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Work order — Colt Detective Special

Taking the firearm apart for a job such as refinishing, and putting it back together to specification. Generated from the Pew-Takedown entry last updated 2026-10-29. Confidence: high.

Shop difficulty: Tier 3 of 3

Colt D-frame with the same V-mainspring, rebound lever, hand and safety-lever lockwork as the Python (55 line items in Colt’s list); parts are installed by Colt repair stations and the timing interactions decide it. Pew-Takedown's rating, not the manufacturer's.

Bench time: strip ~45 min, rebuild ~75 min (estimate). Actual: strip ______ rebuild ______

Special tools:

• Fitted hollow-ground screwdrivers — Crane lock, sideplate, bolt and stock screws
• Pin punches / drift — Rebound lever pin, hammer strut and stirrup pins
• Small screwdriver as a mainspring lever — Pressing the V-mainspring off the stirrup and back onto the rebound lever

Watch for:

• Colt says even available spare parts should be installed at a Colt Authorized Repair Service Station. (both; Colt's Manufacturing Company LLC)
• The V-mainspring has to be slid onto the stirrup and then levered onto the rebound lever, with the hand seated by pressing the rebound lever up (same Colt DA lockwork layout as the Python). (reassembly; American Rifleman (NRA))
• Timing depends on the bolt riding the rebound lever cam and is easily upset on Colt V-spring guns. (reassembly; Colt V-spring Adventures (blog))
• The bolt spring is small and loose once the bolt screw is out. (disassembly; American Rifleman (NRA))

Tools

• Hollow-ground gunsmith screwdriver — The yoke retaining screw. Colt screws are soft and burr easily.

1. Clear and make safe

1. Point the muzzle in a safe direction and keep your finger off the trigger.
2. Pull the cylinder release latch rearward and swing the cylinder out.
3. Press the ejector rod firmly to eject all cartridges or cases.
4. Look through every chamber, one at a time, and confirm each is empty.
   Warning: Every chamber, counted.
5. Confirm the bore is clear and remove all live ammunition from the work area.

2. Disassemble

Routine cleaning (what Colt documents)

1. Complete the Clear and Make Safe procedure and put on safety glasses. Colt asks for them in case you lose control of a spring-loaded component.
2. Keep your finger off the trigger and outside the trigger guard, and make sure the hammer is NOT cocked.
   Warning: Never force the cylinder open with the hammer cocked — Colt states this could damage the revolver mechanism.
3. Open the revolver by pulling the cylinder latch to the rear and pushing the cylinder out to the left.
4. Push the ejector rod rearward to force out any rounds or cases, then let it return.
   Tip: The ejector rod spring should return the rod to its seated position under its own force. If it does not, that is a fault, not a technique problem.
5. Clean the bore, using a bore brush or patch according to how dirty it is.
   Tip: Avoid contact between the cleaning rod and the muzzle — the resulting wear reduces accuracy.
6. Clean each chamber in the cylinder with a chamber brush or patch.
7. Take care not to strike the rear frame with the cleaning rod.
   Warning: Colt warns that severe cases burr the metal around the firing pin hole, which can contribute to eventual firing failures.
8. In freezing conditions, below 32 °F / 0 °C, avoid oil for lubrication — apply a dry lubricant sparingly instead.
9. Lightly oil a patch and pass it through each chamber, leaving a thin film.
   Tip: Before firing, pass a dry patch through the barrel and each chamber to remove as much oil as possible.
10. Close the cylinder by pushing it into the frame until the latch moves forward into its closed position, then wipe all external surfaces with a lightly oiled cloth.

