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DPris · January 23, 2013, 01:36 PM

Ralph,
You've not been paying attention.
The parts situation is very real.
Colt has few left & apparently no interest in ordering more. Once their stocks are used up, as is already the case with hands for the Python, there will be no more parts replacements at the factory.

As it is, Colt will not sell what new parts they do have for those guns to outsiders.
One of the reasons two of my Colts sat with Cunningham for two years was that it took him quite a while to find acceptable parts to replace the hands in both that were causing timing issues.

As it sits now, the only source for genuine Colt parts is the occasional NOS stuff that may show up now & then on Gunbroker & Ebay as people liquidate old retired or dead gunsmith stocks.
Those are slowing down & prices are going up.

Jack First is producing replacement parts for Colt actions, but they are not identical.

Even if you can find an acceptable "new" part (and used parts are already fitted to existing guns & NOT mere drop-ins), finding somebody competent enough to do the work is problematic.

This is not a rumor, this is not a scare tactic, this is not dumping on Colt, this is not knocking the gun, this is simply a matter of informing the potential buyer of what comes with a Colt Detective Special purchase nowdays.

The gun is nice, but it's obsolete, service options on worn actions are dwindling rapidly, and regular use will simply wear them out faster than other designs.
Denis

January 23, 2013, 01:36 PM	#33
DPris Member Emeritus Join Date: August 19, 2004 Posts: 7,133	Ralph, You've not been paying attention. The parts situation is very real. Colt has few left & apparently no interest in ordering more. Once their stocks are used up, as is already the case with hands for the Python, there will be no more parts replacements at the factory. As it is, Colt will not sell what new parts they do have for those guns to outsiders. One of the reasons two of my Colts sat with Cunningham for two years was that it took him quite a while to find acceptable parts to replace the hands in both that were causing timing issues. As it sits now, the only source for genuine Colt parts is the occasional NOS stuff that may show up now & then on Gunbroker & Ebay as people liquidate old retired or dead gunsmith stocks. Those are slowing down & prices are going up. Jack First is producing replacement parts for Colt actions, but they are not identical. Even if you can find an acceptable "new" part (and used parts are already fitted to existing guns & NOT mere drop-ins), finding somebody competent enough to do the work is problematic. This is not a rumor, this is not a scare tactic, this is not dumping on Colt, this is not knocking the gun, this is simply a matter of informing the potential buyer of what comes with a Colt Detective Special purchase nowdays. The gun is nice, but it's obsolete, service options on worn actions are dwindling rapidly, and regular use will simply wear them out faster than other designs. Denis Last edited by DPris; January 23, 2013 at 03:36 PM.