The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - That was a great article on the Colt Detective Special

Mad Man · January 7, 2002, 04:38 PM

I was very sorry to see the Police Positive/Detective Special discontinued a few years ago.

Six years ago, I bought a new Police Positive .38 SPL for around $200, and had a 3" Detective Special barrel put on it.

I had the setup made as a home defense weapon for a female relative. For a variety of reasons, I think that a 3" Colt D-Frame is one of the best home defense pistols for a non-gun person.

Some of the reasons are subjective, but:

1. It is slightly larger than a S&W J-frame, but not as big as a K-frame. It has better trigger reach for the small-handed person than a K-frame, but with the same 6-round capacity.

2. Longer sight radius than 2" barrel, but no so "unwieldy" as a 4" barrel.

3. Not so large as to "intimidate" a non-gun person, yet easier to shoot than a small J-frame.

Pity they don't make them anymore.

January 7, 2002, 04:38 PM	#2
Mad Man Senior Member Join Date: December 4, 2000 Posts: 361	I was very sorry to see the Police Positive/Detective Special discontinued a few years ago. Six years ago, I bought a new Police Positive .38 SPL for around $200, and had a 3" Detective Special barrel put on it. I had the setup made as a home defense weapon for a female relative. For a variety of reasons, I think that a 3" Colt D-Frame is one of the best home defense pistols for a non-gun person. Some of the reasons are subjective, but: 1. It is slightly larger than a S&W J-frame, but not as big as a K-frame. It has better trigger reach for the small-handed person than a K-frame, but with the same 6-round capacity. 2. Longer sight radius than 2" barrel, but no so "unwieldy" as a 4" barrel. 3. Not so large as to "intimidate" a non-gun person, yet easier to shoot than a small J-frame. Pity they don't make them anymore.