Working the Colt Scout Single-Action Revolver

The .22-rimfire-caliber Colt Scout and Frontier Scout revolvers were modified and scaled-down versions of the familiar Single Action Army. Introduced in 1957, this sixshot single-action model used an aluminum frame and grip-strap combined with a steel barrel, cylinder, and ejector tube. Although primarily chambered for .22 Short, Long, and Long Rifle, a .22 Magnum version was produced after 1959, with an interchangeable dual-cylinder version in .22 LR/.22 Magnum coming out a few years later.

One modern innovation incorporated into the Scout was its framemounted, rebounding firing pin, although Colt retained the conventional three-click hammer operation of the larger parent SAA model. The company offered Scouts in barrel lengths of 4-1/4, 4-3/4, and 9-1/2 inches, with the latter barrel length known as the Buntline Scout. Many Scouts were also manufactured as special commemorative revolvers, and these were sometimes sold as a set along with a full-sized Single Action Army.

With the introduction of the Scout, Colt simplified the single-action revolver both internally and externally. The cast-aluminum receiver and onepiece grip-strap contained a semi-captive leaf mainspring. In a fashion that was similar to the early Remington single-action revolvers, the Scout also used only two screws through the side of the frame instead of the three screws in the full-sized Single Action Army.

Like the Remingtons, one screw acted as a pivot for both the bolt and the trigger, while the second and larger screw acted as a hammer pivot. Regrettably, these simplified production methods and the modern, framemounted firing pin were never carried over into the Single Action Army revolver. Colt discontinued the Scout some time around 1970 or 1971, and the popular line was soon replaced with the steel-framed Peacemaker Scout and the New Frontier Scout series of revolvers.

The Scout proved to be an extremely reliable revolver, requiring little in the way of repair work. That’s 22 rimfire was introduced in 1957 as a scaleddown version of the famous Single Action Army.

The Scout was actually a simplified and updated single action that used fewer parts than the old Peacemaker, along with a more modern framemounted floating firing pin. borne out by the fact that in more than 30 years I’ve only seen perhaps five or six of these little revolvers come into my shop, and most of these were for minor repairs, cleaning, or adjustments. I’m somewhat partial to these small revolvers, since there has been a Scout in my family since 1968.

In all that time, the little wheelgun has digested hundreds of thousands of rounds of .22 ammo. I have to admit that the little Scout has been neglected for long periods, had infrequent cleanings, and yet has always functioned flawlessly. Passing through two generations is quite a record, and soon

the Scout will be handed down to my grandchildren. Disassembly Instructions The schematic illustration used here comes from The Gun Digest Book of Exploded Firearms Drawings, 2nd Edition, from Krause Publications, with some modifications made by the author. Refer to the drawing for takedown and, as always, start the disassembly by making certain the firearm is unloaded. 1. Begin the procedure by holding the revolver by its grip with your left hand, keep your finger away from the trigger (#37).

Use your thumb to roll the loading gate (#22) open to the right. At this point, cautiously pull the hammer (#25) back slowly towards the rear, just until you have heard two audible clicks. This should have placed the hammer in the halfcock or loading position. In this position, the cylinder (#12) will spin freely when rotated in a clockwise direction.

Slowly rotate the cylinder by hand and examine the cylinder’s chambers from the rear at the opened loading gate (#22), and make absolutely certain the cylinder chambers have no cartridges in them. If you see cartridges in the chambers, assume that you have a loaded gun. Leaving the hammer in the halfcock or loading position and with the loading gate open, tilt the revolver so the barrel muzzle is facing away from you and up in a safe direction.

Use your right hand to rotate the cylinder one chamber at a time, pausing as you hear each audible click to allow each successive cartridge to fall out of its chamber and onto your bench. If a cartridge does not fall out of the chamber of its own weight, manually operate the ejector by pushing the ejectorrod head (#14) to the rear with your right hand so the ejector pushes the cartridge out of the chamber. Repeat the above until there are no more cartridges in the chambers.

For added safety, I like to remove any and all live cartridges from my workbench area and store them in a secure location before moving on to the next step. 2. To remove the cylinder, the hammer should remain in the loading or half-cocked position with the loading gate open. Colt single-action cylinders rotate on apart called the base pin (#6), which is removed through the front of the frame.

The base pin is held in by a single locking screw Unless the mainspring is to be replaced, the wedge can remain in place until reassembly. Unscrew and remove these and the trigger-guard assembly is lifted away from the frame. Be sure to look for the loading-gate spring (#24) in the bottom of the frame, which becomes free as soon as the trigger guard is moved away from the frame. located in the front of the frame, just forward of the cylinder and above the trigger guard.

