Archives: Colt

The .25 ACP Survives Test of Time

25 ACP Pistol

The .25 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol) is a straight-walled, semi-rimmed, centerfire cartridge designed by John Browning in 1905. The ammo was released along with the Fabrique Nationale M1905 pistol. Introduced in Belgium in 1906, the Fabrique Nationale is a vest pocket pistol intended for use by gentlemen of the era. The 25 caliber ammo came to the U.S. in 1908 alongside the Colt Model 1908 Vest Pocket.

Often referred to as .25 Auto, .25 ACP ammo measures 6.35 x 16mmSR. It features a 50-grain bullet that feeds into the chamber through a removable magazine. The projectile is .251 inch, has a rim diameter of .302 inch, and a .043 inch rim thickness. The case is .615 inch with the full cartridge measuring .91 inch. While a .25 caliber ammo is a low power cartridge, it has an average penetration of 7-11 inches. Estimates say that with proper placement, 25% of .25 ACP rounds can incapacitate a threat.

Popular names include:

  • .25 Automatic Colt Pistol
  • .25 ACP
  • .25 Auto
  • .25 Automatic
  • 35mm
  • 35mm Browning
  • 35 x 16mmSR

The .25 ACP for Self Defense

Famed Marine and gun enthusiast Lt. Col. John Dean “Jeff” Cooper commented on the .25 ACP: “If you do shoot someone with it, and they find out, they will be very upset.”

Despite Cooper’s comments, many people continue to choose .25 caliber weapons for self-defense.

In the early 1900s, vest or “belly pistols” were popular among civilians. The lure was that they were easy to conceal and ideal for self-defense. People don’t take the pistols seriously due to low power and lack of penetration. Some called them “mouse guns.” Despite their inadequate performance except at close distances, many small handguns are modeled after this style.

Because of the round’s small size, the guns chambered for .25 caliber ammo are smaller than a man’s hand. Although it’s small, it addresses several common problems that face other small caliber bullets. The .22 Short, .22 Long, .22 LR, and .17 HMR have experienced reliability problems due to the rimfire design. The .25 ACP is more reliable because it used centerfire primer. An additional improvement is the use of hollow point bullets, which improves on the stopping ability of the round.

Experts often discount the .25 caliber ammo as being insufficient for self-defense. The ammo accomplished the job as long as there is proper placement. The important thing is stopping the threat.

Types of .25 ACP Ammo

The .25 caliber isn’t as popular as 9mm or other larger calibers, but it comes in some variations. Styles include:

Full metal jacket (FMJ): FMJ is the most common .25 Auto ammo found on the market. It’s ideal for training and target shooting. It is not well-suited to self-defense.

Jacketed hollow point (JHP): The JHP bullet narrows to a lead center. The bullet expands on impact. This creates a higher level of damage and improves stopping power. JHP is the most popular type of self-defense .25 ACP ammo.

Gold Dot hollow point (GDHP): Gold Dot designed the GDHP for self-defense purposes. It is a hollow point round with a pre-fluted core with fault lines to control the bullet’s expansion.

Hornady Extreme terminal performance (XTP): Hornady designed XTP bullets for self-defense. The basic JHP contains serrations to divide the round’s outer cover into equal parts. These serrations allow for controlled expansion, despite the cartridge’s low velocity.

Popular Firearms Chambered in .25 Auto

Modern handguns are more effective than the .25 ACP which was part of the ammo’s decline. However, there are European companies that still manufacture the weapons. Companies manufacturing guns chambered for the .25 caliber ammo include Ruby, Sig Sauer, HK, Raven, Bauer, Taurus, Phoenix Arms, Sterling, and Kel-Tec.

Buyers in search of vintage or antique arms can find weapons manufactured in Italy, Germany, Belgium, and the former Soviet Union.

  • Colt 1903 Hammerless
  • Colt Model 1908 Vest Pocket
  • Beretta 950 Jetfire
  • Walther TP & TPH
  • Standard Manufacturing S-333 Volleyfire
  • Phoenix Arms HP25A
  • Kel-Tech P32
  • Raven MP-25
  • Baby Browning
  • Beretta Bobcat
  • Taurus PLY25
  • Astra Model 2000 “Cub”
  • Vaclav Holek’s vz 21

The Iconic Colt Detective Special

Colt Detective

Manufactured by Colt’s Manufacturing Company in 1927, the Colt Detective Special is one of the most iconic snubnosed revolvers ever made. It’s a six-shot, double-action revolver with a 2” barrel historically used by plain clothes police detectives when carrying concealed. It also became a popular model to carry off-duty.

