Colt trooper mark 3 used 357 mag 6".

[gray wolf]

Howdy folks,

LGS Has a Colt trooper mark 3 used 357 mag 6".
I took a look at it and I would say the bluing is 95% on most of the gun cept for a little holster wear near the muzzle.

The action seems fine and the trigger is nice, the lock up also seems to be as it should be.
The barrel is horrendously dirty and so are the cylinders, I think it's mostly lube and powder.
The owner said my friend could clean it if he wanted to in order to to take a closer look.

The forcing cone does not show any heat cracks and inside the frame window does not show any lead or Copper splash.

The extractor rod moves nice and smooth with no binding.

The pistol is in very nice condition.

So my question is ----- What would be a reasonable price for my friend to pay.

I think they stopped production on these in the late 70,s


Thanks for the help.

[bouncer50]

My question is how much are they asking for it. Some times in prices is how bad do you it. I have one made in 1972 but the price i paid was cheap now some Colts are worth as much as a used car.

[Bzcraig]

Check gunbroker or maybe someone will come along with the blue book of gun values

[Pepe Ray]

Hi Sam;
The last Bangor show the host had a 3" Dick Spl. asking $700--.
I discussed it w/him. He commiserated, claiming that he just sold a Python for over 2 G's. He's confident that he'll get the
$700. at the Portsmouth show. ( Already gone?)

Colts are out of my reach now.
Pepe Ray

[9.3X62AL]

The Colt Mark III and Mark V Troopers are built on a different frame (J-frame) entirely than were old model Troopers with the V-spring action (I-frame). The III/V Troopers have a much simpler lockwork than their predecessors, also. I've found the Mark III Troopers I've owned to be every bit as strong as an L-frame S&W (586/686 series), perhaps a bit less smooth in the action, and usually priced somewhat lower than the 586/686 Smiths and significantly less than D-frame or I-frame Colts. I think they are more durable than the I-frame/V-spring Colts as well. They are something of a sleeper.

[Petrol & Powder]

While I'm not a huge Colt fan the MKIII was a decent gun. The MKIII used coil springs and does not have the flat "V" main spring that the older models have. The MKIII was designed to be less expensive to produce but I would never call it a "cheap" gun. Most of the savings came from the simplified lock work and the use of some MIM type parts. The MKIII is certainly not in the same class as the Python but it also costs considerably less than a Python.
The good news is the MKIII's are rather strong and they can often be purchased for less than other well known models. Some gun shops and sellers will attempt to price the MKIII significantly higher than the gun is worth, hoping to find an unsuspecting buyer that will pay for the Colt name. I would never pay more for a used MKIII than I would for a used Ruger GP-100.
I don't know what used revolvers go for in your neck of the woods but if the gun is in decent shape I would use the price of a used GP-100 or S&W 586 as a guide and pay a little less for the Colt MKIII.

[Petrol & Powder]

I just looked at several MKIII's listed on Gunbroker and the only kind thing I can say is those asking prices are optimistic at best. I don't know what they are actually selling for but starting bids that are 3 times what the gun sold for new are not realistic.

[Petrol & Powder]

I have a MKIII that I purchased years ago, gave it to a family member and it has now returned. It was a good deal when I purchased it but today's prices are too high. Mine has held up well and locks up today as tight as ever.
Speaking of lock up, timing is a bit different on a Colt. The cylinder on a S&W or a Ruger DA locks before the hammer falls but on a Colt the cylinder locks at the moment the hammer is released. The Colt is a bit more difficult to repair if it gets out of time and parts are harder to come by. If while examining a Colt DA revolver prior to purchase you discover it is out of time, my advice is to walk away. They can be repaired but it is more involved.

[Dan Cash]

Don't know how to advise you on price. This is evidently a rare Trooper MKIII since it has multiple cylinders?:kidding: If it has but one cylinder with 6 chambers, with no picture I would say in the $350-$400 range max.

[Wayne Dobbs]

I sold a bunch of them back in the mid 70s. They all had nasty actions, but seemed to be ok otherwise. I wouldn't pay any top dollar prices for them at all.

[Hardcast416taylor]

Back in the mid 70`s I carried a 4" Mk 3 as my main carry sidearm as a county LEO. Can`t say how many .38 Spcl or .357 cartridges have been put thru it, probably in the many thousands. I still enjoy getting it out and putting a hundred or more target loads thru it. It never has broke down on me or failed to work if called upon to do so.Robert

[onceabull]

That pistolero known as 9.3x62Al knows of what he speaks..Trooper Mark III good to go,but nowadays ,usually seen overpriced...Trooper Mk V, Walk away (IMHO)....Onceabull

[gray wolf]

OK, he want's $499.00 out the door for the Trooper Mark 3

Hope this helps

Sam

[kristopher.wheeler]

OK, he want's $499.00 out the door for the Trooper Mark 3

Hope this helps

Sam
Buy it. Good grief!

[9.3X62AL]

$500 is at the higher side of reasonable for such a device. For an example in The One That Away Department, at a Reno Gun Show I attended about 2 years ago one vendor had a VERY LIKE-NEW 6" Trooper in 22 LR.......for $600. Colt did make a few in 22 LR and 22 Magnum.

[Virginia John]

Colt is going out of business, therefore, as soon as that happens all Colts will be far more valuable than reasonable. Buy as an investment.

[bouncer50]

Colt is going out of business, therefore, as soon as that happens all Colts will be far more valuable than reasonable. Buy as an investment. I agree, in the future they will double and more in price for a Colt name. They will never be made again. Look at the prices at Python now how much in 10 years will they go for

[Wayne Dobbs]

We (Colt) aren't going out of business, so just stop pumping that. A reorg bankruptcy is very likely, but it's not going away.

[pietro]

.

FWIW, the older, V-spring Colt Troopers had much nicer actions than the later coil MS Trooper MK II, MK III & MK V - In fact they were virtually the same as the famed Colt Python, sans the sights, VR bbl, and high-polish bluing.

http://pics.gunbroker.com/GB/483056000/483056028/pix674137832.jpg

IMO, a 95% remaining original condition early Trooper is worth every penny of $700.00 (+/-)



.

[Petrol & Powder]

Buying a used MKIII as a potential investment wouldn't be high on my list of ways to make money. Particularly if we're starting out at $500. How long would you have to hold onto it before you could sell it for a profit?
If you want the gun because you like it, that's one thing. If you're buying the gun to turn a profit, that will require a significant increase in demand in order to turn a profit.
I've paid more for guns I wanted but $500 for a Colt MKIII is on the high end for me. $500 isn't crazy for a good shooter but it's too high to turn a profit. As others have stated, it is in the S&W L frame / Ruger GP-100 class. A solid gun but nothing spectacular.

As for comparing MKIII to an early model Colt Trooper, that's apples and oranges. They aren't even close. While I agree that an early model Trooper shares a lot with a Python, the MKIII does not.

The MKIII is a fine gun but it's not a $500 gun in my book.