Not a Snake, but still a Prancing Pony

If you dry fire the Mark III and later Colt DA revolvers use snap caps.
Some of the firing pins may have been too hard and can break.

Replacement requires a special press device and support dies to press the old assembly out and the new one in.
Attempting it with a hammer and punch often ruins the frame.
Since Colt no longer services these, you'd have to use Frank Glenn or Lee Specklin at Spartan Firearms.

I have the twin brother to the above .22. Normally, I am a S&W fan and was at my LGS one day buying a couple of S&W model 10 police trade-ins when the owner pulled out this Colt Trooper MK III and offered it to me in the same price range as the S&W's. The Colt was so pretty and in such perfect condition I couldn't turn it down. After I got it home and looked it over I was very impressed with the quality of the gun. I have shied away from Colt DA revolvers because my left hand is paralized and it's difficult to pull the cylinder release rather than push like S&Ws but this gun was so exceptional and the price was one I couldn't refuse. I have some Colt SAA's but that's a different story. I have not been able to determine its age but guess it's 1970's...Y208xx.

CajunBass said:

I managed to make a reservation to get into my LGS a couple of days ago (not too far from the truth these days.), While I was there, the fellow behind the counter starts giving me a sob story about a poor, homeless, Colt they had. "No one wants it. It's not a snake." Yea...yea...I've heard this song and dance before.

But being the "nice guy" I am, I agreed to bring it home with me and take care of it.

Colt Trooper, MK III, 357 Magnum. Circa 1969-70.

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It's not a Python, but it's not too bad.

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Thats a fine looking revolver. I'm a sucker for old blued guns.