Colt Trooper .22lr questions

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Wyoredman

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Help!

My friend has a Colt Trooper .22LR that he wants to trade. The gun is in75% condition with blueing wear on the barrel and cylinder. Everything else checks out pretty well.

I shot it and it shoots great.

It has been in a holster under the seat of his truck for the last 20 years. He used it as a "truck" gun. It was quite dusty when he took it out to let me shoot it, but I blew it of with compressed air and it functioned great.

What would the value of a .22 Trooper be in this condition?

The owner wants a lighter single action, maybe a Ruger single six, in trade, but we can't come to an agreement on the value of the trooper.

He was thinking $600.00, but I just don't know. I don't want to low ball him, as he is a good friend, but I don't want to give him more than the gun is worth, either. He feels the same, so we need some advice.

If I get a chance, I will get some pics, but there are none today.

Thanks.
 
Which Trooper? An original E or F frame "old Colt" Trooper might be worth $500, but a Colt Trooper Mk III or Mk V is worth about $300-$350 max, maybe less if it is really worn.
 
$600.00 is pretty high,,,

$600.00 is pretty high,,,
Especially if it's in the shape you described,,,
I only paid a bit more than that for a LNIB 6" Mk-III in .22 LR.

Given that in this price climate,,,
Pretty much any shootable .22 revolver is at least $300,,,
I would offer your friend $350.00 to $400.00,,,
But absolutely no more money than that,,,
It lived on a floorboard for 20 years.

This is from the 2010 Standard Catalog of Firearms

Trooper
This model was designed specifically by Colt to fill the need for a
large, heavy-duty, powerful revolver that was accurate. The
Trooper filled that need. It was offered with a 4" or 6" barrel and
blued or nickel finishes with checkered walnut grips. The Trooper
is chambered for the .38 Special/.357 Magnum, and there is a .22
rimfire version for the target shooters. This model was manufactured
between 1953 and 1969. Add 10 percent for .357.
Exc. V.G. Good Fair Poor
600 475 300 150 100
Click to expand...

Aarond

.
 
I sold a Trooper MK III .22lr right before the panic for $525 and it was in 95% or better condition. And, it took me a while to get that for it. No box or papers were with it.
 
An original E or F frame "old Colt" Trooper might be worth $500, but a Colt Trooper Mk III or Mk V is worth about $300-$350 max, maybe less if it is really worn
Click to expand...

Actually, a Colt Tropper MKV is hard to get in any caliber, and in 22lr I would call it rare. Its worth over $500, even in said condition. For a MKIII, $350 to maybe $400 if its truly 75%. Trooper MKVs were only made a few years before being replaced. The King Cobra replaced the MKV Trooper after the MKV line replaced the MKIII line. The MKV revolvers were only made 1982 to 1985.

$600.00 is pretty high,,,
Especially if it's in the shape you described,,,
I only paid a bit more than that for a LNIB 6" Mk-III in .22 LR.
Click to expand...

A MKIII is a different animal to a 50s or 60s Trooper, sometimes known as "1st gen" troopers. The 22lr chambering is rather uncommon. I thought they were made about 4 years, but dfariswheel suggests they were made 1953 to 1969, with 2200 made. They all had 4in barrels. The Trooper was originally in 38 and 22, and then the 357 model was the lone 357 revolver Colt made for a few years. Then the "ultra deluxe" Python came out in 1955. The 357 model became the "service grade" 357 at that time. The Python and 357 model were both I frame (frame mounted firing pin) but the Trooper was the E frame (hammer mounted firing pin). Otherwise, the frames are both medium in size. Colt then realized the Trooper could handle 357 mags, and so the 357 model was discontinued, and the Trooper was made in 357 starting 1961.
 
Hmm? I didn't realize this would be so complicated! I need to find out what MK it is. I will get photo's and report back. Thanks.
 
Buy it. That's an older gun with the same lockwork as the Python.
Click to expand...

Well we actually don't know that. This 22 trooper could be a pre 1970 example, or a MKIII. The MKIII example had different lockwork than the Python. The simple way to ID the pre 1969 Trooper, that you are referring to is to check the SN. It should not have a letter in the serial number, just a number, and most likely a 5 digit number. You can check the SN on one of these by opening the cylinder and looking in the frame cutout, underneath the breech of the barrel.

I just checked, and apparently there never was a MKV trooper in 22. So its either a MKIII or a so called first generation trooper.
 
Easiest way to distinguish them is the side plate screw location and side plate. If the side plate is zero degrees with the frame near where the side plate screw is, then it's an older action. If the side plate is at an angle, it's a MK III or newer type action. Look at the image of griz223's Trooper. http://thefiringline.com/forums/atta...4&d=1371304699
Click to expand...

Yea that is good to know. That way you could tell at a glance, just by walking by, but realistically, anytime you examine a gun due to your interest, you look at the SN, or at least you should. Another consideration is the shape of the trigger guard and resting position of the trigger. An earlier Trooper, pre MKIII, will resemble a Python in this area but a MKIII does not. I imagine this to be because at that time, the pre MKIII trooper and the Python shared many components BUT the Python had more precise fitting and a fancier finish. The MKIII Troopers look like the Anaconda's smaller brother, in a lot of ways. IIRC the Anaconda is in fact a scaled up MKIII (J frame) or MK-V (V frame) frame and action.
 
It could be either a Trooper or a Trooper Mark III. There were no Trooper Mk V's manufactured in 22LR or any rimfire. I suspect they had plans to, but it never happened.

What is he asking for the "Trooper"? A pristine Trooper or Trooper Mark III will sell for $600 and more in 22LR. In the condition you mentioned, I would be hard pressed to offer more than $400 for either. Maybe I have too many "Troopers" and getting picky in my old age......

My advice is if you want the revolver, buy it and enjoy it. Both are good revolvers. It is not now and never will be a collector piece in that condition.
 
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You can easily tell the difference between the original Colt Trooper and the later Colt Trooper Mark III from across the room.
Simply look at the barrel. The original Trooper has an exposed ejector rod. The Trooper Mark III has a shrouded barrel.

Here's my 1954 Trooper .22, and my 1979 Trooper Mark III in .22LR.
Note that the grips are not correct for a 1954 model.

Trooper22Left-1.jpg


MarkIIILeft.jpg
 
Excellent photos Dfariswheel.

As stated earlier, note how on the Python type Trooper the sideplate is vertical. Also note how the sideplate screw is located near the start of the cylinder flute.

On the later Trooper MK III/Anaconda type actions, the sideplate is sloped at an angle. The sideplate screw is located closer to the end of the cylinder flute.
 
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