Colt Trooper
| Colt Trooper | |
|---|---|
Colt Trooper Mk III (circa 1980), 4" barrel
shown with custom aftermarket grips |
|
| Type | Revolver |
| Place of origin |
 United States
|
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Colt's Manufacturing Company |
| Produced | 1953-1985 |
| Variants |
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| Specifications | |
| Barrel length |
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| Cartridge | |
| Action | double-action |
| Feed system | six round cylinder |
| Sights | iron sights, both fixed and adjustable |
The Colt Trooper is a medium frame double-action revolver featuring a six-round cylinder, chambered for .22, .38, and .357 Magnum caliber cartridges. Designed as a less expensive alternative to the upscale Colt .357 and the later Colt Python, it was marketed to law enforcement agencies as well as civilian firearms enthusiasts and collectors.
Introduced to the firearms market by the Colt's Manufacturing Company in 1953, the Trooper and its high-end cousin, the .357 Magnum, were introduced with the intention of addressing the medium frame revolver market, as law enforcement officers had long complained about the weight of earlier models. The two guns were seen as ideal in size and handling characteristics for the .38 Special and its big brother the .357. Offered as an alternative and competitor to Smith & Wesson’s Model 28 "Highway Patrolman", the Colts were lighter and handier.
The Border Patrol is a rare early variant on the Trooper frame, chambered in .38 Special only. Only about 500 were made, in 1952 only. They have "BORDER PATROL" roll stamped on a heavy barrel. These often sell for $4,000+ and are considered one of the Holy Grails for Colt double-action collectors.
The original Trooper was basically a heavy-barreled version of the Officers Model Match, and was based on Colt’s medium Iframe. It was offered in .22 Long Rifle and .38 Special chamberings. Manufactured with fine carbon steel, it was available in both blued and nickel-plated finishes. Early blued Troopers boasted a two-tone color scheme with dull Colt Royal Blue on the flat surfaces and a black bead blasted texture on the edges and cylinder flutes. Both Target and Service versions of the Trooper were available, the Target models sporting hand-filling Walnut grips, larger and wider target hammers, and adjustable iron sights. Service versions featured smaller more basic hammers and stocks, and fixed sights. Barrel lengths available included four inch in .22 caliber and four and six inch in .38 Special; the .22 was intended as a ‘practice’ weapon. All the Troopers from this series had hammer mounted firing pins. The Trooper was targeted at the entry-level and Law enforcement service-level segment of the firearms market while the highly polished and expensive 357 model revolver was intended to be their premium offering. Both models shared the same forged and labor-intensive hand-fitted internal lockwork, however.
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Wikipedia