Colt Frontier Scout .22lr - Good target gun?

[joplinsks]

A relative just gave me a mid '60s vintage Colt Frontier Scout .22lr in very good to excellent shape. Just wondering how accurate these guns are, like target practice at 25 yds, and how do they compare to today's six shot revolvers like the Ruger Single Six?

Thanks

 

[dfariswheel]

The little Colt's were usually very accurate revolvers.

Colt was one of the only American gun companies to actually make their own barrels, and Colt barrels were famous for accuracy.
On the average, a Colt .22 will be more accurate than the average Ruger.

The only way to judge, is to experiment with different brands and types of .22 ammo until you find the one that shoots the best in that specific gun, then shoot for groups.

 

[Im283]

The lady I work with has a Colt .22 like the OP describes. She brought it in to show me one day. Her mother had recently passed and she found it under a pile of stuff under the TV. It was in a rug. I opened the rug and the gun was loaded!

Her Dad was a retired cop and military, he had given it to her mother she suspects for personal protection. The bullets in it looked like 40 year old bullets as did the carboard box of ammo that was included. I think they were Hornaday.

I just found it funny that this little old lady had a Frontier .22 Mag/LR (mag cylinder was in gun). It looks like it has never ever been shot. She probably stuck it under the VCR and never looked at it again.

I begged my co-worker to sell it to me but no deal. It is one of the last things she has of her Dad's and she will not part with it. Breaks my heart for that revolver to be sitting in a closet never to be used. Who knows where it will end up someday when this lady dies down the road. (she is 60 and I am guessing has some years ahead of her yet)

Might be the prettiest gun I have ever held.

 

[mnrivrat]

No problem with accuracy if the gun is in good condition. They of course have fixed sights, but if they are set up OK you should have no trouble shooting and hitting.

Be aware that the scout does wear rather rapidly however. With it's alloy frame the cylinder pin likes to wear to a sloppy fit and then you will be spitting lead out the side. They are drawing enough collector interest that if I were you I would consider finding something else to shoot and save this one for only occasional plinking.

 

[mec]

I got a buntline scout in 1959 the first year they were out. this was a few months before the .22 magnums became available and right at the time they first started black anodyzing the frames of the shorter frontier scouts. The buntline hit right on and was extremely accurate. I killed a truck load of all kinds of rabbits and other small game and won some turkies with it at the turkey shoots that had pistol events. It was much easier to hit with than my friends 4 3/4" scout though he killed his share of small game too. It wan't uncommon for people to have broken trigger bolt springs. I changed mine frequently and never had a broken part of any kind through thousands of rounds.
At that time, the scouts cost 49.50 and the buntline was 59.50. This would be $398.50 in 2005 dollars.

 

[Tusker10mm]

Not A Scout

This is a New Frontier, I have taken a few Quail and other things with it. Holster is marked COLT as well. I added the Ivory about a week after fitting some nice Stags to it, which now are for sale. I say shoot them, that is what they are made for.

 

[obxned]

No, it's a lousy gun for target. Send it to me - I'm a lousy shot!

 

[Old 112]

If it is lr only it should shoot acurrately. My 22lr/22mag New Frontier(1971 or so) was very very good with the magnums. Those magnum loads were also very very loud(painful) without muffs. It produced a real decent buckshot pattern with lr. That was probably because the bore was slightly larger to accomadate the 22mag. An old friend bought a Scout duel cyl. at the same time, and had the same results. He still has his. Just a couple of experiences. Old 112