Gun Collecting: .32 Colt Detective Special, Nickel, fully engraved, real mother-of pearl grips. The .32 New Police cartridge (Colt's name for the S&W .32 Long) was and is popular for its accuracy, even in a short barrel gun as the one pictured here. 

The Colt Detective Special morphed through four (4) variations (or series) in its almost seventy years;

1) First series Detective Specials were manufactured from 1927 to 1946, with square butt grip frames through 1933 and round butt grip frames thereafter.

2) Second variation Detective Special revolvers were manufactured from 1947 to 1972. Available calibers were .32 New Police, .38 New Police or .38 Special. Two or three inch barrels were available. Second variation grips were made of plastic from 1947 to 1954 and wood grips were used thereafter. Wrap-around wood grips were introduced in 1966.

3) Third variation Detective Specials were manufactured from 1973 to 1986 in .38 Special only. These third variation models introduced the full shrouded ejector rod.

4) Fourth variation Colt Detective Special revolvers were manufactured from 1993 to 1995.

Colt's Detective Special: .32 caliber, Double Action or Single Action, six shot revolver. Gun enthusiasts often pose the question "If you could only have one gun for concealed carry, which one would it be?". Well, this is my choice. I love everything about this gun; size, weight, cartridge, accuracy and on top of all that, it's just a thing of beauty.