Any commercial 38 special ammo can be used in a firearm marked 38 special caliber. (Remington,Federal,CCI,Fiocchi,etc.) The Colt serial number guide that I found on the internet says Colt Detective Specials with an "M"after the serial number started with the year 1975. The gun should have a shrouded extractor rod.
Most say 38 special on the barrel
Produced in 1973.
A Colt ds .38 special with the serial number C44027 without the S on the end was made in 1973.
Production date is 1977 for serial numbers: 19201M-59999M. Don't know what the X is.
My records show the Colt DS with the F prefix ended in 1974 with F60000.
your colt detective special dates to the year 1949 by the serial number provided.
Try calling Colt's customer service at 1-800-962-2658. They are very helpful.
Are you sure the serial number is correct? The Colt detective special was first produced in 1927 with a starting serial number of 331000,The Colt police positive special from which the Colt detective special was derived from with the serial number 153817 was made in 1918
Impossible to answer without the serial number.
Serial number is needed to answer.
The Colt detective special was derived from the Colt positive special in 1927and the starting serial number for that year was 331000 so the serial number you show of 3021 does not match up as a Colt detective special. Now if the serial number was 383021 then it was made in 1930.
A Colt detective special with that serial # needs a letter either before or after it. Nothing that low before 1970