Original Colt Trooper Mk III with 6″ barrel .357 Magnum Replica Prop Gun by Kokusai Model Gun Company, Tokyo, Japan Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. The Colt Trooper in .357 Magnum was considered to be the “poor man’s” Colt Python. Internally, it was the same revolver. However, it wasn’t as tuned in its action (though there are those who disagree with this evaluation) and it lacked the full lugged barrel and the raised and ventilated sight rib of the Python. Therefore, it was more affordable and popular with police officers and private citizens with more modest incomes throughout the fifties and sixties. The original Colt Trooper was introduced in 1953 and discontinued in 1969. From 1953 to 1961 the Trooper was only available in 38 Special and 22 Long Rifle. The 3-5-7 revolver was the 357 Magnum model with an awkward name. Both models used the medium sized “I” frame. Approximately 15,000 units were manufactured. When Colt brought out the Python in 1955 the 3-5-7 was the odd man out and it never enjoyed the sales numbers of the Trooper and Python. In 1961 Colt stopped making the 3-5-7 and added the .357 Magnum to the Trooper’s list of calibers. The 3-5-7 received the same level of hand fitting that the Python received.

The full size replica is in wonderful display condition but does not function as it was originally intended to. The hammer no longer fully cocks and the trigger does not fire and reset. The cylinder is still able to be released and viewed, however, there are metal fragments in the chamber. THis saw significant use and would need to be taken apart, cleaned and repaired.

The replica was manufactured by the well known Kokusai Model Gun Company in Tokyo, Japan. The MGC and Hudson Industry are the 2 most famous long-established model gun makers which first produced the original Japanese designed modelguns in 1962–63 and subsequently produced many different models in the next few decades. Unfortunately, both of them are now gone.

MGC closed and ceased all toy gun production in late 1994. The molds and production equipment were taken over by its parent company Taito and Shin Nippon Mokei (New Japan Model). The modelgun production was continued and marketed as New MGC. But the company started selling its molds and production equipment from 2007 and production finally ceased in April 2010.

Other early key makers are Tokyo CMC, Nakata and Kokusai (International Industry) which started modelgun production in the mid 1960s. Nakata and Tokyo CMC ceased the modelgun business respectively in the late 70s and 80s. In 2003 Kokusai went bankrupt after a factory fire and was taken over by Sun Project. The modelgun production was resumed with the Kokusai brand and used the remaining modelgun molds. Later the molds and equipment were sold to Uriu Limited (a die casting Co.) which continued the production still with the Kokusai brand until January 2018 when its modelgun production finally ceased.

Comes more than ready for display.