Colt lawman mkIII ?

[sw44spl]

I am looking at getting a used Lawman mkIII it was an old duty gun. Anyone got any info good or bad on them. thanks

 

[badge]

I know them and have had the 2" version. Very rugged weapon. The trigger could be a bit smoother but is certainly acceptable. I would say that if you desire a weapon to shoot magnums this would be a good choice.

 

[Lonestar57]

I have a 4" and 2" and they're built like tanks. Critics tend to focus on the MKIII's sintered metal parts (Triggers and Hammers) which are fine but not recommended for an action job. So keep it stock and they'll shoot for a lifetime.

Edit: Pic added.
Here is my Trooper MKIII and it's a tough one to find. You'll notice it has a vent rib barrel. When Colt started production of the MKV's they found that they had a small number of complete MKIII frames and parts except the barrels so they used the new MKV vented barrels rollmarked them as MKIII's and sent them out the door. Not many of these out there. And this one has another degree of scarceness. It's in the Coltguard (electroless Nickel) finish. Only a small percentage of all the MKlll's and MKV's were made in this finish compared to Blue and Nickel ones. It's kind of a unicorn.

 

[gerhard1]

As I said elsewhere, Colt built them about like they were tanks, and as was said here earlier, they are very rugged revolvers.

You would be well-served with one; they are fine handguns.

 

[lrrifleman]

lonestar57 has pegged the Achilles heel of the MkIII family. Buying used throws a monkeywrench into the equation, since you don't know what the previous owner/department armorer has done to the action.

Personally, I like the MkIII family, I am the first owner of a 4" Trooper MkIII. But by buying used, you need to keep in the back of your mind the reality that you may have to replace the trigger and hammer down the road in the event that Bubba did an action job. I had considered getting a spare set, and found that these are items Colt doesn't stock and must be purchased from a sub-contractor.

 

[Fishinfool]

I own one, but really cant say much that's helpful as I have not shot it very much - Just don't care for the DA or grip feel, in my hands anyway. Because of its high condition, I keep it more as a safe queen. Mine shoots to the sights with magnum 158's, and is very nicely finished. Its a good looking revolver.

Larry

 

[old tanker]

The Lawman is just a beast of a .357 snubbie. The cylinder is long enough to accommodate the 358429 SWC bullet. There's also enough mass to handle even an Elmer Keith level of 2400. The only downside it is tough finding a good holster for one these days.

I've tried a number of belt holsters for the Lawman and most have proven disappointing. With the short barrel it is quite top heavy and the gun wants to twist away from the body, particularly in a high ride style holster. A holster that goes across the frame, cylinder and full trigger guard like the El Paso pictured is about as good as it's gonna get.

If I was going to spend a lot of time sitting, like in a car or behind a desk a horizontal shoulder rig might be OK if you could find a harness that didn't wallow around too much. I really like the gun, it is a beast of snubbie, but paradoxically, a four inch gun is easier to wear comfortably.

 

[Bullet Bob]

You can send my $5.00 research fee to the animal shelter of your choice:

Mark III

The Colt Fever website has good information on Colt double action revolvers, highly recommended.

 

[JH1951]

I have owned one. No complaints. As a matter of fact, mine was a fine handgun that was built quite well.
If the price is right and it passes a pre-purchase inspection, it should be a pleasure to own.
I did sell mine, but that was no reflection on the piece itself. I sometimes wish I still had it.

 

[cowboy4evr]

I don't own one but have read several times that you DO NOT want to dry fire it . It has a frame mounted firing pin that breaks all too frequently dry firing . You can't change it yourself as it requires very special tools and only colt has them . Regards Paul

 

[kaaskop49]

Used guns is used guns. You can buy a diamond in the rough or a "ruff" (dog). I've found most used guns dry fire OK; live fire can disclose a host of problems. I selected my 2 casino 64s from a batch of 7 or 8. The others were unacceptable in one way or another, yet none had been fired. Some folks play with guns or treat them roughly if they are issued out for a shift. Some previous posters have said this better than I.

I go to LGSs to buy guns, not tanks. If this gun 'speaks' to you, maybe buy it if the $ is reasonable. Maybe.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103