Colt Frame Sizes Reference

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The information in this post is from [THIS] 2020 thread on coltforum.com. The list is compiled from OP's post (which appears to have been originally from Colt Fever) and replies in the Colt Forum thread.

We have edited it for a webpage and added a number of photos for reference, but the content is otherwise unchanged.

We are aggregating this information here because useful things on gun forums seem to disappear from the internet right when you wish you could go back and find them, so it's sometimes nice to have them in more than one place.

D Frame – Long (before 1966)

Colt Police Positive Special. (2023, December 20). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_Police_Positive_Special

(1907 to 1927, 'narrow' 1-9/16" square butt)
(1928 to 1933, 'wide' 1-3/4" square butt)
(1933 and after, round butt)

  • Police Positive Special
  • Early Detective Special

D Frame – Short (after 1966)

Colt Cobra. (2023, December 17). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_Cobra
  • Detective Special
  • Cobra
  • Agent
  • Courier
  • Diamondback
  • Viper
  • Police Positive Special
  • Commando Special

C Frame (Same grips as D Frame – Long)

Colt Police Positive. (2023, December 17). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_Police_Positive
  • Police Positive
  • Police Positive Target (1926 to 1941)
  • Bankers Special

SF Frame

Colt Magnum Carry. (2021, July 5). In 1911 Addicts. https://www.1911addicts.com/threads/price-drop-rare-colt-magnum-carry-357-mag-sf-vi-frame.134618/
  • SF-VI
  • DS-II
  • Magnum Carry

E & I Frame (Same frame, different firing pin mounts)
E Frame (firing pin mounted on the hammer)

Colt Trooper. (2023, December 25). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_Trooper
  • Army Special
  • Official Police
  • Officers Model
  • Camp Perry (heavily modified E frame)
  • Officers Model Target
  • Commando
  • Officers Model Special
  • Border Patrol (1953-1954)
  • Officers Model Match
  • Marshal
  • Trooper (1953-1961)

I Frame (firing pin mounted in frame)

Colt Python. (2023, December 20). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_Python
  • Trooper (1961-1969)
  • Colt "357"
  • Python

J Frame

Colt Trooper. (2023, December 25). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_Trooper
  • Trooper Mark III
  • Lawman Mark III
  • Metropolitan Police Mark III
  • Officer’s Model Match Mark III
  • Official Police Mark III
  • Border Patrol (1970-1975)

V Frame

Colt King Cobra. (2023, December 17). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_King_Cobra
  • Trooper Mark V
  • King Cobra

MM Frame

Colt Anaconda. (2023, December 30). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_Anaconda
  • Anaconda (modified V frame)

Small Frame (New Pocket)

  • New Pocket
  • New Police (modified New Pocket grip frame with longer square butt)

G Frame

Colt Police Positive Target. (2022, November 13). In American Rifleman. https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/i-have-this-old-gun-colt-police-positive-target-second-issue/
  • Pocket Positive (improved New Police frame)
  • Police Positive (only the 'small' frame .32 New Police model)
  • Police Positive Target (1907 to 1925)

Large Frame (New Service)

  • New Service
  • U.S. Model 1909
  • U.S. Model 1917
  • Shooting Master (Same grip frame but different grips)

Single Action Army

Colt Single Action Army. (2023, December 30). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_Single_Action_Army
  • 1st Generation (1873-1941)
  • 2nd Generation (1956-1974)
  • 3rd Generation (1976 – Present)

.22 & .22 Magnum Single Action Revolvers

  • Scout
  • Peacekeeper
  • New Frontier

Colt Automatic Pistols

Colt M1902. (2023, June 16). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_M1902
  • 1902
  • 1903 Pocket Hammer
  • 1903 Pocket Hammerless
  • 1908 Pocket Hammerless .380
  • 1908 Vest Pocket
  • Full-size Government & Commercial model
  • Mid-size Commander
  • Compact Officers Model & Defender
  • Woodsman (1915-1941)
  • Woodsman (1948-1955)
  • Woodsman (1955-1977)
  • Huntsman
  • Targetsman
  • Government Model .380
  • Mustang
  • Mustang Plus II
  • Pony