I am looking locally at a Colt Trooper MK III. I am familiar with the Python action, but not the Trooper. Are they different? How so? Which do you like better?
Thanks!

Totally different actions. The original Troopers had the same lockwork as the Python. The Mark III was simplified and "cheapened", not as smooth as the Python, therefore there's no comparison, Python is 1st class.

What he said. Not even stocks will swap. The Troopers made before 1969 were Pythons without the polish and heavy ribbed barrel. The Mk III was an econo revolver designed for cheap production.

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+1 to what Ken said, and yet on the auction sites the original Troopers are selling for less $$$$ than the MKIII Troopers. Some collectors just love their MK3's. Go figure.

Original .357 Troopers, .357s, and Pythons have the same frame. Mk III is not even close. Actually, the earlier Official Police, OMM and OMT, and the even earlier Army Special have very close to the same frame, but without the firing pin in the frame.

With the Trooper MkIII, do not dry fire them without Snap Caps in place. If you break the firing pin, it has to go to Colt for repair. Only Colt has the fixture necessary for replacing the firing pin.

The MkIII actions are not as smooth, but they're not bad.

Here's a visual comparison of the 2. Early Python on the left, MKIII on the right. Totally different actions. The MKIII is a very capable revolver and makes for a nice shooter. Don't let the difference deter your decision to buy the MKIII.

824tsv nailed it. Coil springs vs the Python bent v leaf springs. I've never owned one, all I've read has been good and several LE's I knew had them back in the day.

I wouldn't pass on a low priced one. I have passed on the MK III in 22 LR. Dang it was heavy.

Well, I have done some additional googling on the MKIII. I have seen some confirmation that the FP can break and is a factory only job to fix. Also, parts supply is very questionable. Have heard some good reports about trigger feel. Wolff makes springs for it.
After pulling my 686 and GP100 out of the safe and fondling them for awhile, I decided to make only a low side offer on the MKIII. It was not accepted.
For those interested, Hickock45 has a Youtube video on the MKIII. He shoots it well and likes it alot. Prefers it to Pythons he has owned. Worth a look.

My father bought the pictured MKIII new in 1972. It's had several thousand rounds through it. It's been mine since the mid 80's and it's still going strong. Lack of parts doesn't deter me from shooting it. Don't believe all the internet naysayers. Most have probably never handled a MKIII let alone owned one.

Thanks. If you could show us a photo of the whole gun, that would be very nice!

This pic is a few years old now. The Colt is a "Border Patrol", but it's identical to a Trooper with a different barrel roll mark.

My brother had the trooper III and I had the python in '75 both were good accurate revolvers.

I believe you and feel many interject "this is the truth cause I say so" based on rumor, poor memory and facts given by the homeless guy on the corner and the big sin, no actual experience with whatever it is they speak of..

And of the broken firing pins how many times did someone dry fire practicing the quick draw etc hundreds or thousands of times.

Actually, I have found a couple of sources for parts.

MKIII's are good guns.
I actually prefer the MKIII's action, extremely stout as compared to the Python's action. I've had a few older colt actions apart, as well as the MKIII's, and while the older action may be more tuneable, my MKIII's have been plenty smooth on their own, and are much simpler and more robust, and does the same thing with less but beefier parts.
It is unfortunate that the use of sintered metal for some internals makes them essentially untuneable and the firing pin is such a difficult fix in the MKIII.

Colt Python



Colt Trooper MKIII

Untunable except for the springs. Wolff offers reduced power trigger and mainsprings fot the MKIII series.

I don't know about the Troopers, but I owned a Mk III, Official Police, 38 a while back. I didn't see a thing wrong with that gun.

Hated to sell it during my personal "great economic downturn"

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John 3:16 .

I've owned both and shot both and still own a 1970 mark III as well as a 71 python that are nib , both 4 inch blue guns.

the pythons are super sweet and delicate the mark IIIs are very sweet and robust

I have run a pick up load of ammo thru the old 6" Mark III in this photo,

and my only issue was needing to put some lock tight on the cylinder release pin it got to the point that it would back out under heavy loads, I do not believe that the python would have stood this abuse without a couple of trips to a knowledgeable colt smith

The old style (or original style if you want to call it that) Colt DA revolver like the Python or Official Police, New Service, Detective Special,Police Positive (Special) were the sweetheart of the DA shooters back in the day. Properly timed, and with the V springs and contact surfaces polished the DA pull was and is a thing of beauty. Their problem was keeping them in time. They were labor intensive to mgf'r.
The MkIII was a drop in fit and with the sintered metal internals, it made mfg'r much cheaper. It came out at a time when Colt was going thru labor strikes and reorganizations. Their skilled early post war labor force was gone. Police contracts were a thing of the past. Military contracts were the only thing holding it afloat and those were soon to disappear.

The MkIII is a decent revolver. Heavy by most opinions, but other than that they do as advertised.
They are smooth working. The sintered metal parts got the same feedback as S&W got when they intro'd them in their line. Colt did have some that did fail. By this point in time, 40+years after the fact, if it hasn't failed by know, I suspect it's probably pretty solid.
About the only thing I have replaced in a couple of them is the trigger spring. They are coil/torsion springs. The guns I replaced them in had shot 10's of K of rounds. Wolf springs were the replacements and I've never heard any complaints since.
Personally I like the original V spring powered Colt '357' and Trooper. But that's just me. I shake my head when I see the wild prices asked for the MkIII's and wonder why.
Then I just figure it's all good,,it's just makes the old V spring Troopers stay in the affordable section of the shelf.
Just check the timing carefully before buying one and be ready to do some fixing. Part of the fun of old Colts.

I have both the Python and the Trooper MKIII. Both are very nice revolvers and quite different from each other. Both are "better" in some regards while neither is "better" in all regards. Personally I'm pleased owning them both.

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BCCI Life Member #2068

At present, I own seven of the "Old-Style" DA Colts. I have fired all of them frequently, but never excessively, over the last 40 years, and have yet to experience the first timing problem with any of them. Maybe I don't shoot them enough and treat them too well.

I have owned 4 or 5 Pythons and 5 or 8 other V spring Colts, Never any issues.

Maybe we don't read the right internet articles by those who have never owned, touched nor shot one.