Detonics Streetmaster

[essayons21]

Anybody ever seen one of these in the wild?

I've been looking for one on all the online gun sales websites for a while now with no luck. Most of my LGS haven't even heard of one, and they certainly don't have one in the used gun section. I've even searched past auctions on gunbroker and haven't found a single one ever sold. I did find one old auction on gunsamerica.

For those of you who don't know, the Detonics Streetmaster was a 1911 with a 5" government slide on an officers frame. Very limited production, and the new incarnation of DetonicsUSA doesn't have that model in their lineup.

So anyone seen on in their local gun store? If anyone has one post a few pictures!

 

[WC145]

I've been looking for one for a while myself but they're rare as hen's teeth. Only proof I have of their existance is a handful of pics on the interweb and a gunshop owner I spoke to in RI that had one but I called too late. Like trying to find bigfoot.

 

[smalls]

I saw a video of one, and a few pictures, but haven't ever seen one in person. Sweet gun, though.

 

[Jiml3]

I have never heard of a Detonics StreetMastere, but I know of the Combat Master series.
Combat Master Mk I - matte blue
" " Mk II - brushed nickel
" " Mk III - hard chrome
" " MC 1 - matte blue slide/ matte stainless frame
" " MIV - polished blue
" " Mk V - brushed/ matte stainless
" " Mk VI - polished s/s slide -matte stainless frame
" " Mk VII - flat-top s/s, with no sights.
I have the Mk VI and it is for sale if anyone is intererested!

 

[essayons21]

Would you mind measuring the length of the frame rails and the dustcover from the front of the triggerguard?

I've never handled one, but in pictures the combat master looks to have a longer dustcover than the standard officer sized 1911 frame. If it does I might pick up a combat master and make my own streetmaster by slapping a full sized slide on it.

 

[WC145]

Would you mind measuring the length of the frame rails and the dustcover from the front of the triggerguard?

I've never handled one, but in pictures the combat master looks to have a longer dustcover than the standard officer sized 1911 frame. If it does I might pick up a combat master and make my own streetmaster by slapping a full sized slide on it.

The dust cover on my Detonics USA CombatMaster is right at 1 7/8", measuring from the flat area on the front of the trigger guard. The dust cover on my Colt 1991A1 Compact (same as the Officers) measures just a hair under 1 3/4". So, yes, the CombatMaster dust cover is just over 1/8" longer.

I've never tried to put a full size slide/barrel on mine. Might have to try it.

 

[Old Fuff]

The Detonics pistols were (and are) unusual in that they were based on the standard Government Model frame and slide, rather then the Commander Model. Normally this would not work well because of a too short recoil spring tunnel, but they got away with it because of a recoil spring system that didn't use a shortened spring guide, and butted up against the barrel's bottom lug.

Why? Because at the time the pistols were first designed and developed, relatively inexpensive Government Model frames and slides were available, where the Commander parts were not.

If my feeble memory serves me right, a Government Model slide will fit on a Detonics frame, but a Commander one won't because the dust cover on the frame is too long.

Carry on.

 

[Old Fuff]

I believe that all of the Colt sub-compacts are based on the Commander platform, because the rails are set back on the frame to make a longer conventional recoil spring tunnel. The Detonics didn't require this, and I presume that with a full length slide they could use a regular 1911 recoil spring set-up.

 

[essayons21]

I've never tried to put a full size slide/barrel on mine. Might have to try it.

I would be interested in seeing this and hearing about reliability.

 

[WC145]

The Detonics pistols were (and are) unusual in that they were based on the standard Government Model frame and slide, rather then the Commander Model. Normally this would not work well because of a too short recoil spring tunnel, but they got away with it because of a recoil spring system that didn't use a shortened spring guide, and butted up against the barrel's bottom lug.

Why? Because at the time the pistols were first designed and developed, relatively inexpensive Government Model frames and slides were available, where the Commander parts were not.

If my feeble memory serves me right, a Government Model slide will fit on a Detonics frame, but a Commander one won't because the dust cover on the frame is too long.

Carry on.

Aren't Government Model and Commander frames the same, the difference being the Commander's shorter (4.25" vs 5") slide and barrel?

I don't own any Commanders, though I do have a number of full size 1911s, plus the Compact and the Detonics.

 

[Old Fuff]

Aren't Government Model and Commander frames the same, the difference being the Commander's shorter (4.25" vs 5") slide and barrel?

No, they are different and not interchangable. The Commander has the frame rails set back to make a longer recoil spring tunnel, and the dust cover lengths are not the same. There are probably exceptions, but all of the sub-compacts other then the Detonics that I know of are based on the Commander platform because they want all of the recoil spring tunnel they can get.

Take your Detonics and Colt Compact apart and see if the frame's slide rails are the same length, and also look at the difference in the recoil spring set-up's

 

[essayons21]

Officer and commander frames and slides are interchangeable, the rails and dustcover are of the same length. Government slides only go on govt frames (with the possible exception of detonics, which as mentioned earlier cuts down govt frames to roughly officer sized dimensions)

 

[essayons21]

Measuring my RIA full size dustcover gives me 2" from flattest part of the triggerguard. The dust cover only overlaps the cut in the bottom of the slide by about 3/16", so the detonics should be close enough to where the gap wouldn't be hugely noticeable.

 

[Old Fuff]

Understand that I'm not saying that you can slap a Government Model upper assembly on a Detonics frame and go forth with a reliable piece. To be blunt, you can't do the same with a Government Model frame. But I believe (I'm going by feeble memory) that a Government Model upper assembly can be fitted to a Detonics frame. Also I can't say that during the time that the Detonics platform has passed through different manufacturers that dimensional changes weren't made to the frame.

That said, anyone who want's a StreetMaster and has a CombatMaster should look into the possibilities. As has been pointed out, finding a genuine StreetMaster will be difficult, and finding an affordable one even more so.

 

[Old Fuff]

Delete duplicate post.

 

[essayons21]

Certainly. I'm also looking into the possibility of having one built by Caspian ($$$) which I am pretty sure they can do, or have one built from a RIA frame by Arnel, which won't be quite as pricey.

 

[Old Fuff]

I think that at one time, Caspian (who make great stuff) were tooled to make the Detonics frame, but I don't know if they now offer them or not. Numrich Gunparts (www.e-gunparts.com) also had some original Essex/Detonics frames, but I've been told that they may be off dimensionally. Of course if money is no object a Colt Government frame can be modified.

If I was going to make-over a larger frame I would make the handle the same as Colt's Officers ACP, because of the easier supply of magazines.

Anyway, have fun.

 

[breacher]

I read this thread a week ago and then yesterday at a local gun show here In Albq. NM I ran across a dealer who had 3 brand new Streetmasters for sale. All stainless steel NIB, asking $800. He said he knew the original owner of Detonics. I asked for his permission to pass along his contact info. Here ya go-

Dave (505)235-8415

Good luck. oh yeah, I took a cell ph. pic.

 

[ufgatrdave]

I just got mine.. Ill post pics as soon as I can figure out how...