Colt SF-VI

[Nowhere Man]

I just "happened" to be passing by the gun shop this morning and there it was. With my name on it!

New toys are great!!

Dave

 

[Hawk]

For those of us wanting to know what the dickens a SF-VI is, the following was attributed to Dfariswheel:

Here's some info on the Post-Detective Special Colt's.

When Colt discontinued for the last time the "D" frame Detective Special revolvers, they replaced it with a totally new gun, built on a "SF" or Small Frame action.

This is a totally new, transfer-bar ignition gun, which was a modified version of the Trooper Mark III/King Cobra/Anaconda guns.

Oddly, Colt used the SAME "Vee" spring to power the hammer as they used in the "D" frame Detective Special, NOT a coil spring.
In the "SF" frame, the upper leg of the Vee spring powers the hammer, but the lower leg does nothing but act to tension the upper leg.

The first gun in this new "SF" series was the SF-VI, or Small Frame-Six Shot.
People wondered about Colt giving the new revolver this really catchy name, but the reason was, to eliminate any confusion with the discontinued Detective Special which was still in the wholesalers pipeline.

As soon as the last of the Detective Specials were off the wholesalers shelves, Colt simply renamed the SF-VI as the DS-II, or Detective Special Two.

In the late 1990's Colt chambered the "SF" frame in .357 Magnum, and named it the Magnum Carry.

All three of the the "SF" series guns were identical except for markings and caliber.

In the early 2000's, Colt had to eliminate many models to survive financially, and most of the revolvers, including the "SF" guns were discontinued.

Nice catch.

 

[Nowhere Man]

Thanks Hawk. I thought so too. My understanding was Colt sold this model for only one year (1995) with the "SF" designation.

Isn't it also the first stainless "DS" type revolver by Colt?


Dave

 

[Shear_stress]

I wish Colt would bring back their DA revolvers. Good score.

 

[Dr.Rob]

I've been wanting a set of those Pachmeyer grips with the Colt logo for my Magnum Carry. The 'factory' grips are Houges and are unmarked. They work well, but come on a Colt's grips should have medallians right?

Great find.

 

[raskolnikov_22]

Not quite as nice as the shrouded DS, but it's a Colt all the same.

 

[snooperman]

Good info Hawk, Thanks

I have a number of D frame colts, but none of the later small frame ones. The price of them and the fact they were not produced in large numbers, keeps them mostly for the devoted Colt fans now. I wish Colt would reconsider and produce their beautiful revolvers again.

 

[Jim Watson]

I recall Colt offered a trigger pull increase kit for these because they had the double action down so light as to scare some people accustomed to earlier models. The few I have seen did have very light and quite smooth double actions.

 

[prescobd]

I have 2 SF-VIs, the more commom 2" gun and a 4" barreled version. I also have two DS-IIs, a 2" model and a 3" model.

Can anyone tell me how rare the 4" SF-VI and the 3" DS-II are?

Thanks

 

[S&W-Keeper]

I have had one for a couple of years, they are nice little snubbies.

 

[dfariswheel]

The Colt "SF" framed series was a short production type.

The most rare are the non-standard barrels like the 3" and 4". No one but Colt knows just how few were produced, but not many.
Collectors are actively hunting versions in nice condition, especially NIB.

The "SF-VI" was the first stainless Colt small framed revolver. People often mistake electroless nickle or hard chrome Detective Specials for stainless.

It wasn't that the "SF" trigger scared people, it was just that it was so light, some people had trouble with trigger reset.
Some people had problems with pulling the trigger again before it'd reset itself.
Colt put a notice in mid-production "SF-VI" boxes offering to replace the trigger return spring with a heavier one for people who had problems.

 

[Nowhere Man]

Well, I got it to the range yesterday. I shot it side by side with a S&W mod 60LS. My wife's gun.

The double action trigger pull of the Colt was awesome! It put the S&W to shame. This gun is a keeper.


DAve

 

[mudstud]

Yeah, nice snag! Several years back, I came across an SF-VI "Special Lady". This piece was used, but nice condition, in case with all papers, etc. What it is, is a SF-VI with a bright stainless finish and a bobbed hammer. Got it for a price which seems ridiculously low now!