Colt 357

The M357? It was just a 'deluxe' Trooper chambered in .357 Mag with a target hammer and grips. Made from 1954 to 1962, when Colt chambered the Trooper in .357 and dumped the separate model. Only 15,000 or so made, so it's considered to be rare and a very big time Colt collector's piece.
 
And I've got one !

6 inch barrel, single action trigger pull like breaking glass, smooooooth D/A pull, and very, very accurate. Made in 1958. In great shape it cost me $275 a couple years ago.

What a bargain.

Now, I was sorta under the impression that it was Colts first 357 (D/A at least). Is that not correct ?

TJ
 
Talljoe how is it compare 38 to 357 that is...equally accurate?
A little off, but not by much,according to Guns and Ammo..it's second to the New Service Colt357. (E frame?)
These came out before WW2, as Colt's first DA 357,and never were produced after the war.
Then came along model 357,Trooper and Python roughly....(I frame?)

Bit of trivia, but apparently alot of the Python internal small parts fit the Trooper and 357.
 
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The original Trooper (not the Mk III and V) was the same frame and internals (I frame) as the Python. Just not as nicely finished, at least compared to old Pythons. The 357 is the same gun as the old Trooper, just dressed up as mentioned. The New Service is a larger frame (bigger then a S&W N frame, actually), and with adjustable sights (from the factory) it was known as the Targetmaster, I believe. - dan
 
Talljoe said:
And I've got one !

6 inch barrel, single action trigger pull like breaking glass, smooooooth D/A pull, and very, very accurate. Made in 1958. In great shape it cost me $275 a couple years ago.

What a bargain.

Now, I was sorta under the impression that it was Colts first 357 (D/A at least). Is that not correct ?

TJ
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The Colt .357 was the 3rd model of DA revolver chambered for .357 Magnum, and the first "medium frame" gun so chambered.

It followed the "PreWar" S&W "Registered Magnum" (Later M.27), The Colt New Service (dropped in 1944, some assembled after the war), and Colt SAA. These are all "Large Frame" guns.

S&W took several years to catch up with the "medium frame" Model 19.

The .357 and the Trooper were indeed produced concurrently. Basically they were identical guns except for chambering (Trooper was .38 Special and .22).

The .357 name was dropped and the chambering moved into the "Trooper" line.

They are fine revolvers built on the "Officers Model/Official Police" size frame just like the Python. The Python was basically introduced to be the finest target revolver in history, and in effect was a .357/Trooper with an integral barrel weight, smoothed size-regulated bore and factory "tuned" action.

The MkIII Trooper/Lawman is a totally different action designed to be stronger and have no/minimum fitting by the assemblers, ALA Ruger investment cast revolvers.
 
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I have a target on the wall in my gun room sporting an inch and a half 25m six shot group, shot with my mass produced 38spl reloads. (Something like 3.5gr Titegroup and a 158gr cast RNLFP. Fired two handed resting on a bench.

With a better load I think it would shoot sub one inch from a Ransom rest (or similar). It's very, very accurate.

Having been a S&W fan for many years, I bought a Trooper MkIII in the late seventies (or early eighties). It was the most horrible revolver I have owned, the timing was a mile out, the D/A was awful, and it cost me big at a PAA shoot, (Shooting the UK police version of the FBI combat course). I bought it for a change but dumped it quick and decided I'd never own another Colt DA.

Then I saw this puppy at a local gun shop, and at the price just had to have it. Probably the best D/A revolver I have owned.

Thanks to everyone for the history info above.

TJ
 
Thanks Talljoe for your input, thanks everyone else too,esp:L.E. and Dan, that's awesome info too.
I am just sealing the deal on a 357 like Talljoe's.....:cool:

So...now I feel it is a good investment for Bullseye shooting events for sure!:)

I too have a greater majority of Smith revolvers in my safe, thanks mostly to Silverback, but I remember somewhere in this house I have a Coles book on Olympic class pistol shooting. (circa 1977 I think) This writer, and accomplished Olympic shooting medalist,had a GSP 22/32, & various other strange free style target handguns. But the only revolver in these photos was a 6 inch Diamondback or Python.( Me, being a Smith fan this is hard to admit, but true.)
 
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Hm just received my Colt .357 today.
What the pictures cannot demonstrate is how nicely made this revolvler is.
For instance it has two tones of blueing, the round portion of the cylinder, both flat sides of the frame and the barrel are highly polished and blued. The flutes of the cylinder, top strap and the front of the frame all the way to the trigger guard are of a kind of sandblasted before blueing texture.

To finish it off, the grips just beg for this piece to be shot on targets.
They dont make them like this anymore.
 
Brutus said:
Does anyone have an informed opinion on the Colt 357 revolver
(not the python or the trooper) made from the early 1950s until 1961?

Any feedback will be appreciated...
Cheers
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Any Colt revolver from that era is well made and worth having. They are also going up in value if in very good to excellent condition.
 
Brutus said:
Thanks BC Mike, I just researched the serial # and this Colt was made in 1956.
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I love the older Colts with the tapered barrels. They remind me of the old detective series & movies. Here is my .38 Special 1962 Official Police. Accurate & fun to shoot.

IMGP3690.jpg
 
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