Colt Trooper vs S&W K38 Masterpiece

Shaggy Dog Story Warning

Back in the 1970s, I got into PPC. Unlike the tightly wound NRA program now, the local leagues did not care that my only connection to the police was my honorary deputy's card from the local sheriff.
Things were pretty loose, I started out with my Gold Cup, but when I wanted to get with the program, I needed a good .38 revolver. My M27 was just too big, a K38 seemed kind of spindly, a bull barrel match gun was too specialized, and the L frame had not yet come out.

So I bought a Python and sent it off to the Colt Custom shop, then headed by Don Tedford, for a trigger job. Nice, but dependent on Federal primers. A friend studied mine and applied the modifications to his and a couple of other guys' Colts. We had a lot of fun and shot pretty well. I bounced around near the Sharpshooter-Expert line and treasured a little trophy for one sub-match at the 1978 state championships.
I later shot it in IPSC with Major power factor loads, around .38-44 HV ballistics.

Down the road a decade or two, I got into IDPA and wanted to visit all the Divisions. So I traded a seldom used European automatic for a 4" Python and sent it to Reeves Jungkind before he completely retired. Not as light as the PPC gun, but it will pop magnum primers. That worked well for a while but I got more interested in maximum score than interesting guns and went to the 1911 for a long while.
Every once in a while the Revolver bug would attack and I would get a different sixgun and shoot it a while before reverting to the automatic.

So I looked at the collection this Spring and decided to do some testing.
I laid out Smith K (M67) L (M686) and N (M25) frame revolvers, plus the Colt.
I set up some drills calling for the draw, target acquisition, double taps, target transitions, and reloads.
The K and L felt different but shot similar scores and times.
The N frame moonclip gun was a bit slower on the move but made up for its heavy handling with reliably fast reloads.
The Python was accurate but slow in every respect. You can't get Comp III speedloaders for it and the "raftered" V spring action felt mushy and slow on the reset.
 
If the choice is between my Trooper Mark III (6" 357 mag) and your average Smith. i would take the Mark III. The trigger is silky smooth and accuracy is very good or as good as I can shoot anyway.

Finding an old Trooper might be a real possibility. They are essentially Python's in the ruff. Very good.
 
When it's said the Colt action is "silky smooth" is the reference to the cocking of the hammer for single action fire or in double action use.

The leaf spring of the Colt made it the preferred sixgun for single action shooting in the NRA bullseye competition where a .22 auto, a .38 revolver and
a .45 auto were used.

A shooter did not much disturb his sight picture as he single handed recocked the Colt in the .38 portion of the competition.
 
I'm inclined to think it depends on when the Colt was made. The earlier the better. I have a Peacekeeper, essentially a parkerized clone of the Trooper MK III (that was actually the manual that was in the box).

Terrible double-action trigger pull. Still not right after a trip to the gunsmith. This was back @1985 or so. Colt's quality definitely was at a low point then.....and while it has improved, it's still not near Smith & Wesson's.
 
Something snapped in my mind and I thought "I need to get some Colt revolvers."
Click to expand...


Me too. Here are a few. Biggest to smallest: Army Special 38 (basically the same as the Official Police, just earlier), Police Positive Special 38, Police Positive 32, Pocket Positive 32.

four%20colts_zpspcbzna9v.jpg




I don't own a Trooper, don't really want one, and with how crazy prices are with Pythons now I doubt if I will ever own one of them.

Gotta say, I still like Smiths better. Just feel more natural in my hand, and the triggers are better.

The mechanism inside a Colt is fussier, you change one thing, you affect everything else. This is the lockwork of the Army Special.

Army%20Special%20%201921%20interior%20view%2001_zpsfg5yaoh9.jpg




Smiths are simpler. This is the lockwork of a K-38. Change one thing, you don't affect anything else.

K-38%2003_zpsfmxacl8r.jpg
 
I have both. I like both. Either would make you happy. If you can only have one the S&W is likely the slightly better choice unless you've tried a pre-Mark Colt and like it better in which case why ask the question in the first place?
 
The problem with Colts is if I buy one that is real nice (95%+), I don't want to shoot it. What can I say? Using this rationale (collector thing) and the fact that you can get S&W revolvers repaired by the factory, I think today I would get the Smith. But, if you run onto a Colt at a price you are comfortable with, I have always preferred Colts to Smiths for the last 40 years. My Trooper Mark III is one that I still shoot and it will stay a shooter unless tomorrow the price or value doubles which I doubt. They are well made revolvers and very strong and durable. Just so you know, the 22's are my thing.
 
"Have one of those. Innards are a nightmare compared to a Smith of the same vintage."