History

Colt employee John Henry Fitzgerald came up with the concept of the “Fitz Special” snubnosed revolver in the mid-1920s. Fitzgerald wanted to reduce the barrel size of the .38 Special Colt Police Positive Special revolver to make it easier for police to carry concealed. He shortened the barrel and ejector rod and removed the front of the trigger guard to enable faster trigger acquisition. Fitzgerald also modified the butt and bobbed the hammer spur to make it faster to draw without catching on the policeman’s clothing.

The Detective Special

The Fitz Special made such an impression on Colt that they made some modifications to the design and introduced the Detective Special. Upon its release in 1927, the Detective Special became an instant success. Several law enforcement agencies worldwide still use the gun.

Five Generations

There have been five generations of the Detective Special, starting with the first generation in 1927. Some purists only consider the gun to have had four issues, since the fifth issue was a last-ditch attempt at reviving the weapon by making a run using spare parts. 

First Issue

The Detective Special was first manufactured from 1927-1946. This issue was the pared down version of the .38 Special Colt Police Positive Special revolver. Distinctive features of the “snubby” included a shortened ejector rod with an ungrooved, knurled tip; a checkered cylinder latch and hammer spur, wooden grip panels, and a “half-moon” shaped front sight. The earliest model, featuring a 2” barrel, retained the original square butt grip frame. In 1933, Colt rounded off the grip frame to make the weapon easier to conceal. Colt switched over to the rounded butt for the Detective Special. However, the original square butt was used into the 1940’s.

Detective Specials were manufactured for the U.S. Government during World War II. Due to the high demand and quick turn-around required, many of the weapons had the original square butt. Historians believe that the guns were pre-war Police Positive Specials retrofitted with 2” barrels.

Second Issue

The second issue of the Detective Special was sold from 1947 to 1965. After World War II, Colt began to make changes to its line, including the Detective Special. The company changed a variety of things including the cylinder retention system. They also replaced the front sight, altered the hammer spur, and lengthened the ejector rod.

The gun’s grips were known as “Coltwood,” made from a reddish-brown plastic. This was common throughout the 1940’s and 1950’s. In later years, Colt returned to using checkered American Walnut embellished with silver Colt medallions.

The second issue offered a 3” variant with a lengthened ejector rod. Colt changed to a serrated trigger spur, and the cylinder latch was smoother than the original.

Third Issue

Produced from 1966 to 1972, the Detective Special’s third issue only offered a minor change. Colt changed the grip frame to match the short, “stubby” frame used on the Colt Agent. Colt changed the grips to simplify and reduce the cost of production. Other changes included adding a new shroud to enclose and protect the ejector rod. Designers changed the front sight to a full ramp, and oversized wooden gripstocks covered the front frame strap.

Variations on the third issue included a limited run of nickel-plated guns as well as a 3” barrel variant.

Fourth Issue

Produced from 1973-1986, the fourth issue was the last of the series and featured the last major design change made by Colt. In 1973, Colt changed the barrel to a heavier version, adding a shroud designed to cover ramped front sight and the ejector rod. They also changed the narrow, old-style grips to a sleeker combat-style that wrapped around the frame. Additionally, the formerly grooved trigger was now smooth.

In 1986, faced with dwindling sales and rising costs, Colt discontinued the Detective Special.

Fifth Issue

Manufactured from 1993-1995, the fifth issue was a last hurrah for the Detective Special. Colt had just recovered from bankruptcy. The company decided to take leftover parts and made a short production run of Detective Specials. The reissue was an instant success.  There was enough demand from the reintroduction that Colt continued to produce the gun until 1995.  The guns were identical to the 1973 model except for the introduction of Pachmayr’s “Compac” rubber grips.

The Detective Special’s revival only lasted until 1995, when Colt introduced the stainless-steel SF-VI.

Many experts tout Colt’s Detective Special as one of the finest snubnose revolvers ever made.