Colt Trooper vs Taurus

[dashootist]

I know the Trooper MK3 is a budget gun. A brand new Taurus is about the same price as a used MK3. Which would you choose? I need a Pin gun. I already have a bunch of S&W, so I don't want another one.

 

[pendennis]

I wouldn't call the Trooper MkIII a "budget gun". Its frame is almost as large as the S&W N frame, and it's one of the most sturdy guns Colt ever produced. If you had offered up the S&W L frame 586/686, you might get some real comparisons and start a good "pier 6 brawl". If you don't want another S&W, try for a Colt King Cobra.

 

[Dr_B]

I have a Trooper MkIII and I wouldn't put it in the same category at all with any Taurus. Its a much better gun in my opinion.

 

[Isaac-1]

I too have a Mk III gun, in my case it is the Lawman Mk III, the budget version of the trooper with fixed sights, etc. and I too would not put it in the same class as the Taurus. One word of warning though to any Mk III owner, don't dry fire, doing so can break the firing pin, which could only be replaced at the factory on the Mk III using a special jig, and I don't know if Colt is still offering repair service on them, so breaking the firing pin might turn them into a paper weight. The Mk III is only a budget gun compared to a Colt Python, I have one of those too, and will admit any day that the Mk III's are not in its league.

 

[BigN]

Never, ever, compare a Colt to a Taurus. Sacrilege...

 

[CajunBass]

I'm not a Taurus basher, but this is a joke isn't it?

They only have two things in common. They're both revolvers, and they're both named after animals.

Colt.

 

[tinygnat219]

I'd look at it from another perspective. You mention that you need a pin gun, I'm assuming for bowling pin shooting? I'd also wonder how much shooting you plan on doing. If it's once in a while, I'd go with the Colt, if it's every weekend / even a couple of times a month I'd go with the Taurus and for one reason: They're still in production and you're covered by a lifetime warranty. For Colt, well, they made nice revolvers once upon a time. Any heavy amount of shooting will eventually wear out the revolver and it's a lot harder getting the replacement parts and finding someone who still knows how to work on a Colt.

 

[V1ROT8]

The lifetime guarantee for Taurus would tip the scale to them.

 

[Walkalong]

I love my Troopers. They are head and shoulders a better gun. No contest.

Yes, I have a couple of Taurus revolvers.

 

[harvester]

Please be serious. Colt.

 

[bikemutt]

I have owned two Taurus 608s, they were excellent shooters. I did have a problem with one of them which Taurus took care of right away, the problem did not recur.

Also own one, and owned another, Colt Trooper Mk III, one had a problem which I was able to fix but then it went on to develop a new problem, which I was able to fix, then it became someone else's next problem.

For a high mileage gun I'd go with the Taurus. I don't need to high mile my .357s owing to limited range time and a broad selection to choose from, which is why I sold the Tauri (and more) to pay for the Python, King Cobra and Trooper

 

[bannockburn]

To me the Colt Trooper MK.III was built like a tank, more like a S&W Model 27 than a Model 19. I would definitely go with the Colt on this one.

 

[CraigC]

I'm not a habitual Taurus basher either, nor do I drink the Colt Cool Aid but it would be Trooper hands down for me. Any day of the week and twice on Sunday. I never buy anything for the warranty. I'd rather buy something good in the first place than a guaranteed piece of crap, as Chris Farley would say (Tommy Boy). I'm not saying Taurus is crap but you get my point.

 

[TonyT]

I would purchase a current S&W. The Colt is far superior to the Taurus but it has the disadvantage of the leaf spring action.

 

[Isaac-1]

The last poster is wrong Mk III's use a coil spring, older Colt designs including the Python use leaf springs, this was one of the big changes introduced with the Mk III family

Ike

 

[LawofThirds]

Leaf spring.... whaaa?

Trooper/Lawman is all coil spring. There's one wire spring that flicks up the cylinder stop, but it's not a particularly stressed part and it's overbuilt for the job at hand.

 

[bikemutt]

Well Taurus uses rubber bands, much cheaper to replace than those crazy springs

 

[303tom]

I think I would rather have those two extra rounds & they cost about the same.........

 

[LawofThirds]

That's if he goes with the large frame. Trackers are 6 or 7 shots and I think are roughly the same size as the lawman frame.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I'd look at it from another perspective. You mention that you need a pin gun, I'm assuming for bowling pin shooting? I'd also wonder how much shooting you plan on doing. If it's once in a while, I'd go with the Colt, if it's every weekend / even a couple of times a month I'd go with the Taurus and for one reason: They're still in production and you're covered by a lifetime warranty. For Colt, well, they made nice revolvers once upon a time. Any heavy amount of shooting will eventually wear out the revolver and it's a lot harder getting the replacement parts and finding someone who still knows how to work on a Colt.

Unless he buys a heavily worn Colt, he has no worries about wearing out a MK III. The MK III, MK V, and King Cobras have been said to be the stoutest mid-framed .357's made. I have a King Cobra that has had 25k + rounds put thru it, with a majority of them being hot magnums. It's as tight as it was when I bought it over 20 years ago.

As far as repairs go, Colt works on 'em everyday.

There is nothing budget about a MKIII as far as revolvers. Sure it was a lesser priced Colt when compared to a Python, but it wasn't a cheap or poorly made gun.

 

[Walkalong]

Unabashed Trooper porn. Outstanding guns.