Unscrew and remove this screw (#7) and the base pin can be pulled straight out through the front of the frame. Now the cylinder is loose and can be carefully rolled out to the right side (the loading gate side) of the frame. Notice that the screws in these Scouts have nylon washers (#38 and 39) under their heads to help keep them from loosening. Should the washers be deteriorated (and they often are) you can use some blue Loc- Tite on the screw threads during final assembly.

This is actually a more effective method of securing the screws than the factory washers. 3. Next remove the grips and the backstrap by unscrewing and removing the grip screw (#35) from the center of the left grip (#32), and then lift both grips off the grip frame. Pull the hammer all the way back to the cocked position and insert a small block of wood about 3/8-inch square or a small

tween the top area of Colt Scout/Frontier Scout the mainspring and Single-Action Revolver the inside of the back- (Specifications subject to strap. Once this is change without notice) done, you can release hardwood dowel bethe hammer and allow it to fall forward. The wood block or dowel will hold the mainspring compressed, relieving tension from the hammer. Leave the wood block in place for easier reassembly. Now unscrew and remove the two rear backstrap screws (#3). These screws face straight forward.

Also remove the front trigger-guard screw (#4) and the two bottom backstrap screws (#2). The backstrap assembly (#1) is now free and can be removed toward the bottom. Take note here of the loading-gate spring (#24) in the bottom of the frame, which has now become free.

Remove the spring and the gate-spring detent (#23) out from the bottom of the frame. 23 Gate Detent This will allow the 24 Gate Spring opened loading gate 25 Hammer to slide out towards 26 Hammer Screw the front of the frame. 27 Hand and Post Assembly 28 Hand Spring 4.

Disassembly of the 29 Mainspring* action begins with 1 Backstrap 12 Cylinder 30 Recoil Cup* 2 Backstrap Screws, Bottom (2) 13 Cylinder Bushing* 31 Recoil Cup Pin* unscrewing and re- 3 Backstrap Screws, Top (2) 14 Ejector Rod 32 Stock, Left Hand moving the bolt- 4 Backstrap Screw, Front 15 Ejector Rod Tube 33 Stock, Right Handspring screw (#9) 5 Barrel 16 Ejector Spring 34 Stock Pin* from the bottom of 6 Base Pin 17 Ejector Tube Screw 35 Stock Screw the frame.

This screw 7 Base Pin Screw 18 Ejector Tube Plug 36 Stock Screw Nut* faces straight up and 8 Bolt 19 Firing Pin* 37 Trigger is located just for- 9 Bolt Spring Screw 20 Firing Pin Spring* 38 Washers, No.5 (8) 10 Bolt and Trigger Screw 21 Frame 39 Washers, No. 10 (2) ward of the trigger. 11 Bolt and Trigger Spring 22 Gate *not removed for normal maintenance Once the screw is out, the sear and bolt

The loading gate is now free and can be removed out of the frame and into the cylinder opening. Reach up into the frame from the bottom with a screwdriver, unscrew and remove the bolt-spring screw, and the bolt and trigger spring will fall out. Unlike the Colt SAA and its clones, this simple revolver uses only one screw as a pivot for the trigger and the bolt. spring (#11) will be free to fall out the bottom of the frame. Notice how one leg on this spring powers the bolt, while the longer leg powers the trigger.

Use caution during reassembly to be sure both legs of the spring have engaged their respective parts before retightening that screw. Now unscrew and remove the Scout’s trigger screw (#10). This is the forward-most of the two screws in the left side of the frame. The trigger (#37) and the bolt (#8) are now free to drop out through the bottom of the frame. The hammer screw (#26) is the larger and rear-most of the two screws in the left side of the frame. It can now be unscrewed and removed.

The hammer (#25) is now free to be rotated slightly toward the rear, then pulled down and out of the frame. Notice while removing the hammer that the hand assembly (#27 and 28) is connected to the hammer, so it comes out of the gun along with the hammer. Once you have the hammer out, the hand assembly can be removed by lifting it up out of its pivot hole on the left side of the hammer.

During reassembly, the hammer/hand assembly is installed as a unit, compressing the handspring slightly to allow it to enter its cut in the frame. 5. To complete the disassembly, unscrew the ejector-tube screw (#17) and remove it from the front side of the ejector tube (#15). This leaves the ejector-tube assembly free to be pulled to the side by its front until it is slightly away from the barrel. The assembly is then withdrawn forward and off the barrel.

The ejector-rod assembly (#14) along with the ejector spring (#16) can be removed by pulling them both back and out of the ejector tube. The ejector-tube plug (#18) can now be taken out the front of the ejector tube. Further disassembly of the Colt Scout and Frontier Scout is not required for routine maintenance and cleaning, and reassembly is simply a matter of reversing the disassembly sequence given above. ■