Colt's last .38 snubby was first issued as the "SF-VI", (Small Frame, 6 shot). Within a few months or so, it was being shipped as the "DS-II, then in .357 Mag as the "Magnum Carry". All were in stainless.
I waited for years for a stainless Detective Special, so I bought a SF-VI. I was not particulary impressed with it. The edges of the muzzle were so sharp they would ruin a holster in short order.
The rear sight didn't have a recess cut below it so the glare was bad enough that shooting in bright light was tough. There was no ejector rod head, and the rod was small in diameter.
Basically, I converted the rear sight, the muzzle, and the ejector rod to a Detective Special form. I reshaped the muzzle to the same contour as the DS, made the rear sight cut, added an ejector rod head, and opened up the rod slot in the barrel.
What decided me on getting rid of it, was the action. It was NOT what I expected from a Colt. Although the trigger was very light and smooth, the cylinder locking system was kind of crappy. When the hammer went back, the cylinder bolt would barely unlock, then instantly drop back onto the cylinder, so quickly, I wasn't real sure it would always unlock to start with. This was NOT an out of spec timing problem. It was how the damn thing was designed to work.
Although reliable and fairly accurate, it wasn't one of Colt's better efforts. As soon as possible I'm going to pick up an original late model "D" frame Dick Special and have it hard chromed.
