HMMurdock
Member
I've got a nickel-plated snuby-nosed Colt Lawman MKIII in .357 Magnum on hold for me because I wanna try it out. Anyone here have an opinion on these? Good or bad, let 'er rip!
Colt Lawman .357: Reviews?
- Thread starter HMMurdock
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dfariswheel
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- Dec 26, 2002
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The Colt "J" frame was Colt's replacement for all the older revolvers they could no longer afford to sell due to the extensive hand fitting required to assemble them.
The replacement was the Colt "J" frame made as the Trooper Mark III, Lawman Mark III, Metropolitan Police, and Official Police Mark III.,
The Lawman Mark III was made from 1969 to 1983, and there was a slightly improved Lawman Mark V made in 1984 and 1985.
The Lawman was available in a 4" un-shrouded barrel and a 2" barrel rounded butt version.
The 2" Lawman early versions also had an un-shrouded, exposed ejector rod, but later production models had a heavy shrouded barrel that looks like a giant Detective Special.
The guns were available in bright blue, bright nickel, and satin electroless nickel also known as "Coltguard".
These are extremely strong, high quality guns that are a definite step above most anything made today.
Master gunsmith Jerry Kuhnhausen considered them to be the strongest medium frame double action revolvers ever made.
The only possible weakness is that the guns shouldn't be dry fired without snap caps, since the firing pin "might" break, and this REQUIRES a trip back to Colt for replacement. This requires special equipment to prevent damaging the frame, so it's a factory ONLY job.
Other than that, the Lawman is a tank.
The replacement was the Colt "J" frame made as the Trooper Mark III, Lawman Mark III, Metropolitan Police, and Official Police Mark III.,
The Lawman Mark III was made from 1969 to 1983, and there was a slightly improved Lawman Mark V made in 1984 and 1985.
The Lawman was available in a 4" un-shrouded barrel and a 2" barrel rounded butt version.
The 2" Lawman early versions also had an un-shrouded, exposed ejector rod, but later production models had a heavy shrouded barrel that looks like a giant Detective Special.
The guns were available in bright blue, bright nickel, and satin electroless nickel also known as "Coltguard".
These are extremely strong, high quality guns that are a definite step above most anything made today.
Master gunsmith Jerry Kuhnhausen considered them to be the strongest medium frame double action revolvers ever made.
The only possible weakness is that the guns shouldn't be dry fired without snap caps, since the firing pin "might" break, and this REQUIRES a trip back to Colt for replacement. This requires special equipment to prevent damaging the frame, so it's a factory ONLY job.
Other than that, the Lawman is a tank.
Gordon
Member
AND an EAR WAX gun!
HMMurdock
Member
Ear Wax Gun?
Also, this comes in the Nickel finish but I wouldn't mind having something less flashy.
Anyone think refinishing an original Colt MKIII is a crime?
Also, this comes in the Nickel finish but I wouldn't mind having something less flashy.
Anyone think refinishing an original Colt MKIII is a crime?
ArchAngelCD
Member.
dfariswheel,
That was a great report, thank you for all the information...
Sounds like a great gun HMMurdock, go pick it up!!
That was a great report, thank you for all the information...
Sounds like a great gun HMMurdock, go pick it up!!
HMMurdock
Member
Most certainly, and I apologize for not yet thanking you for the magnificent info, dfariswheel! Thank you very much!
Gordon
Member
For some reason the 2" Lawman is the loudest gun I own. In the old days of the 70's when I used one on the job, it was notorious as an "ear wax gun" .
Texas Colt
Member
I have the exact same gun... a 2" nickel MKIII and I love it. I say go for it!
While it may be a little too heavy for pocket carry, mine rides real nice in a belt scabbard from Don Hume. Check out the link for a post about my MKIII.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=153461
While it may be a little too heavy for pocket carry, mine rides real nice in a belt scabbard from Don Hume. Check out the link for a post about my MKIII.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=153461
HMMurdock
Member
Gorgeous! Thanks for the link.
Last edited:
shadowpdf
Member
Just Got mine
I fell for the Lawman the moment I saw it. It looks to be a sturdy work-a-day gun. Very utilitarian, but I like that look. I found one a couple of weeks ago and purchased it relatively inexpensively. It's a four inch with exposed cylinder rod (no underlug, yeah!). The bottom of the barrel adjacent to the cylinder rod has been flattened for clearance. It was made in 1975, so it's got a few miles on it, but it's in great shape ... locks up tight and the cylinder virtually snaps into place with the pull of the trigger. I'll be testing it this weekend. Can't wait.
I fell for the Lawman the moment I saw it. It looks to be a sturdy work-a-day gun. Very utilitarian, but I like that look. I found one a couple of weeks ago and purchased it relatively inexpensively. It's a four inch with exposed cylinder rod (no underlug, yeah!). The bottom of the barrel adjacent to the cylinder rod has been flattened for clearance. It was made in 1975, so it's got a few miles on it, but it's in great shape ... locks up tight and the cylinder virtually snaps into place with the pull of the trigger. I'll be testing it this weekend. Can't wait.
Bart Noir
Member
I have a 4-inch round butt Lawman Mark III. And a 2-inch round butt Lawman.
Ya, the first may be the only one in the world, since I paid a gunsmith to put a 4-inch tube on a 2-inch Lawman. Because Colt milled the front sight crooked and that just bugged me!
The round butt fits my hand so very well, and I tried a Tyler T-Grip and decided it dis-improved the fit to my hand. Naturally YMMV as in all things about grips.
The double action pull is typical Colt, meaning it stacks at the end. I rather like that. But the DA trigger takes more pull than the D-frames, such as Detective Special.
I've only ever seen 6 of the short barrel Lawmen for sale, and my friend and I bought half of those. Consider this a strong endorsement.
Bart Noir
Ya, the first may be the only one in the world, since I paid a gunsmith to put a 4-inch tube on a 2-inch Lawman. Because Colt milled the front sight crooked and that just bugged me!
The round butt fits my hand so very well, and I tried a Tyler T-Grip and decided it dis-improved the fit to my hand. Naturally YMMV as in all things about grips.
The double action pull is typical Colt, meaning it stacks at the end. I rather like that. But the DA trigger takes more pull than the D-frames, such as Detective Special.
I've only ever seen 6 of the short barrel Lawmen for sale, and my friend and I bought half of those. Consider this a strong endorsement.
Bart Noir
Leadbutt
Member
I still have my blued version, it wears bone grips and a Tyer "T", I carried it for 2 years while waiting to get home and back to the "N" frame Smith.
ITs a great handgun and mine loved the 145 grain silver tips, and was a real hoot with the old Super-Vel 110 grain screamers..
Tell ya one thing that nice rounded butt made a great skull popper
ITs a great handgun and mine loved the 145 grain silver tips, and was a real hoot with the old Super-Vel 110 grain screamers..
Tell ya one thing that nice rounded butt made a great skull popper
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