Yoke and cylinder removal (not documented by Colt)

1. Read this first: Colt does not publish this procedure, and the current manual explicitly tells owners not to field strip the revolver. It is recorded here as gunsmith and armorer practice, not as manufacturer guidance.
   Warning: Colt's instruction is blunt: do not field strip this revolver. The 2020 Python manual adds that doing so voids the service agreement. Anything beyond cleaning goes to a competent gunsmith or back to Colt.
2. Complete the Clear and Make Safe procedure and leave the cylinder open.
3. Remove the yoke retaining screw from the right side of the frame, using a properly fitting hollow-ground screwdriver.
   Tip: Screw positions differ across Colt models and eras. Check a parts diagram for your exact revolver first.
4. Draw the yoke and cylinder assembly forward and out of the frame.
5. Clean the yoke bearing surfaces, then reverse to reassemble.
6. Go no further. On a Colt the sideplate is on the LEFT, and the lockwork behind it is specialist territory — Colt's own answer is to send it to them.

3. Refinish

The components the procedures above separate. Coating, masking and cure are outside this database; follow your coating system's instructions. A part the manufacturer marks "factory fit" should not be swapped or reworked.

No manufacturer statement of materials or finish is recorded. Identify each part's material before choosing prep and cure.

4. Reassemble

Yoke and cylinder removal (not documented by Colt)

1. Reverse the steps of "Yoke and cylinder removal (not documented by Colt)".

Reassembly

1. Slide the yoke and cylinder assembly back into the frame.
2. Install and snug the yoke retaining screw.
3. Close the cylinder gently by hand.
   Warning: Never flick it closed.
4. Perform the function check.

5. Torque

No manufacturer torque values are recorded for this firearm.

Fit or check on rebuild

• Timing: hand carry-up, bolt drop and bolt pickup on the rebound lever cam, in single and double action — Colt V-spring actions are hand-fitted; the bolt rides the rebound lever cam and small changes upset timing.
• Hand seated in the trigger with the rebound lever pressed up — The hand only seats fully with the rebound lever held up.
• Safety and safety lever operate smoothly and the safety is fully up with the trigger forward — American Rifleman’s reassembly test for the Colt hammer-block safety.
• Cylinder gap, end shake and crane lock — Standard check after the crane has been out.

6. Function check

• Verify every chamber is empty before each check.
• Cock the hammer slowly and confirm the cylinder locks up at each chamber before full cock.
• With the hammer at full cock, confirm the cylinder is locked with minimal play.
• Press the trigger in single action and confirm a clean hammer fall.
• Cycle the action in double action through every chamber.
• Confirm the cylinder latches closed securely.
• On older Colt actions, confirm the cylinder locks up tight at the instant the hammer reaches full cock.

If any check fails, the firearm is not safe to fire. Stop and see a licensed gunsmith.

Sources

1. Colt Double Action Revolvers Owner's Manual (Detective Special, Commando Special, Diamondback, Police Positive, Agent, Cobra, Viper) — Colt's Manufacturing Company LLC primary
   https://www.colt.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/detectivecommandospecialdiamondbackpolicepositiveagentcobraviper.pdf
2. Colt Python Revolver (exploded view and disassembly) — American Rifleman (NRA) secondary
   https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2014/2/21/colt-python-revolver/
3. Colt V-spring Adventures: Fixing my dad's 357 trooper — Colt V-spring Adventures (blog) anecdotal
   https://coltpython.blogspot.com/2009/11/fixing-my-dads-357-trooper.html

Educational guide only. Some information comes from non-authoritative sources. Always consult your manufacturer's manual and a licensed gunsmith. Verify your firearm is unloaded before every procedure. Full disclaimer: https://github.com/Fundamental-build-LLC/Pew-Takedown

Legal notice: this material is third-party information compiled from sources of varying reliability and is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not gunsmithing, technical, safety or legal advice, it is not verified or endorsed by any manufacturer, and it must not be taken as fact. Any work on a firearm beyond the routine field stripping described in its own owner's manual should be performed only by a licensed and insured gunsmith. You use this material entirely at your own risk. Fundamental Build LLC and the project's contributors make no warranty of any kind and accept no liability for death, injury, damage or loss arising from its use. Full terms: LEGAL.md.