Consensus on Trooper Mark III

2085 Views 15 Replies 14 Participants Last post by ky wonder, Jul 13, 2013

JACII

Discussion Starter · Jun 30, 2013

Is there a general consensus on whether the Trooper MK IIIs are solid guns ? I understand that their forged components are extremely strong but the sintered triggers and hammers seem to get a fair bit of criticism . How would you compare a MK III to a Security Six or an L frame S&W ? Not trying to be a troll , just trying to educate myself . I recently purchased a 6" blued Trooper and it seems like a very solid gun. I'm thinking about having a Wolff spring kit installed but otherwise am pretty happy with it. Thoughts ?
Joe

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Colt75

· #2 · Jun 30, 2013

I think they are one tank tough revolver. I do have a Wolff Spring Kit installed in mine and I like it. Don't dry fire without snap caps, keep it cleaned and oiled and your grandkids will be shooting it. Is the "fair bit of criticism" coming from some salesperson trying to sell you a Ruger or Smith?

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nighthawk

· #3 · Jun 30, 2013

2

Gun Firearm Revolver Trigger Air gun

here's a cpl of great troopers ..I love to shoot these every chance I get..they have a great feel and I use to carry the MK3 when I was working security ..I have several other revolvers as well but the colt is my favorite..

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JACII

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jun 30, 2013

Thanks guys - had to chuckle when I saw Colt 75's question about the gunstore "expert" . I tend to discount 95% of their comments but one did raise the issue of the "powdered metal" internals . Actually my concerns came from comments I saw posted on a couple of different chat forums . Nobody was saying "stay away" from the Trooper III, but there were questions raised about the hard use longevity of the sintered steel parts and the inability to tune the action like you can with other Colts or competing brands.
Joe

Rock

· #5 · Jun 30, 2013

I have heard nothing but great things about the MK III. I have a MK V, But am keeping my eyes peeled for a MKIII. They are all beautiful to look at and very fun to shoot.

doctor_phil

· #6 · Jun 30, 2013

I love my 8" Trooper Mk III. Super tough and dead-nuts accurate.

Revolver Shotgun Lego Metal

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dfariswheel

· #7 · Jun 30, 2013

Master gunsmith Jerry Kuhnhausen and author of the Kuhnhausen Shop Manuals on gunsmithing thought the Mark III and later Colt's were the strongest medium frame DA revolvers ever made.
He attributed this to the frame design and Colt's high quality steel forgings.

The internal parts are made of an early type of powdered metal technology called "sintered steel".
Colt did this right and these parts gave almost no trouble. I saw virtually no parts broken by normal use, EXCEPT, there is some occasional history of the trigger in the Mark III breaking through the pin hole.
This is not common at all, but it was known to happen.
In the later Mark V and King Cobra the hammer and trigger were made of cast steel so even that potential issue was eliminated.

Most modern revolvers cannot be tuned in the same manner as the old Colt's and S&W's could be up until S&W started using MIM powdered parts.
In the Mark III the internal parts were surfaced hardened and if you stoned or polished much you could break through the hard surface, exposing soft inner steel. That ruined the part.
In any case, the Colt sintered steel parts were already so smooth you gain nothing by any polishing (actually smoothing, not polishing to a mirror shine).
The purpose of polishing or stoning was to reduce rough machine marks that cause rough operation.
Since the sintered steel parts are not machined, there ARE no machine marks and the parts are as smooth as will do any good.

For that reason, like most all modern revolvers, trigger work involves installation of spring kits and using a little grease on key areas.

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JACII

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jun 30, 2013

Thank you - great information !
Best,
Joe

Imakmst

· #9 · Jul 3, 2013

A strong revolver that you can shoot and shoot.

I have a 6" MkIII. Awesome. And I'm looking for a 4".

LaVistaBill

· #10 · Jul 12, 2013

I've always considered them very sturdy revolvers that can handle a steady diet of .357 Magnum ammunition. A number of old-timers had them when I joined the U.S. Border Patrol in 1982. Later, I bought a used Trooper MKIII that had BORDER PATROL stamped on the left side of the barrel. Like the ones I saw on the Mexico Border it had a dull blue finish with kind of a greenish cast. I saw an Alabama State Trooper with one that was nickel plated in 1976 when I was going thru MP School at Ft. McClellan.

mafd2

· #11 · Jul 12, 2013

The MKIII was one of the strongest .357's ever made. It can digest magnum loads all day long and is a sleeper...

Dondiablo70

· #12 · Jul 12, 2013

I have a Python and a Trooper MKIII. The Python is for showing off..... But my Trooper MKIII was made to shoot and shoot and shoot.

Nlmadog

· #13 · Jul 12, 2013

Love my Colt pistols, my brother turned me on to the troopers. Great shooter.

SpazzyMcgee

· #14 · Jul 12, 2013

People like to hate on the Ruger P-series because some have cast frames, but those things are absolute tanks. I suppose Colt and Ruger could have used forged parts where they used the cast/sintered ones in these cases, but with an already incredible gun, the idea of "diminishing returns" comes to mind.

justintyme

· #15 · Jul 12, 2013

The Trooper MK III is a great Revolver, no issues unless you try to polish those internal parts! Mine is a 1973, Same as me! The Double action pull is a bit stiff compared to my Smith's but it is in great condition, and I got it with box and papers a few months ago on the local armslist for 575$. I took it apart and cleaned all the internals and relubed and that helped, I may try some different springs in it next. Or I may just leave it and love looking at it!

ky wonder

· #16 · Jul 13, 2013

the Mark III's are tank tough

I competed with one straight out of the box for years,

my son still does with the same gun,

its had thousands of rounds down the pipe the only issue I have had

is on occasion the cylinder pin will back off after some hard range usage,

so I started using a bit of Loctite after cleaning during reassembly on the part

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