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2 inch Colt Detective Special For SSR?

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Odessa Straight	2 inch Colt Detective Special For SSR?	Lead	[-]
Posts: 212 May 4 12 9:24 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Tags : None I'm not meaning a BUG match. I'm meaning SSR in a regular IDPA match. My daily carry is a '60s vintage Colt Detective Special. Depending on weather and the clothing worn I carry it either in my front trouser pocket or in a very cool little IWB Kydex holster formed specifically for it. I really see the merit of shooting what you actually carry in IDPA so I give my Detective Special a workout in ONE club match; bought 6 speedloaders, loaded up a batch of standard velocity .38s, sighted it in for that load (well found out where it hit), and went for it. My score was so discouraging I have yet to try the Dick Special in another match. Now I've got the hots to give it another go. I keep thinking that's what I actually carry and should use it more for IDPA. It's a six shooter and the speedloaders work fine so capacity compared to heaver longer revolvers in SSR is comparable. I know I need to make up a load for it that shoots closer to the sights and that I can group well enough for no misses to the body or head. I missed every headshot presented in that ONE match. Does anyone shoot a 2 inch snubby in SSR? Something like a S&W K frame maybe a short Ruger Speed 6, or my Detective Special would at least be able to flow along with the rest of the shooters in the squad, time wise, where a 5 shooter snubby may be better just used for BUG matches. Scott Last Edited By: Odessa Straight May 4 12 9:26 AM. Edited 1 time.

GOF		#1	[-]
Posts: 2129 May 4 12 10:26 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Scott, I've shot club matches with a fixed sight 3-inch Ruger GP-100. I regulated it for 158 grain loads (+P or standard pressure 120 PF... same POI). I didn't feel that I was at a disadvantage over my 4-inch match Ruger until the targets got out past 15 yards. I had to take a touch more time on those.... but the gun was pretty quick in close. If you want to shoot it, why not? You might try a 158 grain lead load with an advertised 4-inch barrel velocity of 760-780... that was a standard .38 revolver load during the time period of the Detective Special and most of the guns were regulated pretty close to that load. Today, modern snubbys are often regulated to a 125 grain bullet. I found that painting the front sight blaze orange to contrast with the SS finish was a help.... with a blued gun you could try different colors until you find one you like. Painting a front sight is simple. Chris Christian A23489 SO Arguing with a fool is like rolling around in the mud with a pig. You both get filthy dirty, but the pig enjoys it.
jblackfish		#2	[-]
Posts: 341 May 4 12 11:08 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I don't shoot revos but I certainly encourage you to shoot your carry piece in matches. Remember that some of the shots in matches are probably WAY farther than you'd be required to take in a "situation" but I think it's a great idea. That said, I once shot in a match with a guy who used a J-frame. Although he used strip loaders (also what he carried) and had slow overall times, I was AMAZED because the guy was deadly accurate with it...and a fairly long distances. He shot one rather difficult stage zero down - I, and most of my buddies, didn't with semi-autos. Point? It CAN be done, and well! John - A38716 What goes around comes around.
RePete		#3	[-]
Posts: 1072 May 4 12 3:04 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I sometimes use my 686 w/2 1/2" barrel in a regular match, just for schlitz and giggles. I have more fun than anyone. MFWIC DILLIGAF Stercus Accidit -Sh*t happens (Latin) Proud member of the WTFDTSG club Nice try means you suck spelled different
Odessa Straight		#4	[-]
Posts: 212 May 4 12 9:00 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Today I made a swap for 3 boxes of Federal .38 Special 158 grain Lead RN. GOF, that load should be really close to what Colt probably used for regulating the sights. That should be enough ammo to check out grouping/POA-POI and to shoot a match. If not enough I can get another box or two from Wally World which sells that ammo. I'll get some bright florescent paint for the front sight, too..probably red or orange. What I really want to do with the Detective Special is to Classify with it. Those 20 yard shots in Stage 3 would be a challenge with the 2 incher and that's even if I find a well regulated load that I can even group at that range with no mikes. Has anyone classified with a 2 inch, fixed sighted snubby? I've never heard of anyone even trying. Now that should earn some bragging rights; just to even classify with it. Someone here should try that and then give me some pointers. Scott
GOF		#5	[-]
Posts: 2129 May 5 12 5:18 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Scott, The best sight paint I have found is Ace Hardware brand flourescent spray paint... it's tough and doesn't wear as much as some of the softer 'sight paints' I've tried, and it's cheap. Spray a bit on a piece of paper and use an artist brush to apply it to the sight. Wipe the sides of the sight with a folded business card to create a clean edge with no spill over. Apply a coat of white primer to the sight before the flourescent paint... it helps the paint stick, and it brightens the flourescent paint. If you get wear on the sight, touch up is simple. Those 158 LRN Federal loads should be about right. Chris Christian A23489 SO Arguing with a fool is like rolling around in the mud with a pig. You both get filthy dirty, but the pig enjoys it.
Odessa Straight		#6	[-]
Posts: 212 May 5 12 8:26 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Gof, I don't have a local Ace Hardware. I could get the Ace paint online, but would have to order a 6 can package so I'll try our local Lowe's for florescent and primer spray paints. I also have an older Para P-14 with the staked in front sight that I need to paint. You've given me a great idea for more visible front sights on guns with non-interchangeable front sights. I'm having more and more trouble seeing black on black sights and have put fiber optic sights on everything that I can, but for the Detective Special and the older P-14 the florescent paint may be a good (cheap too) way to go. Scott
Jim Watson		#7	[-]
Posts: 1061 May 5 12 10:02 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Hobby Lobby for Model Master Fluorescent Red (really kind of orangish) over a white base coat.
Odessa Straight		#8	[-]
Posts: 212 May 6 12 7:02 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Thanks. I do have a local Hobby store and will check them out for paint. I appreciate the info about first having a good primer coat of white. I would have used a darker color like I've used on cars before, but will definitely go with white because of the suggestions given above. Scott

