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Help ID parkerized Colt Det Spec


MarcelO48
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The subject Colt DS was made in 1950. It was parkerized and showing some wear when I got it 20 years ago (1998). It came with a non-military leather holster and gun belt containing 30+ 38 Spec FMJ cartridges with headstamp WCC 66. The Serial # markings on the frame include a number 7 (typical inspector marking), faint large letters "LO" under the Ser #, and a 62 further below. Could the 62 be a date the gun was refinished (parkerized)? The 6 and 2 appear to the be the same size and style as the serial numbers.

All the factory markings and edges remain sharp enough to suggest the gun wasn't refinished due to original wear or deterioration.

All the military issued DS examples I've seen are of the Colt factory blue but this gun certainly has an aura of military origin.

 

Can anyone shed more light on this DS? Thanks for your help

post-182321-0-64682500-1528686610.jpg

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OLDNAVYNUKESPOOK

Look very closely for any pin-punch marks, perhaps under the barrel, the crane, under the stocks which would indicate government acceptance however, the only way you're going to determine its original destination is via a Colt Archives letter.

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OLDNAVYNUKESPOOK

That punch mark looks very promising! Certainly worth a letter. www.colt.com/colt-archive Unless you request and pay for expedited service, it's going to take 3-4 months to receive the letter. Please report back when you get it.

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OLDNAVYNUKESPOOK

Well, I'm a little slow today! Ronald has supplied a pic of the type of pin punch that would indicate a military inspection. If you find this type of mark on the Det. Spcl. in question, it would most certainly warrant a Colt archives Letter.

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post-10036-0-53090600-1528766311_thumb.jpg

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Thanks for the punch mark photo Ronald; unfortunately, I find none anywhere on this DS. I have for years considered a Colt letter and then hoped this forum might provide a higher degree of possibility before going for a letter. Is the punch mark found on all govt accepted firearms? Or, is it simply direct evidence of that?

 

Here are both sides of the gun.

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post-182321-0-98155500-1528766583.jpg

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I think there is little chance it is military but only a Colt letter is dispositive. Colt typically did not parkerize hammers and triggers, even on military contracts. It is a nice looking gun and probably a great shooter. I don't know of any military shipments in 1950 but there was one in 1951 for 700 units and one in 1953 for 1,000 units. However, the guns in both of these shipments were blue, not parkerized.

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Thanks Kwill for the additional information. Interesting there were military purchases near the time mine was made. So at least we can find some coincidence!

 

Are you implying that Colt did produce a parkerized model DS for the military? Do you believe that ALL DS models accepted by the military did in fact have a punch mark? Do you think Colt applied serial numbers only when they filled an order or at the time a gun was completed? (Could a gun made in one year be shipped in a later year "from stocks on hand"?)

 

I may need to request a letter now to satisfy my new curiosity!

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AFAIK, all Detective Special revolvers shipped on a military contract were blued. I'm sure this was the case for WWII era guns. Less is known about the post-war era but all the ones I've owned/seen were blue. The punch mark as an acceptance stamp replaced the Ordnance insignia in 1944. However, post war shipments are usually marked "U.S. PROPERTY" or "U.S." and have a large "P" on the frame as a proof mark. Some have been observed with the Ordnance insignia (flaming bomb) but some (most?) of these are spurious. Post war guns are a challenge due to the inconsistency of markings and the lack of good references. I have seen legitimate post war revolvers with phosphate finishes but they were refinished after leaving the service or, at best, were arsenal refinished.

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