Colt Detective Special

The generations of the Detective Special.

1st generation: The Detective Special was introduced in 1927 as a variation of the Police Positive Special. These early guns had a square butt and would be the First Generation.

2nd generation: In 1933, the butt was changed to what Colt calls "round butt," which would be the Second Generation.

3rd generation: After World War II, the front sight was changed from round to ramped, which I would call Third Generation. These early Post-War guns had plastic stocks, which were changed back to wood in the mid-1950s.

4th generation: In 1966, the butt frame was shortened, which is Fourth Generation.

5th generation: In 1972, the shrouded barrel was introduced, which I count as Fifth Generation.

6th generation: Colt redesigned the lockwork in 1995 and introduced the SF-IV, which could be called the Sixth Generation.

7th generation: The SF-IV was replaced by the DS-II in 1997, which could be called the Seventh Generation, but differed from the SF-IV in name only.

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