Colt Peacemaker 22

filmjunkie4ever · Jan 1, 2012

I have a problem! I need a new grip frame for my Colt 22 Peacemaker. The annodized aluminum frame cracked somewhere along the way and I am not sure where or how but its done. I found a brand new steel frame for a Colt 22 Frontier Scout. I want to buy it and replace my broken one but neither I nor the seller are sure if the Scouts parts are interchangeable with the Peacemaker and he wont accept a return should it not fit. Anybody able to put this to rest once and for all? Will it plug right in? Or is it a completely different setup?

Thanks-

FJ4E

Oldtrader3 · Jan 1, 2012

The original grip frame of the .22 Colt Scout is actually plated Zamac II, which is a zinc-magnesium, diecasting alloys that is plated to put a finish the part. It is the same material as the make kitchen cabinet hinges and drawer handles from. They are supposed to interchange dimensionally with the newer Colt Frontier rimfire frame. However, Colt had a tendency to vary dimensions a little from frame lot to lot, over time. I hope that you can find what you want.

cloverleaf · Jan 1, 2012

Brownells may have the part you need. Taking a risk on the steel frame would be a nice upgrade if you wanted. Another thought. I have an aquaintance who collects Colts. He sends a lot of his stuff back to Colt for factory work with good success. Here is the e-mail address to his store. Jon is a good guy and I'll bet he can help you out.

rsgear@charter.net

filmjunkie4ever · Jan 9, 2012

Thanks Cloverleaf. I will give that a try. I went into this little Hole in the Wall gunshop the other day in Redmond, Oregon and the owner who was a stunt double in tons of the old Hollywood westerns we all love happened to be in. He had pictures with The Virginian, John Wayne from Rooster Cogburn, Clint Walker, Tom Selleck, and several others whom he had worked with over the years. A very extensivve gun collection adorned every wall and he knew his stuff. He'd had one but sold it recently. He wished me luck but all of his parts Peacemaker 22's had the exact same break that mine did. He discouraged me from trying to get lucky with Uberti or any of the other Spaghetti-benders for parts as they are not interchangeable with the 22 frame. It was a real neat experience just the same though, he was a real cool cat.

cloverleaf · Jan 9, 2012

You gotta love those real gun shops....

Let me know if Jon can help you out. He wont know who "cloverleaf" is but he is a good guy and he loves his colts. CL

Oldtrader3 · Jan 9, 2012

With humidity, the Magnesuim and zinc will bubble and dielectrically detach from the plating which is on the surface of the gun. There is a design stress riser in fault in that part of the grip with will flex eventually as granular corrosion build under it. I would epoxy paint coat and seal the Zamac frime. It would be easier to get a later steel frame for the new frontier scout and have it modified to fit and beef up the cylinder frame. Screw it together and forget it.

This is why I sold the two that I has and never have bought another Scout. The Ruger many not be pretty but it is funstional. I had three Colts and all were a problem. My 1973 Ruger in like new.

filmjunkie4ever · Jan 15, 2012

Yeah I hear you there friend. I sold a nice Single-Six a few years back that i shouldnt have.

Colt used to mean quality but not so much it seems. This Peacemaker problem is not my first rodeo with a Colt problem. I owned a 45 Colt Cowboy six shooter some years back. The Cylinder stop spring broke so I sent it back to be repaired under factory warranty. That was in 2006. As of 2009 they still hadnt fixed it so I bought a Ruger New Vaquero 45 Long Colt and haven't looked back. They did finally get it done, but I sold it directly. Three years is a damned long time to wait for such a simple fix. THey shouldve just given me a new one if it was that much trouble honestly. Of course I had a run in with Big Green that wasn't too much better a few years back. But thats a different story.

Thanks again guys. Hey Old Trader, have you ever heard of anyone being able to solder the broken grip frame?

Oldtrader3 · Jan 15, 2012

filmjunkie4ever":rlfzg1xa said:
Yeah I hear you there friend. I sold a nice Single-Six a few years back that i shouldnt have.

Colt used to mean quality but not so much it seems. This Peacemaker problem is not my first rodeo with a Colt problem. I owned a 45 Colt Cowboy six shooter some years back. The Cylinder stop spring broke so I sent it back to be repaired under factory warranty. That was in 2006. As of 2009 they still hadnt fixed it so I bought a Ruger New Vaquero 45 Long Colt and haven't looked back. They did finally get it done, but I sold it directly. Three years is a damned long time to wait for such a simple fix. THey shouldve just given me a new one if it was that much trouble honestly. Of course I had a run in with Big Green that wasn't too much better a few years back. But thats a different story.

Thanks again guys. Hey Old Trader, have you ever heard of anyone being able to solder the broken grip frame?

I have not had any luck or found anyone who can solder Zamac 2. The higher copper content of the alloy, aside from just Alum and zinc will not allow eough heat onto the alloy to solder it. Lot os better people than me have tried and failed.

filmjunkie4ever · Feb 2, 2012

Looks like I may be able to pick one up from Gander Mountain...but not sure yet. Yeah the word on the street is that the Zamac is a no go for the soldering. It was worth a try.