I obtained a set of John Hurst grips for a Colt E/I frame and installed them on a 1966 Colt Trooper 38 Special.
Colt Trooper with Hurst grips
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OP
I have 3 sets of John Hurst's S&W grips, a J frame round butt, K frame square butt and K frame round butt. I have not seen many Hurst grips for Colts offered for sale.
That looks like a gun & grip set that should live in North Carolina. 
I love those old Troopers. Unwisely passed on a .357 Trooper several years ago, still regret that.
DWalt
Member
If someone was playing the old "If you could have only one gun what would it be?" game, the original .357 Colt Trooper would be close to the top of my list. If you have one of those, you don't need a Python. This is mine, but it now has a pair of Gen I target grips on it.
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Here's my 38 Trooper from late 1965. It's got the vapor paper, and warranty card, and a test target dated 12/27/1965, but no other papers in the box. I don't think it's been fired outside the factory, and I doubt I ever will.
I've owned a couple of the old Trooper 357's over the years, but this is the only one in 38 Special I think I've seen.
I've owned a couple of the old Trooper 357's over the years, but this is the only one in 38 Special I think I've seen.
Very nice !! Are they for a standard frame or for a clipped frame ?
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They appear to be for an unaltered frame. I am not sure Hurst made grips that required cutting the frame toe, I thought that was a Fuzzy Farrant thing. But it’s still before 8M and I’ve already been wrong twice.
DWalt
Member
I don't know the production numbers, but most Troopers chambered in .38 Special only were the early ones from the 1950s made on the E frame. The .357 version of the Trooper was introduced in the early 60s but built on the I frame, pretty much the same as the E frame, except that the firing pin was in the frame instead of on the hammer. After the .357 Trooper became available, there wouldn't have been much incentive for Colt's to continue making Troopers chambered in .38 Special only, but evidently there are some like yours. But probably not many. There were also some Troopers made in .22, but I don't remember ever running across one so they must not be too plentiful. The whole idea of the Trooper was to compete with the S&W Combat Masterpiece for the Police market.
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OP
The grips have not been altered
wrkerr
Member
Colt introduced the 357 built on the I frame around 1954. In its 1st year, they were simply call the "Colt 357". The following year they became "Troopers". Here is my duty weapon from 1954. Dad bought it new and gave it to me when I started the Academy in 1977. Still shoots great.
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DWalt
Member
The Trooper and the .357 (that is its name) are nearly the same gun, but are considered and were cataloged as two different guns. The ".357" did not become the Trooper. As noted, the early Troopers were built on the E frame while the ".357" always used the I frame. The ".357" was considered as Colt's Top-of-the-Line revolver model at that time, while the Trooper was chambered in .38 Special and was more utilitarian and oriented toward the law enforcement market. Production of the ".357" was terminated after the Python came out, as Colt didn't need two Top-of-the-Line revolver models. While the ".357" is not a Python, all but cosmetically it is identical. And far less common than the Python, with only around 20K of them being made. If anything, the ".357" became the Python. So what is the difference between the ".357" and the later Trooper chambered for the .357? The answer is, not much, except for its name, its barrel length and (supposedly) a lesser level of fit and finish of the later Trooper .357 vs. the earlier ".357".
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wrkerr
Member
Thanks for the info. We had several officers who carried Pythons, but I always liked the "feel" of the 357 far better. It is really a very sweet shooter.
DWalt
Member
One of the reasons I have never been enamored of the Python (old or new) is that I have both a ".357" and a Trooper .357, so why do I need an overpriced version of something I already have?
They appear to be for an unaltered frame. I am not sure Hurst made grips that required cutting the frame toe, I thought that was a Fuzzy Farrant thing. But it’s still before 8M and I’ve already been wrong twice.
Hurst also made grips for cut frames. Pictures are 2nd gen Hurst also for a Colt.
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needsmostuff
Member
Also cut frame Hurst but for S&W.
Nowadays they sit in a cold dark box , but someday I'll find a gun to put them on ,,,,,,someday.
Nowadays they sit in a cold dark box , but someday I'll find a gun to put them on ,,,,,,someday.
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