Need quick advice on a Colt Trooper

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Twiki357

Twiki357

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I have the opportunity to get a Colt Trooper V for $495 +tax. I’m a Smith & Wesson kind of guy and I don’t know squat about Colts. This has the 4” barrel and is literally fresh from the factory condition. Bluing is perfect, no turn line on the cylinder, factory walnut grips without a scratch. No box or papers or it could practically be sold as new.

I’ve heard that there are some problems with some models of the Trooper and I hope this is not one of the problem versions. Also, I have no idea if this is a good price. If it were a S&W I would have bought it on the spot, but like I said, I don’t know Colts. The shop owner said he would hold it for me for 24 hours, so please let me know on any problems and price.
 
That is an outstanding deal, do not hesitate. The Mk V is easily more scarce than the Mk III. Colts in the condition you describe fetch near twice that and are going up fairly rapidly.

Don't lose this opportunity.

The Mk III was introduced in 1969. It was a new action top to bottom and a new approach for Colt. They introduced sintered parts and a production method that freed them from the expensive hand fitting required of the previous actions. The frame was immensely strong, and the only real complaints heard were about the action. Aficionados' compared it to the hand fitted versions they were accustomed to. The Mk V was introduced in 1982 as an upgrade to the Mk III action. It is the same as a King Cobra action. Fewer were produced than the Mk III and they are highly valued.

The only "problem" noted for this vintage Colt has to do with dry firing without snap caps. They have a frame mounted firing pin which can only be replaced at the Colt factory and no-one knows for how much longer. It is theorized that some batches of Mk III firing pins had questionable heat treating rendering them brittle. If you never dry fire without snap caps you are good. Meaning this is a beastly strong revolver that with care will outlast you.

I am jealous of your luck!;)
 
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IMHO there's nothing special about the post-1969 models, I've handled some with absolutely horrible triggers. I have a 1965 Trooper whose action is similar to my Python. Although I'm sure even if it is a Mk III+ model it will be worth more in ten years than it is today, especially in that kind of shape.
 
I have a 6" Trooper .357 Magnum I bought new in approximately 1976 or 1977. I don't have umpteen thousand rounds through it, but I do have many hundred. It still runs like new and looks nearly so. I've never done anything to it but clean it and baby it.

I'm trying to remember what I paid for it at the local Gibsons dept. store as a mere lad back in IL, but it had to be way less than $200.
 
Okay… So I didn’t wait until tomorrow. $526 with tax.
Double action trigger seems heavy but very smooth. Single action is beautifully crisp.
 

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Bought my Trooper MK III when I was dating my (now) wife nearly 40 years ago. Absolutely no regrets: flawless function, aesthetically pleasing, sturdy, classic lines, et cetera.

If you can get your hands on a Trooper, do it!
 
The Mk V is a stepping stone to the King Cobra, latter versions sometimes (mostly?, Colt records are by now notoriously vague) had the vent rib. The King Cobra was not much more than a name change by the end of the Mk V production run. It is my understanding that even Mk IIIs could be ordered with the "Python" vent rib. This generation of Colt revolvers carried forward the Pythons reputation for industry standard excellent barrels. By the time these were produced it was widely accepted that Colt metallurgy was also an industry standard for excellence. The success of the Colt pioneered "sintered" parts introduced here led to the prevalence of modern MIM parts production. Colt always raised the bar on quality production in DA revolvers, unfortunately they were not always wise in business practices leading to the abandonment of DA revolver production with focus on government contracts and a few commercial holdouts.
 
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Twiki357

You did great, especially in thst condition and at that price.The Mark V was the first revolver I ever had where the factory grips fit my hand perfectly.
 
I agree about the grips. Vintage Colt grips in good condition also fetch high prices and that is just going up. A lot of the previous Colt Target grips don't fit my very small hands leading me to often feel better with Smiths. The issue grips on the Mk V are a different animal. While they don't necessarily have the "look" of the previous vintages of genuine Colt Targets, they are far more ergonomic to me and desirable to collectors when "correct" in the same way the revolvers are. Fewer made.
 
P.S. for the detail oriented among us who are troubled by the blued hammer and trigger in the OP's beauty, I note the gunbroker example sports them as well. Any Colt experts want to chime in on when Colt abandoned true case hardening? Nitrous "fire" blue?
 
Too late Bob,

He pulled the trigger at 526.00 out the door (post #9) and IMHO did well at that. Are we losing touch with the current Colt market? You wouldn't be the only "boomer" to do so. Things move quickly now.
 
Not trying to drift a thread but I have a question- looking at a Colt Trooper mk iii - 6" barrel with a vent rib and synthetic grips, "Coltguard" or something electrolysis nickel finish. Is this a j-frame? Can finger-groove grips be obtained? Can wood grips be obtained that fit the gun?
Thank you
 
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