Читать книгу The Gun Digest Book of Combat Handgunnery онлайн

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After that little ace trumping, Colt was quick to respond. Both firms had built ultra-light revolvers for the USAF’s Aircrewman project, and Colt was first to market with the Cobra, a Detective Special with a lightweight alloy frame. The alloy in question was Duralumin, aluminum laced with titanium, Alcoa #6 or equivalent. The company also came up with a bolt-on device aptly called a “hammer shroud.” It covered the hammer on both sides to keep it from snagging in a pocket or coat lining. Paul Weston had correctly described the Colt hammer spur as being shaped like a fishhook. The Shroud covered the hammer, left the tip exposed to allow single-action thumb-cocking if necessary.

Colt’s .38 Detective Special is absolutely a modern classic. This sample is the popular 1972 style.

Taurus CIA (Carry It Anywhere) effectively copies the established styling of the S&W Centennial series. It’s available in .38 Special and .357 Magnum.

S&W threw a two-fisted riposte. Their aluminum-frame snubby, being smaller, was also a tad lighter. A Detective Special weighed 21 ounces, and a Cobra, 15.5 ounces. S&W’s Airweight revolver in the Chief Special was listed as a feathery 12.5 ounces compared to 19 ounces in all-steel configuration. Also introduced (first in Airweight, in fact) was their Bodyguard model with built-in hammer shroud. Sleeker than the shrouded Colt, it was also more pleasant to shoot; the rear flange of the screw-on Colt shroud had a tendency to bite the web of the hand. However, the S&W was more difficult to clean in the area of the shrouded hammer, which proved to be a dust-collector with both brands.