Front Sight

[Ronald12]

Hello
What would the front sight look like on a 1938 Detective Special? Thanks, Ron

[Oyeboten]

It would be a 'Half Round' shape...

About the same as this one is, though this one is a few years earlier -


Just a nice old Detective Special ( or related ) IWB Holster


Because of the angle at which the image was taken, the Front Sight appears lower than it actually is.

[Ronald12]

That what I was thinking. There us a DS on GB now that has one like this. Didn't look right though. Ron

[Oyeboten]

That is the shape which succeeded the 'Half Round' form...and, would be Post WWII.

Possibly someone who is up on the sucession of Front Sights, can supply the info on when this second type of front sight was used, when-to-when. But, far as I know, it was Post War and into the 1950s or early to mid 1960s or so anyway.

So, it would not be right for a supposedly circa 1938 Detectie Special, unless the Detective Special got re-Barrelled after WWII sometime, or, is simply, actually, a later Detective Special, and, is being mis-dated as earlier than it is, by the Seller.

Too, a supposedly circa 1938 Detective Special with the later front sight, could instead actually be a circa 1938 Police Positive Special, which was re-Barreled later, with a Post War DS Barrel.

[Malysh]

The post war front sight is on a correct post war barrel as shown by the markings. The sight is referred to as a semi ramp front sight. This pattern was used from when post war production started until the end of 1963 when it's shape was changed to the width of the base which gave the sides a straight contour of a true simple blade. Personally, I like the front sights with the narrower blade and wider base whether pre war half moon or post war semi ramp.

As Oye mentioned if the gun is from 1938 it's been rebarreled, whether it was really a DS or a Police Positive Special. Gosh, there are a lot of rebarreled Colt D frames around. It always amazes me.

Stay away from this gun if you are sure it has a 1938 serial number or unless it's dirt cheap.

[Ronald12]

I agree. I think the revolver (link below) was a standard 4 inch Police Positive that was rebarreled with a post war DS barrel. I have seen 3 or 4 other U.S. Customs marked revolvers on different sites and they were all 4 inch Police Positives. I think someone might get taken on this one if they don't research it. Anotehr red flag is the "no return option"! Ron
Colt Detective Special US Customs marked 457xxx sn : Revolvers at GunBroker.com

[Malysh]

It would make a nice shooter or carry gun for $350-$400.