Posted: 5/8/2005 10:21:54 PM EDT
| I have a Colt Trooper Mark III with an 8 inch barrel. I absolutely love this gun, however, the 8 inch barrel is as useless as tits on a boar (I think thats the saying). What would be the best method to get a 4 inch barrel? Should I contact Colt? I have absoultely no use for a barrel that long, but the gun does have some sentimental value to it so I want to keep it. What are my options? |
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You can still buy NEW barrels from Gun Parts Corporation. www.e-gunparts.com/productschem.asp?chrMasterModel=0660zTROOPER%20MKIII I would recommend going with them, since the barrel WILL be new and not previously fitted to another gun. Barrels bought on Ebay and at gun shows are almost always used, and may have unseen defects that will prevent their being used. In my experience, barrels bought from these sources often were improperly removed, and are often damaged or scarred-up. In addition, as a previously fitted barrel, it takes more time, and costs more money for the 'smith to re-fit it, than it does to fit a new barrel. With a new barrel, you have a known quantity, and a pistolsmith will have no problems doing a quality re-barrel job. I strongly suggest NOT trusting a local 'smith to do this. MOST local 'smiths DO NOT have the correct barrel vise inserts and certainly not the special, fitted frame wrench. Too many of them will attempt to do it with "expedient" tools and may damage or even destroy your valuable gun. For this reason, I recommend sending the gun and new barrel to either the Colt factory, or Pittsburgh Handgun Headquarters in Pittsburgh. Both can and WILL do a factory-level quality job, at a good price, and without having to wait for months. Trust someone else, and you'll likely be sorry. |
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All you need to order is a new Trooper Mark III barrel. The pistolsmith will use the front sight and pin from the original if the new barrel doesn't come with them. Pittsburgh Handgun Headquarters 1330 Center Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15229 (412) 766-6100 Pittsburgh used to be a Colt Service station, AND used to be Colt's overflow for factory warranty repairs when the factory got overloaded. I used them extensively when I was in business, and they did, and still do top quality factory level work. Colt would also likely do the job. |
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I'd be amazed if Colt would do it, unless you purchased the barrel from them. There are plenty of gunsmiths qualified to rebarrel a revolver, you don't need to pay a premium price to have it done by a company as unconcerned with the civilian market as Colt. Check with the American Pistolsmiths Guild, and ask them for a gunsmith in your area. These guys will be honest with you. You could also try Dave Clements, Magnaport, NuLine guns or many others. Do a web search for "pistolsmith", and see what you come up with. You will likely find a few that specialize in Colt, although that is simply not necessary for something this simple. Bob |