Fair Price for a Colt .357

[farscott]

My dealer just called me (talk about an early start) with news that he took in a 90%+ Colt .357 on trade on Saturday evening. He offered it to me, but I know little about Colt values.

I do remember that the Python used the same lock work of the Colt .357, so I know the basic action.

Anything special to investigate besides the usual revolver checks? Any idea on what to offer for it?

 

[jar]

A Colt 357 in good condition and great lockup would likely be worth $400-500.00 IMHO.

 

[farscott]

jar,

Thanks for the info.

 

[Preacherman]

Depends which Colt... see this thread for a relevant discussion.

 

[farscott]

Preacherman,

This one is the "Colt .357" without the ejector rod shroud, not the Trooper.

 

[Gordon]

I think $350- $400 would be a fair CASH price for a fired .357 Colt with no box ect. Most "90%" guns are really 80% . Read the blue book for real condition appraisals. Note price drop to about 60% which is NRA good or better and some peoples very good. Current 90% blue book is $400 with target hammer. These guns are VERY nice and I am looking for one.

 

[farscott]

Gordon,

Thanks for the hints about condition.

 

[dfariswheel]

The 357 is a Colt sleeper. Only 15,000 of these were made, and the collector's have been picking up the good ones for several years now.
Considering that production stopped in 1960-61, it's getting tough to find one at all.

Value is determined by actual condition AND how the gun is set up.
Factory-original target stocks and target hammer enhance value, as does a rather rare nickel finish.

The 357 is a sleeper, not only for low production, but also because of what it was. The 357 was supposed to be Colt's "Super gun" Cadillac of the line.
The 357 was fitted, finished, and blued to Colt's top of the line post-war standard. Only the unplanned Python bettered it, and not by much in the early days.

If you can get a good buy, do it. Colt's NEVER drop in value.
A few years ago people were asking me if a Python priced at $300.00 was to TOO over the top on price.

 

[Johnny Guest]

Colt Trooopers and .357s

There is still a bit of confusion about the various Colts of this type. I don't have reference works at hand, so my dates are vague.

As dfariswheel stated, the ".357" model is a sleeper. It was essentially a four-inch Officers Model Special chambered for .357. Most were in four-inch, but there were some six inch versions. At the same time, Colt offered this revolver in .38 Special and named it the Trooper. At a later date, they combined the two and offered the Trooper in both .38 and .357, and then just discontinued production of the .38 Spl version.

Around this same era, Colt introduced the Python, and the Trooper became sort of their "second line" .357, akin to the relationship of the S&W pre-model 27 and the Highway Patrolman, pre-28. The .357 Trooper, except for the very early ones, were less finely finished, externally. Still a superb revolver, though.

The Mark III series came later on, around 1970, with entirely different lockwork, coil srings and such. They offered the same lockwork in - -
The Trooper MKIII, still a .357 with adjustable sights,
The Official Police MKIII, a fixed-sight .38 and
The Lawman MKIII, a fixed-sight .357.
There may have been one called the Metropolitan MKIII, a .38 with adjustable sights. Not sure of the latter, though.

Best,
Johnny

 

[tbeb]

If you're talking about the Colt Three-Fifty-Seven Double Action Revolver that was made from about 1953 until 1963 then, I say one in 90% condition is worth $295-$340.

 

[Bullet Bob]

Yeah Baby!

 

[farscott]

Thanks for the info on the Colt revolvers and for the picture. I hope to make it to the dealer tonight to check it out.

 

[guy sajer]

farscott

Did you pick up the Colt ? You won't be sorry !

 

[farscott]

As of yet, I have not made a decision on the Colt .357. I am more of an S&W fan, and the Colt is not "speaking" to me.

 

[Randy63]

I'm definitely an S&W guy but I keep looking at this Colt .357 here:
http://www.gunbroker.com/auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=14291911

This one's looks to be like new. If this revolver was local and priced right I'd have to make room for it in my safe.

Randy

 

[natedog]

Nice pic, Bob! And a great gun. You know, S&W never really did it for me...I like the phrase (however true or untrue it may be) "If it ain't a Colt, it's just a copy".

 

[Bullet Bob]

Oddly enough, I'm pretty much a diehard S&W kinda guy, but in the last couple of years I've picked up a few of the older (mostly 50's) DA Colts. Prewar Colts and Pythons seem kind of expensive for me to shoot, but the 50's models are still reasonable. I would like to find a good Colt Officers Model Special in .38; only made for a very few years after WWII, they have the funkiest sights I've ever seen on a handgun from a major manufacturer. They're supposed to be accurate also, but I've never fired one.