An Old, Nickel Lawman MKIII

[Sarge]

I've had a Colt DA or two over the years, sometimes mine and sometimes issued. This one popped up for sale and I couldn't pass it.

For one, it hearkens back a time when we sallied forth with a badge, six-shooter, a 12 gauge pump and the confidence that we could whip the world with them.

It also smacks of Charles Askins Jr., who laid many a contrabandista low with a fixed sight DA Colt. I grew up reading Askins and love him or hate him, he knew his business. I developed an attachment to his writings early on and 30+ years in 'the business' hasn't changed that.

Finally, it's an old nickel service revolver with some character marks and I am weak for nickeled handguns. The blemishes don't bother me because A) I think I can correct most of them, and B) I'm going to use hell out of it.

Range report will be added here when it arrives.

 

[GeorgeStrickland]

Well you beat me to it!

Congratulations I could not make up my mind. How firm were they about the price?

 

[Sarge]

Williams was significantly under what I'd seen for even a beater example so I didn't haggle with them George.

 

[Jeff #111]

Sweet. Now all you need is a Colt Cobra with the hammer shroud as your backup piece and you'll be set. Love those older revolvers.

 

[Sevens]

Well, the anti-theft device security thingamajig is... kinda odd on a handgun, I'd say. Apparently, too many people were trying to steal them after trying them on in the changing room?!

 

[Wishoot]

Congrats! Revolvers like that need to be used now and then.

 

[longranger]

A most under rated revolver for sure,look around and find some service stocks(factory wood) rubber looks not so good on nickel.Very strong revolvers might be the strongest 6 shot D/A revolver out there.

 

[Sevens]

Very strong revolvers might be the strongest 6 shot D/A revolver out there.

I don't agree, but I suppose we'd have to lay out guidelines for "strength" and how we'd judge that strength. I'm thinking a modern S&W Model 27/28 or the behemoth Ruger Redhawk .357 Magnum would make a solid case for the title.

 

[longranger]

Forged steel vs. investment cast. The N frame S&W might be stronger but it's bigger and forged. I said it might be,just suggesting it is a very strong revolver, size for size not much out there that is stronger.

 

[Sarge]

Got my old Colt Lawman in yesterday. It has some road rash on the cylinder and the internals were crudded & caked up something fierce. At least I won’t baby this one.

When I got inside it I found a couple of missing parts; namely, the DA sear detent and the little spring that slips over the trigger return spring to keep it from rubbing the frame as it cycles. Neither keeps the gun from running, but their absence does nothing for smoothness of operation. I will be scrounging up replacements ASAP.

I ran a 48 round revolver course with the Colt, using 158 grain LRN 38’s. The regimen is 12 shots at 25 yards, 12 at 15 yards, 12 in double taps/low ready at 7 and three rounds from retention, with each hand, at 3 yards. Posted a 237/240 with it ‘cold turkey’ so I wasn’t at all displeased.

The gun is regulated perfectly for windage but shoots high with 148/158 grain .38 Specials; I held on the bottom of the orange dot at 25 yards, which are the high shots on the target. It shoots quite a bit closer with magnums. The old ‘Large’ Pachmayrs (which I detest for DA shooting) are worn inside and I suspect some of the elevation problem may be the gun moving inside the grips under recoil. I’m resisting the urge to mess with the front sight until I try another grip.

 

[Sarge]

The revolver is showing potential. Checking the zero with left-overs, I fired four 125 grain CCI Magnum JHP, six Winchester 125 grain 38 JHP & six 38 reloads using W231 powder and Hornady 158 grain swaged SWC's. Shooting was done at 25 yards sitting, gun rested over one knee; six o'clock hold on the dot. The nice little cluster on and above it are 125 grain Specials and Magnums. A little sight work is in order but thankfully, the windage is about as dead-on as you could wish for.

 

[Sarge]

Hot loads generally print lower than slow ones, due to the bullet’s shorter dwell time in the bore while the gun is under recoil. I dug through my reloading surplus and found 50 of Winchester’s generic 158 grain JHP for the 38/357. I loaded them over 14.3 grains of W296 in .357 cases, rated at 1400+ fps from long-barreled revolvers. The old Lawman printed these much closer at 25 yards so I blacked the sights, moved back to 50 yards and fired six carefully from ‘hunting chair rest’ while holding six o’clock on the 3” target dot. I still have a little sight work to do, but the revolver shoots well enough to warrant the effort. I measured the group several times and never got a reading over two inches.