New Colt Agent

[Etalksalot]

Hey there folks, I just picked up my layaway gun yesterday and it's a 1st issue (I'd assume) Colt Agent on great shape and with box and all. I know more about S&W than I do about Colt for sure. I have a question, it has the exposed ejector rod and it is from that period where Colt attached the firing pin to the hammer with the roll pin like S&W always did I heard that's late 60's but not positive of that. My main question is, which way does the ejector rod thread? Is it a standard thread or reversed? I want to take it off and clean out the inside of the cylinder because it's hard to spin. Oil looks gummed up and I don't want to scratch up the rod because I did that with one of my Smiths, but thankfully it was on the part that hides inside the crane (or yoke? I forget). Anyhow, I'd greatly appreciate any help. It had the shorter grips but I got some nice looking replicas /full length replica panel grips. Anyone know what the proper term for Colt panel grips is for revolvers? I just call them magna grips because anyone who knows what a magna grip is will get the idea, but I'd like to know the proper terminology if I could. Thanks. I can't get pics to upload. I'll do that soon.

 

[Loyaljeeper]

It’s been a while, but I recall a very short period in the late 60s where Colt utilized that hammer. Most Colt hammers are solid. My step-sister inherited a Detective Special that was tight and stiff because of the factory grease. The actually thought it was broken because of the grease.

 

[Etalksalot]

Thank you for the heads up. I had a S&W 642 no dash that was tight and I loosened it up, I forgot to mention I want to put a shorter ejector rod on it because I want it to have a bit of an older look like the early DS did. So I do have to remove it anyways and don't know which way to turn it.

 

[armorer951]

Most of the cylinder rotation issues come from shooting debris under the extractor, and in the extractor recess, if there is a recess.....and there really aren't any "user serviceable" issues that originate from the inside of the cylinder assembly. The recess in the front of the extractor for the latch pin can also hold debris. You can best clean these areas with an old toothbrush, along with application of your favorite solvent if necessary. The Colt assembly is unlike the S&W. A special tool is required, and the internal threads can easily become cross threaded. It's best not to take the assembly completely apart.

Collects offered an excellent remedy for cleaning internal crud out of the crane area by repeated application of solvent to flush out the area.

 

[Pig Hunter]

They used the hollow rivet for a couple years . My DS has that and dates from '69. To remove the yoke and cylinder you take out the screw on the right side of the frame in front of the trigger. If you do take off the side plate, when you are tapping The cylinder release can slide forward more than you want and the pin on the release internally may get out of alignment for reassembly. Not at all like a Smith internally and some interaction of the parts are counterintuitive to a Smith mind set. Just go slow and you will be fine.

 

[Etalksalot]

They used the hollow rivet for a couple years . My DS has that and dates from '69. To remove the yoke and cylinder you take out the screw on the right side of the frame in front of the trigger. If you do take off the side plate, when you are tapping The cylinder release can slide forward more than you want and the pin on the release internally may get out of alignment for reassembly. Not at all like a Smith internally and some interaction of the parts are counterintuitive to a Smith mind set. Just go slow and you will be fine.

Thank you. What I'm trying to figure out though is whether the ejector rod is threaded properly or counter threaded. I want to replace the ejector rod completely and I know with Smith they had a regular thread for the ER where it screws into the cylinder and then at some point they went with a counter thread. I tried to remove one from a Smith of mine and messed it up because I was turning it the wrong way and basically making it tighter because it had a reverse thread. I don't know enough about Colts to know if they did that or not. I do want to take it out anyhow because putting oil in the rod from both ended and working it in and out and spinning the cylinder and the cylinder will not turn well. It does turn and fires too, but it won't spin freely and I've been working it and spinning it for almost a week and it hasn't gotten any better. The 642 ND I had a while back was the same way but I just put oil on both end of the rod and worked it in and out and that day it started spinning like normal and it was HARD to spin before. So I'd like to get that rod out of there and I want to put a shorter one in because I love the look of the older DS that had the short rod and I would like to get the inside cleaned out very well. All the oil has gummed up inside. However, wanting to replace it entirely is why I need to know if I should unscrew it like it's threaded normally or if I should turn the other way. Thanks.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

BTW, you should be aware that C*** D-frame cylinders, and the others IIRC, do NOT spin freely like cylinders on a clean S&W. Not that that is better or worse, just the way it is. Of course, there should be almost no resistance to turning it by hand, but you should not expect it to be like an S&W.

