1965 Colt Trooper questions

[Rio Laxas]

So I couldn't help myself (again). I just bought this shooter grade 1965 Colt Trooper off of another forum, and I can't wait to get it. It should make a nice companion to my recently factory re-finished and repaired shooter grade Colt Python.



It is my understanding from old forum posts that the original Trooper has the same internals as the Python, but I've seen some people contradict that and say that's not really true. So, just how similar is it?

Did the first run of Troopers have hammer mounted firing pins? I've seen some references to that as well. Other than the location of the firing pin (if applicable), are there any other substantial differences between the early original Troopers and the late original Troopers?

 

[Seamore2001]

Ha! My first post! Anyway...

According to http://www.coltrevolvers.net/m357.html

"So, in 1961, Colt discontinued the Model 357. What they actually did, was discontinue the .38 Special Trooper with the firing pin mounted on the hammer, lowered the finish of the 357 and started selling it as a Trooper with the firing pin in the frame. After this, the Trooper was available in .38 Special and 357 Magnum."

Since you have a 1965 Trooper, what you essentially have is a Model .357, which was what the Python was built off of. Lower finish then the Python or model .357, but internally pretty much the same beast.

You've got what is essentially the second run of the Trooper. The first run of the Trooper did have the firing pin mounted on the hammer, not in the frame. By the time yours was made, Colt had moved to pin-in-frame.

 

[dfariswheel]

The Trooper is often known a a "Poor man's Python".
It uses the same frame and action as the Python, just not as well fitted and tuned, with a lesser grade of blue job.

The "other" Trooper people get confused about is actually a later gun, the Trooper Mark III, and Trooper Mark V. These are totally different guns with nothing in common with the original Trooper.
People often call the Mark III and Mark V just "Troopers".