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Thread: The Colt MK III Metropolitan 38 Special Revolver.

  1. #1

    The Colt MK III Metropolitan 38 Special Revolver.

    Have you ever heard of it? I have slowly been building a collection of Colt revolvers over the last few years and I had never heard of the Colt Metropolitan until this week. From my research these were 38 Special revolvers built between 1969-1972 on Colt J Frame 357 Magnum Lawman frames. The Colt MK III Metropolitan was marketed to police departments that did not want the ability to chamber or fire 357 magnum ammunition. Because of this the Metropolitan was not a success and relatively few were manufactured. In spite of this it was approved for duty use by the NYPD along with the S&W Model 10 and Dan Wesson Model 12.

    I was able to get this 1970 manufactured example for $365 shipped and picked it up from my FFL this morning. It has some holster wear on the barrel but is in excellent condition overall. The DA trigger is like pulling a finger through warm butter. I can't wait to take a closer look at it tonight when I get home.

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  2. #2

  3. #3
    Member 396's Avatar
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    I'd buy that. Didn't know about that model. Would like to hear your comparison between the Colt and a K frame if you have one.

  4. #4
    Congrats on a very nice find. You have rescued a small piece of history.


    -Rainman

  5. #5
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    I remember this revolver as Colt's version of the S&W Model 10. Just as the Model 10 and Model 19 were on the same frame, this .38 Spl and the Trooper magnum revolvers shared the same frame. These newer Colts had a coil spring for a mainspring and not the V spring found in the older Colt revolvers. After WW2 Smith revolvers had the lion's share of law enforcement business. Though there was nothing wrong with the newer Colts, they were poor sellers.

  6. #6
    Member JonInWA's Avatar
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    The Trooper, Lawman and Metropolitan were all essentially the same gun with relatively minor variations; the Trooper had an adjustable rear sight, was in .357 Magnum, the Lawman had fixed sights, was in .357 Magnum, and the Metropolitan with its fixed sights was essentially a Lawman chambered only in .38 Special.

    Stronger them a Smith & Wesson Model 10, probably equal to a Service Six's strength barrel and frame-wise, but with less durable internal components, and a bit larger. Interesting revolver, but with the inherent flaws of the Troopers of the period-sintered triggers and hammers, surface-hardened only action components, and reportedly a stagey trigger (and despite the ad copy citing an roomy triggerguard, it's pretty cramped compared to the Ruger and Smith & Wesson's of the period).

    Best, Jon
    Last edited by JonInWA; 01-16-2020 at 07:54 AM.

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by willie View Post
    I remember this revolver as Colt's version of the S&W Model 10. Just as the Model 10 and Model 19 were on the same frame, this .38 Spl and the Trooper magnum revolvers shared the same frame. These newer Colts had a coil spring for a mainspring and not the V spring found in the older Colt revolvers. After WW2 Smith revolvers had the lion's share of law enforcement business. Though there was nothing wrong with the newer Colts, they were poor sellers.

    I have read that the demise in Colt's law enforcement revolver market was due in large part to it's heavy focus on it's M-16 sales program during the Vietnam war in the 1960's and 70's. M-16 production and sales was such a huge program Colt simply let its law enforcement revolver market wither on the vine. Had Smith & Wesson brokered the 1959 deal with Armalite for M-16 production rights instead of Colt the S&W dominated revolver market of the last 60 years might look very different today.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nightvisionary View Post
    I have read that the demise in Colt's law enforcement revolver market was due in large part to it's heavy focus on it's M-16 sales program during the Vietnam war in the 1960's and 70's. M-16 production and sales was such a huge program Colt simply let its law enforcement revolver market wither on the vine. Had Smith & Wesson brokered the 1959 deal with Armalite for M-16 production rights instead of Colt the S&W dominated revolver market of the last 60 years might look very different today.
    It’s more a case of colts revolver modernization efforts being less successful than S&Ws (the whole “sintered metal” thing) and a corresponding increase in emphasis on double action revolver shooting in Law Enforcement. In the LE market Colt was known for the best SA trigger and S&W the best DA.

  9. #9
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    Labor problems and Colt's reputed poor corporate leadership after 1945 were negative forces affecting Colt's success. During the war, S&W sold vast numbers of what became Model 10 revolvers to our military and to England. These sales continued for decades. Our pilots were issued Smith revolvers during WW2 and afterwards. Our Air Force issued the S&W Model 15 to its troops until the Beretta 92's adoption. If memory serves me, I think that Colt did not sell our government 1911 pistols after 1945. We had ample number in reserve. Too, 1911 design permitted armorer rebuilding.

    Perhaps S&W management developed long range plans that solidified post war success in the law enforcement market. They aggressively sold products including revolvers, single shot tear gas guns, handcuffs, and tear gas shells. I remember gasoline operated tear gas generators that could blast out large volumes of noxious fumes. Smith had edged Colt out of this market before Colt ever had heard of the Stoner AR platform. Colt gave up on the handgun law enforcement market.

    The older Colt revolver line had a complex action that was expensive to manufacture. It was more labor intensive than the Smith design. Many considered the Colt revolvers to be more delicate. They required timing adjustment more frequently. When Colt revolvers developed cylinder end shake, this repair required a trip back to the factor. Taking care of Colt revolvers demanded a higher level of armorer skill. Finally, Smith revolvers' double action lacked the stacking found in the Colt action.

    Also Ruger entered the double action revolver market in the late 1960's, and these fine revolvers competed for market share. Though the new Colt Trooper line is now collectible, it had an extremely weak reception in the law enforcement market and similar acceptance in the civilian world. Powers that were viewed them as lackluster. They never had a chance.

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by HCM View Post
    It’s more a case of colts revolver modernization efforts being less successful than S&Ws (the whole “sintered metal” thing) and a corresponding increase in emphasis on double action revolver shooting in Law Enforcement. In the LE market Colt was known for the best SA trigger and S&W the best DA.
    Im sure that was part of it, although MIM is now an industry wide production method, but to ignore Colt's business decision to focus on much larger and more lucrative M-16 sales during the height of the Cold War/Vietnam War is to ignore an 800 lb gorilla. For example the U.S. left nearly 1 million M-16 rifles behind in Vietnam. That is not combat losses or total procurement but rather 1 million abandoned rifles paid for by the U.S. Government. Where would you see 1 million firearms simply written off in law enforcement? Having worked for a Fortune 100 company and a county law enforcement agency I can tell you business tends to put it resources towards areas that maximize profits and abandon areas that don't and LE command staff and range masters don't necessarily focus on what firearm has the "Better" trigger pull when making procurement decisions. What I see from a historical perspective is Colt followed to a degree in Remington's footsteps of 100 years before in abandoning it's focus on handgun production.

    Ultimately whatever the reasoning for these decisions and market trends I am always happy to acquire interesting and uncommon historical firearms for good prices.
    Last edited by Nightvisionary; 01-16-2020 at 05:53 PM.

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