ADulay		#9	[-]
Posts: 166 May 6 12 10:12 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I've got a snubbie from my "other life" about 1000 years ago. A nice Chief's Model 36 Smith that shoots quite accurately too. I'd be tempted to give it a go in SSR if I had any speed loaders for it. Might be fun but I haven't actually carried that gun in years. Got a great OWB holster for it and other than the grips, it's stone stock. Maybe I'll check online for some HKS loaders and give it a go. I could be top dog in SSR for a night! AD (I'd be the only dog in SSR for the night) I actually use my carry gun! A47231 SO by combat field promotion while waiting for a real class.
Odessa Straight		#10	[-]
Posts: 212 May 6 12 1:03 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	AD, Shooting that Chief's Special for a match would be a hoot, for sure. Of course you'd be faced with not only the light weight and short snubby aspects of your revolver, but the 5 shot thing, as well. That would just mean more speed loads for a COF and reloading a revolver is great fun, too. I mean even the revolver friendly strings of fire would require an extra reload like; kapow kapow, kapow kapow, kapow @#$%$#@ reload kapow Scott
GOF		#11	[-]
Posts: 2129 May 6 12 1:12 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Odessa Straight wrote: AD, Shooting that Chief's Special for a match would be a hoot, for sure. Of course you'd be faced with not only the light weight and short snubby aspects of your revolver, but the 5 shot thing, as well. That would just mean more speed loads for a COF and reloading a revolver is great fun, too. I mean even the revolver friendly strings of fire would require an extra reload like; kapow kapow, kapow kapow, kapow @#$%$#@ reload kapow Scott Scott... it's obvious to me that you have a full understanding of SSR in IDPA! Run that Colt... you'll have fun. AD... run that little Chief's Special... you'll have fun too, and HKS does make speedloaders for it. Safariland might make the spring loaded Comp 1 and Comp 11s for it, but I don't know... you can check their web. Chris Christian A23489 SO Arguing with a fool is like rolling around in the mud with a pig. You both get filthy dirty, but the pig enjoys it.
rickey		#12	[-]
Posts: 410 May 6 12 2:28 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Here's a place to get speed loaders for a j frame http://www.bobmacs.com/variantcatalog.htm I've got them for a l and k frame there expensive but good each round has its own spring. They have speedloaders for those out of the norm guns also. Rickey A39229 I've never learned what to do I've always learned what not to do
hogdoc357		#13	[-]
Posts: 20 Jun 4 12 9:20 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Odessa Straight wrote: I'm not meaning a BUG match. I'm meaning SSR in a regular IDPA match. My daily carry is a '60s vintage Colt Detective Special. Depending on weather and the clothing worn I carry it either in my front trouser pocket or in a very cool little IWB Kydex holster formed specifically for it. I really see the merit of shooting what you actually carry in IDPA so I give my Detective Special a workout in ONE club match; bought 6 speedloaders, loaded up a batch of standard velocity .38s, sighted it in for that load (well found out where it hit), and went for it. My score was so discouraging I have yet to try the Dick Special in another match. Now I've got the hots to give it another go. I keep thinking that's what I actually carry and should use it more for IDPA. It's a six shooter and the speedloaders work fine so capacity compared to heaver longer revolvers in SSR is comparable. I know I need to make up a load for it that shoots closer to the sights and that I can group well enough for no misses to the body or head. I missed every headshot presented in that ONE match. Does anyone shoot a 2 inch snubby in SSR? Something like a S&W K frame maybe a short Ruger Speed 6, or my Detective Special would at least be able to flow along with the rest of the shooters in the squad, time wise, where a 5 shooter snubby may be better just used for BUG matches. Scott Hey Scott, Yesterday, Sunday, I shot my very first IDPA match at Cherokee Gun Club in Gainesville, GA. AND...I did it with my LCR .38 Special, 5-shot snubbie! I had a blast! What a great group of shooters