Colt m-357

[DC3-CVN-72]

About 5 yrs ago I bought a COLT M-357 revolver, blue, with a 4in. bbl. It came with hogue rubber grips & has alot of holster wear. The good news is I put a set of egale rosewood service stocks with the gold colt medalions on the gun, cleaned it up, & it looks great & shoots even better. other than the holster wear, their is not a scratch, nick, or speck of rust on this gun. the seareal # 6XXX puts it in the first yr. of production, 1954. It has the same action as the python, & is just as well made. They have to be less of them than the python, it's rare to see them on Gunbroker, when U do they're way under the price of a python. Why is that ? I got mine 4 $325.00 OTD. Do U think that thease revolvers will ever be worth the same as a python ?


GO NAVY !!

 

[22-rimfire]

Folks just like the Colt Snakes. Value other than what it costs for a similar revolver these days the value is based a lot on popularity in the collector arena. I think you got a heck of a deal with this gun. Colt came out with this gun as being their premium 357 mag revolver... then the Python was released with the new ownership and essentially replaced it.

I have several Troopers in 22LR. Colt folks consider the Trooper and 357 Mag models sleepers in the collector arena. They will increase in value but if it has any wear at all, you should be able to shoot it and it will retain its future value.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

It's the cachet -- the Python is better known and people are willing to pay more.

As you say, the M357 is the same gun as the Python, except for the cosmetics. I carried mine on my first tour in Viet Nam, and used it twice. It's unbeatable, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[DC3-CVN-72]

Thank's 4 the quick reply's ! I was thinking along the same lines but wanted to hear from the experts. Either way it's not going anywear !


GO NAVY !!

 

[Slamfire]

They have to be less of them than the python, it's rare to see them on Gunbroker, when U do they're way under the price of a python. Why is that ?

Colt built the Python as a premium revolver, heavily advertized it, shill gunwriters pumped it for decades. So it has a brand recognition that your revolver does not have.

I got mine 4 $325.00 OTD. Do U think that thease revolvers will ever be worth the same as a python ?

You got an excellent deal, and no, it will never be "worth" as much as a Python. But because of the low price you paid, you can make money on it.

So did you buy it to shoot or to flip and make money?

If you bought it to shoot, then you bought an excellent revolver. If it shoots well, has a smooth action, it is a good revolver.

I would pay extra for a good revolver. I am even happier when I get a good revolver for a great price.

 

[SaxonPig]

The older 357 and Trooper models are sleepers. All Colts are going way up but these seem to lagging in the inflation department. They will never be as valuable or sought after as the Python but they are great revolvers.

I have two Trooper 357s (and I would LOVE to find one in 22). One has little bluing but works great and I paid $200 for it at a local show a couple years back.




Then I bagged this one off GunBroker for $395. Much nicer.

 

[DC3-CVN-72]

I bought this gun to shoot. It realy is a great gun. I thought I had bought a trooper because that's what the guy at the gun store told me it was. When I got it home I could not find the word trooper on it anywear. I just got lucky on this one !


GO NAVY !!

 

[DC3-CVN-72]

On the left side of the bbl. it reads {COLT .357} under that it reads {.357 MAGNUM CTG.} On the right side it reads {COLT'S MFG CO HARTFORD, CT, USA} Inside the crane is the # 6XXX. Just some more info.

GO NAVY !!

 

[22-rimfire]

As you probably know, the Trooper was initially produced in 38spl and 22LR. The 357 was to be the Colt premium 357 revolver. Both models were introduced in the 52-53 time frame. Then the Python was brought out in 1955. Eventually the 357 mag model was dropped (circa 1961) and the 357 mag caliber added to the Trooper where it stayed until production stopped around 1969 when the Trooper Mark III was introduced. Colt stopped production of the 22LR Trooper in 1962; so things changed with the Trooper in 1961-1962.

 

[Walkalong]

Nice shooters, but unless LNIB won't bring big bucks, and even then not like a Python.

$375 off GB.