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I just received another pistol from my father.

Here is all I know about it: Colt J-frame, 7.5" bull bbl stamped .357, chambered in 38spl, serial # < 3000

This is another pistol from my dads friend who used to be a competitive shooter in the 50's and 60's. It is superbly balanced and the trigger is a magnificent work of art. Locks up tighter than anything I've ever seen.

Anyone have any idea the history of this pistol or a general idea of what model it might be? My best guess is a really tricked out Colt Officers 38 from the 60's.

I have no clue on the history, but I would love to check out the trigger. I bet the single action pull is amazing.

olafpfj wrote:I just received another pistol from my father.

Here is all I know about it: Colt J-frame, 7.5" bull bbl stamped .357, chambered in 38spl, serial # < 3000

This is another pistol from my dads friend who used to be a competitive shooter in the 50's and 60's. It is superbly balanced and the trigger is a magnificent work of art. Locks up tighter than anything I've ever seen.

Anyone have any idea the history of this pistol or a general idea of what model it might be? My best guess is a really tricked out Colt Officers 38 from the 60's.

I have two Colt Officer Model revolvers. One is 38 Spec and the other 22LR. They look very similar to your photo. Both were my dad's. I think they both were manufactured in the 1950s, but maybe in the 1940s. I have a bill of sale for the [used] .38 Spec from 1951. Both have 6 inch barrels. Both the front and rear sights appear to be identical to those on my guns.

In addition to the longer barrel, it appears that someone installed some type of modified trigger on yours.

txcharvel wrote:I have no clue on the history, but I would love to check out the trigger. I bet the single action pull is amazing.

Words fail attempting to describe how sublime the pull is. Can't wait to actually shoot it tomorrow.

olafpfj wrote:

txcharvel wrote:I have no clue on the history, but I would love to check out the trigger. I bet the single action pull is amazing.

Words fail attempting to describe how sublime the pull is. Can't wait to actually shoot it tomorrow.

The photo almost looks like a double trigger. Is that the case or is it just wider than usual?

WildBill wrote:

olafpfj wrote:

txcharvel wrote:I have no clue on the history, but I would love to check out the trigger. I bet the single action pull is amazing.

Words fail attempting to describe how sublime the pull is. Can't wait to actually shoot it tomorrow.

The photo almost looks like a double trigger. Is that the case or is it just wider than usual?

Just wider. There are two additional pieces on either side of the trigger that are held on by roll pins. The original trigger is sandwiched between them.

I don't have a lot of information about this, but in their heyday, Colt would sometimes sell certain "custom or after market" parts to select gunsmiths to make custom guns.
Perhaps the longer barrel and trigger were part of this program. You probably have looked, but there may be some other markings that you missed.

It looks like a Colt Trooper my dad had except in blue and a longer barrel. My dad's was chrome with about a 4 inch barrel. It and about six other guns were stolen in a burglary.

olafpfj wrote:Here is all I know about it: Colt J-frame, 7.5" bull bbl stamped .357, chambered in 38spl, serial # < 3000

Chambered in .38 special but with a .357 barrel? Is the cylinder .38 specific or something?

And the thing on the trigger is referred to as a trigger shoe. It spreads out the width of the trigger to make it feel like a lighter pull.

Serial # lookup from colt came back with either a 1957 Python or a 1954 Trooper. Since it's 38spl I'm leaning towards a 1954 Trooper with a custom match bbl. Upon closer examination it is a one piece trigger shoe that is held on with Allen screws.

olafpfj wrote:Serial # lookup from colt came back with either a 1957 Python or a 1954 Trooper. Since it's 38spl I'm leaning towards a 1954 Trooper with a custom match bbl. Upon closer examination it is a one piece trigger shoe that is held on with Allen screws.

Pythons were only made in 357 Magnum.

The frame still looks to me like an Officers Model, not a trooper. Even in the 38 Special model, the Trooper has a heftier frame than the officers model. Removing the grips and looking at the main spring you should be able to tell the difference between the two.

P.S. Looking at some older Troopers they made some with out the covered ejection rod, the same as the Detective Special, so it could be an early model Trooper. I have only since the 70s+ models.

I didn't notice the ejection rod being exposed. My dad's was guarded. His was a .357.

mojo84 wrote:I didn't notice the ejection rod being exposed. My dad's was guarded. His was a .357.

This is for sure a custom barrel so I'm not surprised it is exposed.

I spoke some with my father tonight and he remembers his friend talking about his match 38 that some really awesome gunsmith made for him back in 1954. My father is certain that this is the same gun. The frame and crane serial # dates from 1954 on the colt website and is listed as a Trooper. I'm starting to think that this is a completely custom gun and the gunsmith he commissioned it from bought the frame only from colt. The barrel is certainly not stock to any Colt production pistol and appears to have been on there since 1954. This gun doesn't seem to fit any production model details that I can google up.

Other details: The firing pin isn't hammer mounted and there isn't a transfer bar.

This is a fascinating pistol and I'm determined to find out more about it. My fathers friend was a man by the name of Larry Parsons who I don't know much about. He apparently used to work at an old western movie set in Simi Valley. I know the set well and if you've seen any westerns you've probably seen it a few hundred times. This is also the same man who originally owned the Ruger Blackhawk and Ruger "Deerstalker" I posted a few months ago. My father is selling the pearl handled Colt 45lc that he used in the shows. Too bad...I would love to have that one too

http://www.corriganville.net/

olafpfj wrote:Other details: The firing pin isn't hammer mounted and there isn't a transfer bar.

Mine has a hammer mounted firing pin. The only Colts of that vintage I remember not having a hammer mounted firing pin is the Python.

Colt also had an Officer's Model Match. They had different sights than the standard model. I don't know if there were any other physical differences.

The shape of the front sight is unique.

My father had one just like that.