1957 Colt Trooper .22 LR

[Shear_stress]

Another forum member's gorgeous pics of his 1950s-era Colt Model 357 made me want to share some some shots of a similar Colt I just picked up. Mine is a Trooper made in 1957 and chambered in .22 LR.

According to information culled from message boards like this one, the .22 Trooper was made from 1953 to 1960. They were not hot sellers and maybe 2000 to 3000 made it out from under the Blue Dome. For some reason .22 Troopers were exiled to the Officers Match serial number range, rather than being numbered with their centerfire brethren. I guess that gives me the luxury of regarding this gun as a sort of a service length OM--or, pushing things a bit--the closest thing to a rimfire Python you can get. Yeah, that's the ticket.

This one is in pretty nice shape and sports a matching, albeit disintegrating, box that confirms the gun came with the target hammer and grips from the factory. My photographs ain't great, but I hope they convey the fine quality of this old left-handed wheeler.

 

[22-rimfire]

Nice revolver! What is a "left handed wheeler"?

Nobody knows how many were manufactured except Colt.

 

[Shear_stress]

Nice revolver! What is a "left handed wheeler"?

Thanks! As for "left handed"--the cylinder spins the opposite direction from an S&W. Not sure what makes one direction more "left" or "right" than the other, but it's a neat old timey term regardless.

 

[Lucky Derby]

Sweet!

 

[Walkalong]

Very, very, nice!

 

[vanfunk]

Luscious. I am very jealous! How does it shoot?


vanfunk

 

[Shear_stress]

Luscious. I am very jealous! How does it shoot?

Thank you much. I just got it home and haven't had a chance to test drive it.

 

[joe_security]

Those grips ! Someone could make a fortune reproducing them.

 

[SaxonPig]

A 22 Trooper has long been an object of desire for me and that one is a real beauty. It is sinful to covet so I'll move along, now.

I like the early Colt Target stocks.

 

[slick6]

That was a wonderful score indeed! You just don't find them-let alone in NIB condition! Congrats!

I found one identical to your Trooper .22 about three years ago that was also NIB! This is a revolver that I figured I'd never see again-with the odds being about the same as hitting the lottery!

 

[Shear_stress]

That was a wonderful score indeed! You just don't find them-let alone in NIB condition! Congrats!

I found one identical to your Trooper .22 about three years ago that was also NIB! This is a revolver that I figured I'd never see again-with the odds being about the same as hitting the lottery!

Much obliged! Mine's not quite in NIB condition. There are a couple of light scratches on the frame and cylinder and some slightly worn blue at the muzzle, but it's in an easy 98% condition.

It clearly hasn't been shot much, which sort of baffles me. I mean, I could understand a "night table gun" without many rounds through it, but a .22? One wonders what motivated the original seller to buy it.

 

[22-rimfire]

Your Trooper is a very nice speciman. They are difficult to find in NIB condition these days unless a collector lets go of one. The typical Trooper (38spl or 22LR) shows holster wear on the barrel and the cylinder trace. Once the light tracing is on the cylinder, you can shoot them a lot and not show any more appreciable wear as long as you wipe them down after use and clean them occasionally.

The 22LR Trooper was the first revolver I purchased once I decided to become a Colt accumulator. At that time, I had never heard of a Trooper in 22LR just like the Cobra in those days. The Trooper is in a tad worse condition than yours. I believe I rated it at 95-96% for my purposes or just barely collectable. I think I paid $200 for it. The $200 days are over.

 

[dfariswheel]

Colt supposedly made only 2200 .22 Troopers.
One with factory original target hammer and grips would be considered a rare gun.

 

[22-rimfire]

Dfairswheel, where did you hear this figure? I have never asked but you have mentioned it here and the Colt Forum a number of times in threads discussing Colt Troopers in 22LR. The number has a striking resemblence to the 2200 6" Nickel Diamondback 22's (circa 1979) mentioned in the Blue Book of Gun Values.

 

[dfariswheel]

I read it in a book somewhere years ago.
I've looked and looked and can't find where I read it.

 

[Shear_stress]

One with factory original target hammer and grips would be considered a rare gun.

Interesting. Any idea of roughly how many were made in that format?

No matter what, it certainly pays to keep your eyes open for misspelled items on online auction sites. Landed this "Tropper" the same way I got a nice .22 "Bertetta" a couple of years back.

 

[Ala Dan]

Great Find- you lucky dog~! Enjoy your new Pony~!

 

[savit260]

Oh how I'd love a 4" I/E frame .22!! Very jealous!

 

[Sgt.Saputo]

Me likey. Me likey alot

 

[22-rimfire]

I wish I knew production numbers on the 22 version of the Colt Trooper. I have ones with both the service stocks and regular hammer and the target hammer and larger stocks. It was one of those Colt revolvers that never got much attention until about 5 years ago. The Troopers are hard to find now not that they were ever plentiful or common in recent years. It has turned into a collector gun.

 

[alienbogey]

Lots of experts at ColtForum.com who would like to see your find and answer questions.

 

[bags]

thanks for the link for the colts. It helped Me find an age for 1 that I have. #190xx. according to the website it was made in 1959. Now to find the value. any ideas?

 

[22-rimfire]

What would you rate the condition? I have not tracked prices lately on them, but in as-new condition, I would guess somewhere in the $650-$800 range. $1000 would not surprise me if it was unfired in the box with paper work. Checking closed auctions is the easiest way to get an idea of current value along with cross checking the values listed in the Blue Book of Gun Values. Many have issues with the Blue Book estimates, but it is the first place I look when trying to determine present value. Then depending on "how interested" I am, I start with the closed auctions.

 

[CZguy]

22-rimfire just gave the definitive answer for determining firearm values.

(It would help, if it was a sticky)

 

[Jim in S.A.]

Just for what it's worth, here's a .22 Trooper I traded for a long time ago:

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=132418&d=1292724397

Haven't shot it for a while, but it was a great shooting revolver.