Security-Six vs Trooper Mk III

[gunboat57]

I presently own a Colt Trooper Mk III in pretty good condition. It fills my "need" for a .357 DA revolver with a 6" barrel. If I happened to come across a blue Security-Six with 6" barrel in similar condition, would it be a good even trade?

Anyone who has owned or shot both revolvers care to share opinions?

BTW I do own a 4" SS Security-Six and like it a lot. It's rugged, hefty, and fits my hand well.

 

[GammaRay]

I have an old holster worn Colt Lawman I picked up at a pawn shop and love it. Shoots great and is worth more than I paid for it just three years back. Hang on to your Colts, buy the Security-Six outright if you can as it will hold its value.

 

[Sal1950]

Assuming equal condition weapons, the trader would be getting the better of you value wise. There's plenty of both for sale on GunBroker, compare the current selling prices.
Sal

 

[Three50seven]

I own both, and they are both excellent revolvers. IMO, they are very equal in quality and strength. The Trooper is worth quite a bit more, only because it says "Colt" on the side. If it was me doing the trading, I would try to sell the Colt outright and use a portion of the money to buy the Ruger. But...I would probably just keep the trooper since they are bound to keep going up in value.

 

[wwb]

As others have stated, the Colt will bring more $$$ than the Ruger..... for guns in equal condition, typically a $100 to $150 difference.

If it were me, I'd keep the 6" Colt and look for a 4" Ruger. A 4" is just about the perfect size for packin' in the woods..... short enough to not be cumbersome, and long enough to be reasonably accurate. There's a reason the 4-5/8" single actions are so popular among guys who really use them.

 

[stantheman86]

Anything Colt is made of gold these days, even the MK. III stuff which Colt collectors used to turn their noses up at. Look at the King Cobras on GunBroker, I got mine for $400 a few years back and now minty ones are touching $1000. Many S&W fans balk at the MIM parts in new guns, but Colt collectors will gobble up the Mk. III guns with their sintered parts, which is more or less an early form of MIM.

As a utility gun, the Ruger is the better value as far as durability, but the Mk.III Colts are no slouches either. The Mk.III's don't have the issues with needing to be re-timed with heavy use, like the earlier Colts like the Python. The Dan Wessons are based on the Mk. III action. I have a King Cobra 6" blue that I will be holding on to, I am not a Colt collector but the King Cobra is one of very few Colts that I own and the only one that I actually shoot.

 

[quicksdraw]

I had a mark III , It was a decent fire arm but nothing special in my book . When i sold it about a year ago I got $450 , In the Mark III they changed the lock work so its not as desireable as the old Mark series . I thinned out my 357s and it was gone .

 

[TRanger]

No, it would not be a good trade. Colts are going up in value faster than gold. Your Colt is not only worth more, it is an extremely strong and rugged .357. Hang on to it.

 

[louiethelump]

The Ruger is a better gun, but the Colt does pull more money. I had a couple of MKIII Colts many years ago, and was never impressed. They have a paper thin hand spring and were designed to be cheap to build.

I would sell the Colt and buy the Ruger you want and pocket the difference, or get $150 or so difference on the trade and THEN YOU will be the big winner. A better gun, and money to boot.

The Colt MKIII are like H&R revolvers. Worth more after they are discontinued than they were EVER worth when being made.

Just my opinion.

 

[rugnelli]

I liked my Mk III more than my Security-Sixes because of the feel of the grip...

 

[gregs45auto]

I have a reverse midas touch concerning colt revolvers. My first nib python sn 81300 was sooo out of time, I needed a 3' piece of cardboard to see where the bullets were hitting. :shock: Last year, I bought a colt 357 and parts started breaking before I shot it. I will stick with my rugers! greg

 

[stantheman86]

My Colt King Cobra does nothing that any of my "run of the mill" GP100's or Security Sixes can't do.

I keep the King Cobra as a "curio" or just to have it for my collection but it offers nothing as far as utility that any of my Rugers can't easily do for me. If something breaks on my King Cobra I'm also pretty much up a creek since Colt doesn't really service any of this stuff any more, and good luck finding NOS parts and a gunsmith who knows what they're doing with a Colt.

I shoot my Rugers and I don't worry about them. I know they will last longer than I will and need nothing as far as parts or repair.

Colts are pretty, but the early ones aren't worth the headaches for a shooter like me, who doesn't want a $2000 Python that I have to keep a round count on so I know when it's going to need a new hand, and then try to send it to someone who can retime it. Sure, the "smooth as glass" Python may shoot more accurately but I value durability over a slightly tighter group on paper, that I likely won't even notice anyway.

 

[gunboat57]

After reading all the feedback I got out my Trooper MK III again yesterday and gave it a good looking over. Finish is good, SA trigger is crisp, after market Pachmayrs fit my hand just right. So I ended up ordering a Wolff spring kit to lighten the DA pull. I'm gonna keep it.
But I still want a blue Security-Six with a 6" barrel. I predict that after I've saved up a bit I will just have to get one. That's the only logical solution!

 

[Cholo]

Good deal gunboat57! Buy the 6" SS and keep the Trooper. I have a 6" MKlll Trooper and like it quite a bit. I, like you, also have a SS 4" Security Six. I havn't had the troubles others have had with their Colts, but I don't question their experiences.

I'd think twice about changing out the Trooper springs with aftermarkets. I had 2 friends try that back in the 70's with disastrous results; just FYI. They weren't Wolff springs back then, but... Personally, I'd leave the Colt as is.

 

[wproct]

I think you're probably making the right decision to keep the Trooper. For myself, I've owned two Trooper MKIII revolvers in the past 2 years, both were in very nice condition, no boxes. One a 4"bbl and the other a 6"bbl. I sold the 4" Trooper and traded the 6" Trooper for a new 5"bbl stainless GP100 even up. I never looked back on that trade. The Troopers are nice revolvers, but as a shooter I really like the GP100. It's a current production revolver with much better parts and service availability. JMHO.

 

[Timber Wolf]

The Colt MKIII are like H&R revolvers. Worth more after they are discontinued than they were EVER worth when being made. Just my opinion.

Harsh, but true and it applies to a LOT of guns.