Yep, I have a Smith K frame .32-20 of roughly the same vintage.

I've had the Smith COMPLETELY apart.

The Colt? I removed the sideplate, flushed the innards to get the worst of the dirt and dried great out, dropped in some oil, and closed it back up.
 
Try as I might, I just can't make myself warm up to a Colt. I want to like them. I've owned several, including a Python. Right now at my LGS they have an Officers Model Match 38 (or something like that...Colt names confuse me sometime), and an early Trooper (Python action) at what I consider reasonable prices for Colts these days. I want one of them...or both...but I keep remembering my previous experience with Colt's. Not that they were "bad" or anything, I just didn't like them all that much so they got sold off pretty quickly. (I keep telling them they need to sell those two so I'll stop thinking about them.)

Smith & Wesson...different story. Never owned a Smith & Wesson I didn't like. I've sold off most of mine these days, but of the four I've still got, three of them are "Combat Masterpieces." Two 38, Model 15's and a 22, Model 18. The other one is a "Combat Magnum" Model 19, which is the same thing really, but in 357 Magnum, vs 38.

IMHO, it's pretty hard to beat a Model 15, or a Model 14 if you like a 6" barrel.
 
"When it's said the Colt action is "silky smooth" is the reference to the cocking of the hammer for single action fire or in double action use."

Hum...

I really have to say that the references to smooth actions on Colts includes double action mode, as well.

Virtually all the people I know who rave about how smooth Colt revolver actions are... aren't bullseye shooters. They're primary fun/defensive shooters, and shoot a lot of single AND double action.

My Official Police, circa 1968 and, as far as I can tell, never modified in any way, has an incredibly smooth double action trigger pull.

The Police Positive Special in .32-20 also has a very smooth trigger, but it's heavier and a bit grittier, but I think that's mainly due to the fact that I've never given it a REALLY thorough cleaning.

In both cases the trigger stacks a bit as the pull gets longer. That's a known trait of the Colt, but it doesn't affect the smoothness of the pull and it's something that doesn't really bother me in the least.
 
Which Trooper? This is the big question. The old Troopers had guts like the Python. Very good single action, very smooth. I have an old .38 Trooper and a Combat Masterpiece. I'd rather shoot the S&W guns over the Colts.
If you are gonna shoot only single action either one. Note: I also have a Python, I'd rather shoot the S&W.
 
Colt V Smith & Wesson....

Like some others I currently own and shoot both guns...

Well, maybe more ...

I have a Colt Trooper 4" metropolitan in .357 I've had it for about 6 years now. If there is something to complain about it... i aint seen it yet. I also have two old warhorse Colt troopers in .38 spl. both are tack drivers at 20yds. Other than if something go's wrong a Colt is a great tool and a good investment.

However.... I am a S&W guy. I own a model 15 combat masterpiece .38 spl. This is a 1960's gun that will still split a playing card. Butter smooth trigger, perfectly balanced, great sight's, really nothing I can complain about.
I also own a 1970's S&W D/A K.38 revolver. Honestly I dont shoot it much.. but it is perfect. If your going to be doing strictly target work... this is the gun for you. Be carefull when looking at them as many are single action only.

Lately in my area at the gun shows, the model 15 revolvers have been plentifull and inexpensive. Like $300.00 inexpensive... rough ones for less...
 
I own them both.

They are approximately the same vintage. My trooper is a utility gun, a service gun, as a "trooper model" ought to be. My masterpiece is just that, a masterpiece.

My trooper has a da pull that stops midway as it hits a wall and the trigger pull weight drastically increases. It's difficult to shoot. The masterpiece is the best da trigger I have ever fired.

I have no reason to suggest the colt.
 
The Python and MkIII Colt actions are different. The MkIII is not as refined but more robust. I had an old blue worn Metropolitan MKIII and it was en excellent shooter.
 
Part of the problem is the coil springs that cause the stacking. If you do buy one, replace those springs. You won't need to do a trigger job, it should be good enough, but for the love of God, lighten those springs!

Btw, take note that you have to pull the cylinder release. Not good. Not easy to do.
 
Personally, I would go with the K38. A coworker has one, nice one too, and I really enjoyed shooting it. I just bought my first revolver, since 25 years ago, and realized how much I miss them.

Here it is, but nothing special. It is a S&W model 642...bought it primarily for carry. I sometimes get tired of semi-autos. :p
 
"Part of the problem is the coil springs that cause the stacking."

:confused:

Colts made prior to the introduction of the coil springs were well known for stacking.

All three of my Colts, which use the classic Colt V spring, stack.
 
Colt put their cylinder release button in backwards, requiring both hands to actuate. S&W is properly designed and needs one hand, not two.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top