New to Me. Colt Trooper.357 mag, Pre MkIII

[Jcordell]

For years I've had exactly two Colts. A 3rd generation Colt DS made in 1974 and a Colt Official Police made in the 1950's. Great revolvers but I resigned myself to thinking I would never get any others. I figured Colts were just "too expensive" and too rare.

During that same time period I've had various Smith & Wessons, GLOCKS, a Browning Hi-Power, Sigs, Rugers, and even a Taurus and a Rossi come in and out of my safe. And during all those years I've thought about picking up some of my favorite classic handguns like a Colt .357 magnum, Python, New Service etc. I've also longed for a Webley Mk VI, P08 Parabellum (Luger), Mauser C96 and even a Manurhin MR73. But just figured the Colts and other handguns were just "too expensive". In the case of the MR 73 I figured I had a better chance of ice skating in Hell.

Well as you've probably figured out I realized that I had spent alot of money on many handguns that really didn't interest me. If I had just excercised a little more restraint I might have owned some of my "holy grails". So in the past couple years I've been ruthlessly purging my safe in order to get the models that I really want. In some case I've been trading two and even three models for one that I was really interested in. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do to make it work I guess.

The result? Well my safe is roomier and I now own a Webley MkVI, a Colt Combat Commander (mfd. 1973), a Luger P-08, an MR73 and yesterday I came across a Colt Trooper .357 Magnum with a 4" barrel. The serial number gives a date of birth sometime in 1967 so it was at the tail end of the models production. It has the Python hammer and the Python target grips on it. It's in excellent shape.

I don't believe it's been fired all that often. Actually I'm thinking it was last fired a couple decades ago - if not longer. I'm very pleased with my find.No it dosen't have that amazing Python finish, but it does have that incredible Colt action. In case you're curious I traded a Sig P245 and a S&W Model 15 Combat Masterpiece. Oh well so it goes. I got the Colt though.

It's time to slow down though. I'm really truely tapped out on the guns that I'm willing to part with now. The older ones that I still own are ones that I really like and don't want to get rid of.

Once again I hope I'm not coming across as a snob, but I've been a gunowner for twenty-six years and I've been collecting/accumulating firearms for the past ten. I've got plenty of "duty" firearms. Now I'm into the realm of collecting and passion. It happens if you do it long enough I guess. I'm sure that Nyles understands where I'm coming from.

I'll post photos later.