Colt Trooper Mark Mk III MKIII 4″ Blue .22 WMR Magnum Revolver, MFD 1980
Sold For: $1,425
LSB#: 201008TA01
Make: Colt
Model: Trooper MK III
Serial Number: Y15839
Year of Manufacture: 1980 (https://colt.com/serial-lookup)
Caliber: .22 Magnum
Action Type: 6-Shot, Double / Single Action, Swing-Out Fluted Cylinder Revolver
Markings: The left of the barrel is marked “TROOPER MK III / * .22 MAGNUM R.F. * “, the right is marked “COLT’S PT. F.A. MFG. CO. HARTFORD, CONN. U.S.A.” The crane and cut are marked with the serial number, the side plate has a Rampant Colt logo. The front left of the trigger guard bow has the “VP” in triangle proof, the rear is marked “1”. The rear face of the cylinder is marked “M”.
Barrel Length: 4” heavy barrel with shrouded ejector and solid rib.
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a serrated ramp blade, pinned onto a solid rib. The rear sight is a flat top, square notched leaf in a base that is adjustable for windage and elevation, pinned to the topstrap. The tops of the barrel rib and topstrap are matte finished for glare reduction.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are checkered walnut target stocks with gold-colored Colt logo medallions. The grips have a few scattered minor nicks and handling marks. There are no chips or cracks. The checkering is sharp. Overall, the grips are in about Excellent condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 98% of its metal finish. The cylinder has a thin turn-line. The trigger has minor operational wear. Otherwise, there are only light handling marks. The hammer has strong case color. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this revolver is in about Excellent condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The cylinder lockup on this revolver is good on all six chambers with only nominal play side to side, none front to rear. The double action trigger pull is smooth, single action is crisp. We did not fire this handgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This revolver comes in a faux-wood cardboard Colt box with serial-matching label and two-piece styrofoam insert. The box has light-moderate storage wear with fraying and short tears at edges and corners. One of the small ears has torn completely off. Overall, the box is in about Fair-Good condition.
Our Assessment: Frequently referred to as the “working-man’s Python”, the Trooper MK III was introduced in 1969 after some modifications to make the revolver less expensive to manufacture including the use of sintered parts, which were easier to fit and heat-treat, the use of a coil mainspring, which again didn’t need as much hand-tuning and was cheaper to produce than the v-leaf spring used in the Python, and their new transfer-bar safety system, which prevented the ignition of a round without the trigger being depressed. This put a Colt-quality mid-frame .357 revolver in the price range that the working man could afford as well as being more attractive to law enforcement agencies due to the new safety feature. The Trooper was the premier model in the MK III line with a shrouded ejector, full length rib and heavy barrel. This example is in Excellent condition, chambered in .22 Magnum with a 4″ barrel and blue finish. These features make for a quite desirable revolver for Colt collectors. With its adjustable sights and Colt quality, this revolver ought to also make a great target revolver that will turn a few heads at the range. Please see our photos and good luck!
CA Legal or CA Private Party Transferable (THIS SECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO OUT-OF-STATE RESIDENTS): This Pistol CANNOT be sold as a dealer sale in California but CAN be transferred as a Private Party Transfer (PPT) at our Simi Valley location. Out of state residents can disregard this section – your local laws apply.
