me.

The Buffalo Bore's HP cavity is almost large enough to drink coffee out of!!!
Frank

[blaze]

I agree with you all on sticking to standard 38 Spl. loads for any of the Colt Detective Specials.  However, to make things interesting, I have an older  Colt factory catalog (#A-79-5) that gives as " recommended" ammunition for the Detective Special (not the Police Positive Special,Cobra or Agent) the following:  .38 Special Mid-Range, Regular, and  HI-SPEED.  Now the hi-speed back then, I believe, was considerably "hotter" than any of todays .38 Spl. +P !!!  Just an observation, but interesting nonetheless.

[tony212]

I had a Detective Special for years.  I never used +P ammo in it, never felt the need.  With the exceptionaly good ammo made today you can get excellent performance from standard pressure .38 specials, look at Hornady Critical Defense for one.  Anyway, since a Colt Detective Special is something you can only find on the used gun market I would be very careful about any ammo which might cause un necessary wear. Just my $0.02.
Tony212