Colt 357 First edition (Trooper?)

C

chasgrips45

Moderator
I just purchased an older Colt 357 On Gunbroker. The seller mentioned that the gun was made in the early 60 s or late 50s. It looked like a used ,but classy old Colt. I`m much more familiar with Smith & wesson revolvers, however this old gun spoke to me! I`m sure that the gun doesn`t have the original Colt grips (probably Siles) When I look for an Original set of grips ,what seies of Colt should I look for? Would Python grips fit? Trooper grips? I could use some help, & info. Thanks, Charlie
 
Pictures would help. While we wait for the truly knowledgeable to respond, I will state that Colt introduced their "357" in 1953, based on their Official Police Frame, but with adjustable sights, ramped front sight, 4 or 6" barrel and the companion "Trooper", 4" barrel, 22LR or 38 Special. In 1961 (?) the "357" designation was dropped, the remainder of the production run was the Trooper in either 38 Special or 357. Production ended in 1968 and was replaced by the Mark III action in its various models. Python grips do fit-same grip frame. IIRC Python grips from that era had gold medallions, all the other silver ones.
 
As above, Colt used the same Target grips on the Python, 357 Model, original Trooper (NOT the Trooper Mark III or Mark V) and the Officer's Model Match.

A 1950's or 60's revolver would have had silver medallions, only the Python having Gold.

Your 357 would have had either the narrow Service grips or the Target grips.
If the rear side plate screw had a rounded head it would have shipped with Service grips. If the screw head is flat, it would have shipped with Target grips.

The "correct" Target grips for your 357 would have been the First Type fully checkered version.
Unfortunately, all Colt grips prices are skyrocketing and in many cases, replacement original grips cost as much as twice as much as the gun did originally.
Original First Type grips START at around $250 these days and go up from there.

First Type fully checkered Colt Target grips of the 1950's. For a 357, Trooper, or Officer's Model Match the medallions would be Silver.

PythonFirstType.jpg
 
Here's mine. Believe it or not, these are not genuine Colt fully checkered target grips - they're copies that (as I was told upon purchasing the gun) were hand-made by a previous owner.

187_8787.jpg
 
Here are my 1954 model 357 with target stocks top and my Colt 38 trooper 1954 with standard/service stocks bottom. One of these types. Congrats on buying a great revolver.

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GEDC0088-2.jpg
 
Thanks gents. I believe the photos with the style extractor is my gun ,with a 4" barrel. Quite a disparity between Colt grips, I discover! Some original grips are below $100.00 & some approach $300. , Which are quite pricey. I notice the Trooper style duty grips are less expensive. I will however (when I get the gun ) get grips that I like ( original ) rather totally by cost. That`s why my nickname is "Charliegrips". I`ve made Hogue,Eagle,Nill, Altamont,etc. very large companies!
 
great pics, nice gun. I saw a colt trooper at a pawn shop here it looked like it had a lug under its barrel and the funish was rubbed off near the muzzle. they wanted like 460$ for it i passed on it though. felt like that was sort of high for a gun with that done to its finish.
 
Hope you got a good price. I have not purchased some really nice ones that I have seen when they were priced as if the stocks were original Colt. I offer a price that excludes my cost to replace the stocks.
 
The 357 was intended to be the premium of the line above the slightly less fancy trooper. IT was eclipsed however by the python introduced only a couple of years later. The lockworks are identical except for a bit of extra hand fitting lavished on the python. For that reason the 357 and the troopers were sometimes referred to as the poor mans python. A description I would dispute.
 
The 357 was intended to be the premium of the line above the slightly less fancy trooper. IT was eclipsed however by the python introduced only a couple of years later.
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Not exactly. The Trooper was not originally intended to be a 357 magnum because there was the Colt model 357. The model 357 filled the niche of a 357 magnum revolver, but it was also a higher grade gun than others. It was more or less an Officers Model Match in 357 magnum except it had the baughman sight rather than the patridge because it was expected to be carried by Officer's as well as be used as a target grade gun. The 357 model was no more deluxe than the OMM. Colt at the time had no other guns in 357 magnum. In the pre war years they had the New Service and Shooting master in 357. The premium of the line, above the less fancy Trooper (since troopers were 22 and 38) was actually the Officers Model Special (for a few years), which became in the early 50s, the Officers Model Match.

The python was originally planned to be basically an ultra-deluxe 38 special target revolver, which would have been their fanciest offering, above the Officers Model Match. However, this idea was changed to 357 magnum right before production began, and the rest is history. ONLY THEN did the 357 magnum model become the "poor man's python" because it was no longer the King of the hill. Before the Python, it was certainly one of their higher end revolvers. For a few years, all 3 were made. Then Colt realized, it would be easier to make the Trooper in 357 magnum. The 357 and Python were the I frame (frame mounted firing pin, otherwise same as E frame) but the E frame trooper could accommodate the 357 magnum. The 357 magnum was then discontinued after approx 15k were made. They were great guns, but action wise, when talking 50s colts, my 38 trooper is just as good if not better.
 
Here are my I frames (t. to b.): OMM .38 Spl, Trooper .357 and Three Fifty Seven
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Very nice guns but the OMM and the Trooper are not I frames, they are E frame. The difference being hammer mounted firing pin (E) and frame mounted firing pin (I). Only the 357 model and the Python were I frame guns.

Judging by the grip type, they are all from the 60s?
 
So ,after all is said &done. My Colt looks exactly like Winchester -73s two Colts.I may be getting kind of thick headed ! Just what would one be looking for to fit the gun. In fact, it does have the same markings as Winchester 73`s 357.
 
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