and what wonderful practice I experienced. This is nothing like standing in an indoor range, in a cubical and not being able to move. I shot behind barriers; I shot under a table; I shot on the move; I shot at moving targets; I shot rapid shots; I performed multiple reloads with speedloaders under pressure, etc. If you haven't tried it, then give it a go. You will be hooked. I even had a member shooting in my group who is a world class shooter and instructor, Claude Werner, from the Atlanta area. His web site is: Firearms Safety Training LLC - Home Most revolver shooters use a 6-shot. To my knowledge, I was the only shooter using a 5-shot. But, I held my own and did alright. But most importantly, I had loads of fun! Oh, and the LCR did superb! I even had one shooter say to me that he admired me for using a 5-shot. Byron
Odessa Straight		#14	[-]
Posts: 212 Jun 5 12 9:22 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Welcome to the IDPA clan, Byron, and especially welcome to the IDPA revolver clan. The last time I bought Buffalo Bore 158 gr. SWC HPs they were $1.25 each. I carry them in my Detective Special and shoot enough of them to know where they hit, but don't have the expendable income to shoot them in the massive quantities required for matches. Ahhhhh, I'll bet you didn't shoot up your Buffalo Bores in the IDPA match, either I, too, admire you for shooting your 5 shot snubby, but I looked long and hard for a 6 shot snubby instead of a 5 shooter and found my Colt DS. I figure that I may or may not get a chance to reload in a defensive situation but the chances are more likely that I'd get a chance to fire 6 shots instead of running dry at 5. That works out well in IDPA SSR, too and I wouldn't want he rules for SSR modified in any way to better accommodate a 5 shooter. I've been told Comp 3 speed loaders for a K frame S&W work great in a D frame Colt like my DS so I'm looking into trying some out. Those HKS speed loaders are completely reliable, but they are slower than cat do do, too. Scott
hogdoc357		#15	[-]
Posts: 20 Jun 9 12 11:46 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	No, Scott, I don't shoot the Buffalo Bore for matches OR practice. Way too expensive for that. ...and Scott, I also have considered as I go along in this game, I will want to find a 6-shot to shoot. I do not own a 6 shot DA. My six shooters are my SA cowboy guns. I shoot SASS too. I've thought about trying out one of those babies too, just for fun. The reloads however would be heck on the clock. But it would be a hoot. So I will keep my eyes open for a 6 shot DA, but until them, I will continue to play IDPA with my 5 shot and try to improve my skills under pressure. Thanks for the welcome. My IDPA membership card just came in the mail today. I am pumped and can't wait for the next shoot. Take care. Byron
Odessa Straight		#16	[-]
Posts: 212 Jun 10 12 10:59 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Byron, I guess I seemed like some kind of snob or IDPA gatekeeper in reference to 5 shot snub revolvers. For years before I found the Colt DS I carried a S&W Centennial/ 5 shooter J frame and know I would want to shoot it in IDPA if I still had it. I think 90%+ of the folks in IDPA would encourage you to shoot what you carry and that having fun is certainly the primary goal (after safety, naturally). I also shot Cowboy Action matches and really like single action revolvers, too (especially with black powder .45 Colt rounds). However, if you found a club/ MD who would allow one, it would so greatly increase your time per stage of fire that I'm thinking you might get asked to not do it again. I did shoot a Webley top break revolver with .45 ACP loaded with black powder once so I, too, know the fun of straying from the beaten path. For what it's worth, in my opinion, you are playing this game exactly right..getting trigger time with your carry gun and having a hoot doing it. You won't have to look hard for a good 6 shooter. S&W or Ruger 6 guns seem to be preferred for IDPA and a good one isn't difficult to find at a fairly reasonable price. Of course you've got holsters, loaders, pouches & other goodies to get for it for it, too Scott

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2 inch Colt Detective Special For SSR?

2 inch Colt Detective Special For SSR?