 

[Grayfox]

You don't want to mess with the ejector rod. To remove it you unscrew the cylinder ratchet from the rod. This requires a special tool to prevent damage. And, as mentioned, its very easy to cross thread upon reassembly. Better to just leave it alone.
BTW: nice gun!

 

[crazyphil]

I remember when Colt was promoting their Agent, it was a big selling point
that it has room for six in the cylinder while the S&W comparables only have five.

Here is a photo of my Agent. I think it is a later model than yours. It has
the parkerized finish. I had the hammer bobbed and the single action notch
removed from the sear to make it a true DAO.

I covered that stubby grip frame with these Craig Spegel extended boots.

One of it's favorite rides is this gator trimmed pancake by KD.

 

[kaaskop49]

Glad to see that some of these older Colt snubs still see use/duty as EDCs or maybe even as a working weapon, i.e. security or off-duty. I regret selling 2 minty DSs because I read too much online about the collector's value of these guns. I passed up an ANIB Agent with exposed ejector rod several years ago @ $700 IIRC because of this concern.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

 

[Etalksalot]

You don't want to mess with the ejector rod. To remove it you unscrew the cylinder ratchet from the rod. This requires a special tool to prevent damage. And, as mentioned, its very easy to cross thread upon reassembly. Better to just leave it alone.
BTW: nice gun!

Gotcha! Thanks, that's what u was looking for. My Smith ejector rods come right off except for one. I wasn't sure if you just unscrew it like on the smith or not. This is my first Colt so I don't know much about them. Thanks again.

 

[Etalksalot]

BTW, you should be aware that C*** D-frame cylinders, and the others IIRC, do NOT spin freely like cylinders on a clean S&W. Not that that is better or worse, just the way it is. Of course, there should be almost no resistance to turning it by hand, but you should not expect it to be like an S&W.

That does make me feel better. It will spin if I roll it up my hand but yeah it does not spin like the Smith at all. I've almost never even held a Colt before so I had pretty much zero experience with one that I remember. I noticed that with my Smiths, as you start to pull the trigger back when it gets to that staging point it locks the cylinder in place before the hammer drops but my Colt, it clicks but the cylinder is not yet locked up I'm guessing because it's to the right inside the frame as opposed to the middle. I only took a side plate off one smith because I don't want to mess anything up and they all work great and the Colt, I don't even want to try. Though, thankfully I haven't shot it yet because the other day I noticed that the screw under the trigger was coming out! The side plate right under the trigger was sticking out a little bit! It wasn't out far, but I'd hate to find out what would've happened had I shot it like that. I'd be pretty upset about that. My Smiths, the only screw that ever starts to come loose is the cylinder release latch screw. Thanks a bunch. I'm just gonna keep it how it is and hope to find a 1st issue DS one day! Thanks again.

 

[Old cop]

My first off-duty gun was a Cobra, purchased new (still have it) in 1968 for $85, a lot of money then.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

That does make me feel better. It will spin if I roll it up my hand but yeah it does not spin like the Smith at all. I've almost never even held a Colt before so I had pretty much zero experience with one that I remember. I noticed that with my Smiths, as you start to pull the trigger back when it gets to that staging point it locks the cylinder in place before the hammer drops but my Colt, it clicks but the cylinder is not yet locked up I'm guessing because it's to the right inside the frame as opposed to the middle. I only took a side plate off one smith because I don't want to mess anything up and they all work great and the Colt, I don't even want to try. Though, thankfully I haven't shot it yet because the other day I noticed that the screw under the trigger was coming out! The side plate right under the trigger was sticking out a little bit! It wasn't out far, but I'd hate to find out what would've happened had I shot it like that. I'd be pretty upset about that. My Smiths, the only screw that ever starts to come loose is the cylinder release latch screw. Thanks a bunch. I'm just gonna keep it how it is and hope to find a 1st issue DS one day! Thanks again.

Yes, the C*** action does lock up a bit differently. IIRC, the C*** continues to exert pressure to lock up until the trigger is released. Perhaps this is part of what makes them more difficult to tune, but it has the potential to increase accuracy if tuned correctly. Anyway, a properly tuned S&W will almost always have a little slop when the hammer goes down. A properly tuned C*** will not.