Colt "Agent" & "Detective"

dchristian

I have been looking at .38 Colt 2" barrell snubbies. Some are called "Agent" and some "Detective Special". What is the difference, if any.
Thanks,
dchristian

rballi

I'm not 100% positive, but I think the Detective is steel frame, and the Agent is a lightweight alloy frame. Different variations of both models might have an underlug or ejector rod housing.

JBBooks

rballi is correct. The agent is about 10oz lighter
than the CDS. It has an alloy frame and the grip is
shorter. The Colt Cobra is the same size as the
CDS and it also has an alloy frame to make it lighter.

JBB

I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people and I require the same from them.

aby80

I have both. My Detective Special is a first model and is a steel frame. The Agent has an alloy frame and is a lot lighter. Both of these were carry guns. The Detective Special in a Gun rug under the car seat and the Agent in the belt under my shirt.

Blokey

After looking at some old Colt catalogs from the '70s, the DS is steel framed and the Cobra and Agent are alloy. The Agent is a little lighter than the Cobra because it comes with smaller grips. The later models have shrouded ejector rods; earlier models were exposed. The Commando was a matte finished model. Then there were Police Positives and...

dchristian

Thanks to all of you for the information.
dchristian

JBBooks

SP, the parkerized was the Colt Commando Special.
It looks like the CDS except for the finish and
the one I have is fitted with odd but execellent
grips. Not to be confused with the WWII Commando.
Isn't Colt collecting fun!
Also have Corba in 3" .22. Now for a Colt Banker's
Special.

JBB

I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people and I require the same from them.

JudgeColt

Come on Gentlemen, Colt collecting is not THAT easy! This is Colt we are discussing, a maker for a reputation for having discontinued more good guns than others ever made.

The steel-framed Detective Special, essentially a short-barreled Police Positive Special, was introduced in 1927 with a square butt. In 1933-1934, the round butt DS was introducted.

The alloy-framed Cobra was introduced in 1950-1951. The DS and Cobra are the same physical size, and differ only in frame material.

The alloy-framed Agent was introduced in 1955. The Agent is essentially a short-butt version of the Cobra.

These three revolvers continued essentially unchanged until 1966, when the two different frame butt sizes were changed to one butt size in steel and the same butt size in alloy. The stocks were used to extend the butt length on the DS and Cobra to their traditional lengths, while shorter, smaller stocks were used on the Agent to retain the short-butt status of the Agent. In 1972, the shrouded ejector rods were introduced on all three. The last year for the original Cobra and Agent was 1978.

In 1983, a matte-finished, less-expensive version of the Cobra with the Cobra-length stocks was introduced as the alloy-framed Agent. In 1983, a matte-finished, less expensive version of the Detective Special was also introduced as the steel-framed Commando.

In 1986, ALL D-frame Colt revolvers were discontinued. In 1993, the steel-framed Detective Special was reintroduced with rubber stocks, only to be discontinued again after the 1995 year.