I found a Colt detective special that someone has for sale. He says it was special made in 1974 for him with zebra wood grips and a red front ramp. Has anyone ever heard of this? The grips don't have a colt medallion on them. He wants 675 for it but he says it's been in the safe for years and it looks good. Any thoughts?
Colt Detective Special
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He ordered it like that? If so you could get Colt letter on it that I think would tell you about factory modifications Colt did - about $100 used to be but it would be a wait for results. But the gun could just have been "improved" by one of the owners after buying it, in which case $675 seems over the top unless it's almost pristine with box etc. If the grips have no Colt medallion I doubt they were a factory mod. If it's been in the safe for years best get it checked out right away if you buy it and before you shoot it.. Use PayPal with a credit card as payment method, that way you have recourse if it's all bound-up from no maintenance or use even for dry-fire in years. Course, using PayPal you and seller have to find a "hidden" way to note it - like "Antique "and put on the serial number as Identifier - or rather seller should do that and invoice it that way. PayPal has no fondness for gun transfers. Or seller could just put down "Merchandize". But I'd get him to put down serial number to identify the item. Without something tying the sale-item to a gun, kind of hard to file a complaint with Credit Card if you ever had to - they would have no proof you bought a gun - let alone a defective Detective.
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Actually, I remember these being built for one of the large distributers - maybe Cherry's - back when Cherry's was a huge outfit that was keeping Colt alive with special editions.
They were in the 'Shotgun News' for a long time - priced around $275, I think.
What with the Zebrawood and red ramp, they were quite attractive.
They were in the 'Shotgun News' for a long time - priced around $275, I think.
What with the Zebrawood and red ramp, they were quite attractive.
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Well, for the OP's sake: do you think this justifies $675 for a Sell-Price? Maybe it does, I'm ignorant of what a Cherry's Detective would be valued as - that sitting around for decades would make me nervous - though if maintained well it would be a real bonus - so little used. Think I'd ask for time to examine it for normal functioning and have a Smith I know familiar with Colt revolvers do the same. Glad you solved the question of whether it was Special Order!
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Can't say - but if it were a safe queen Python sitting for decades, would that make you nervous?
A lot of guns get bought and put aside for one reason or another.
I picked up a H&R 1871-1971 Commemorative Officer's Rifle a guy had bought and slid under his bed 'in' 1971 - and promptly forgot about it, until he was moving 35 years later.
Didn't make me nervous at all - didn't need a 'smith - didn't need inspection time - just knew what I was looking at, and came to an agreement...
A lot of guns get bought and put aside for one reason or another.
I picked up a H&R 1871-1971 Commemorative Officer's Rifle a guy had bought and slid under his bed 'in' 1971 - and promptly forgot about it, until he was moving 35 years later.
Didn't make me nervous at all - didn't need a 'smith - didn't need inspection time - just knew what I was looking at, and came to an agreement...
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Check the serial numbers for starters.I have a DS made in 1974 and it has been my carrt gun since 2000.
![Revolver Metal]()
I picked this up in the early nineties. Ser. No's for 1974 F08801-F60000. H01001-H81000. Good luck on your quest. Regards Dick. BTW I gave $200 to a retired LEO.
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