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Unusual 1975 Colt Detective Special

awgrizzlyawgrizzly Member Posts: 19 ✭✭
edited February 2010 in Ask the Experts
I just bought a second series .32NP Colt Detective Special, serial #M18252. It has the ramped half moon front sight, wrap around wood grip, and NO cylinder pin shroud. But Colt discontinued the second series in 1972, as well as the .32NP cal. I have the box and it's marked with the model number D1220, finish B, options 32, and strange in that the caliber is shown to be 38 but is scribbled out with apparently the same magic marker used to fill out the info.

The box is worn but the gun is in excellent high gloss blued condition with only a faint mark on cylinder to indicate it had been turned. It seems to be unfired. Anyone have any info. on this second series made three years after it was supposed to be discontinued? I'm hoping it's unique, else I paid too much. :)
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    lcdrdanrlcdrdanr Member Posts: 439 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Write Colt. I don't have their address but I think it's the Buffalo Bill Cody museum in Wyoming.

    I have a Ruger Service Six .357 mag stainless 2-1/2" barrel revolver. Every reference I ever consulted states that the Service Six was available only in 4" barrel in stainless and, of course, have been out of production for years. The original box came with it from the original owner who stated it was bought with a 2-1/2" barrel although the box (with the correct serial number) indicates a 4" barrel.

    After being told the second time that it was a gunsmith altered piece of crap, I wrote Ruger and got a very nice letter back that stated in part that "Although Ruger only offered the Service Six in a 4" barrel, they did occasionally make up different barrel length in response to a special order. Your gun was one such, being shipped in April, 1977 from the factory with a 2-1/2" barrel".

    Hard to argue when you get it straight from the horse's mouth !!

    Dan R
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    badsbsnf81badsbsnf81 Member Posts: 768 ✭
    edited November -1
    It needs to be lettered by Colt. http://www.coltsmfg.com/archive.aspx
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    JudgeColtJudgeColt Member Posts: 1,790 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Colt made a special run of these Model D-1220 .32NP unshrouded Detective Specials in 1975. I bought one new (M17831) from Ellett Brothers and kept it for years, finally trading it and several other guns for a low two-digit Service Model Ace.
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    awgrizzlyawgrizzly Member Posts: 19 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks to all for the info. I saw a couple that had been put up for sale in the $900 area. I don't know if they sold and that's probably too high, but it at least shows I probably didn't pay way too much for it ($600). I thought it to be a second release. It's in near new condition with only slight marks showing that the cylinder had been turned.
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    ColtDoctorColtDoctor Member Posts: 97 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    pics please...
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    awgrizzlyawgrizzly Member Posts: 19 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by ColtDoctor
    pics please...

    OK, here 'tis (I'm no photographer though).

    IMG_0007.jpg

    IMG_0008.jpg

    Note the caliber marked as 38 then scribbled out:
    IMG_0009.jpg
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