Anyone have a Colt Frontier or have any experience with one?

Just curious, I'm looking for one for a pot gun for hunting and camping trips.

If you mean a New Frontier, yes I've got a few.

What do you want to know?

Ka6otm

Showing my ignorance here. I'm looking for an easy packing .22 for a pot gun to use when spiking out from base camp. Accuracy and reliability are the main concern. How would you rate it for mountain use? Guess I'm trying to compare them with the adjustable sighted Ruger Single Six and the S&W 617.

I've never picked up a New Frontier, and haven't read any reviews of it. Just curious about the accuracy and quality.

Well, I carried a Frontier Scout for many years in Alaska. Don't know how many rounds I have through it but it's gotta be in the tens of thousands.

Got the New Frontiers just in case the Frontier Scout gave up the ghost but it never has.

The New Frontiers are a little heavier than the scout but I don't know how much they weigh.

They have adjustable sights and come in barrel lengths of 4-5/8, 6 and 7-1/2 inches. I prefer the 4-5/8 for packing through the bush. Less gun to get tangled up in things.

Never really target fired them, mainly just a pot gun and plinker but they are extremely accurate...as accurate as I am.

Never had a minutes problems with the scout or the New Frontiers. Very nicely made, feel great in your hand.

Some of them came with an additional .22 Magnum cylinder. I haven't shot the magnums extensively in them but what little I did was great. You might want to pick up one of these if you can just in case you decide you want it.

By the way, I'm a Ruger guy but after comparing the Colts to the Rugers side by side in the gun shop, I personally thought the Colts were a no-brainer for me.

Ka6otm

Sounds like our use of the gun is the same.

I was looking at a 4 5/8" with adjustable sights and extra cylinder. The 22 Mag wouldn't get much use for my purposes and probably not carried at all. Just looking for a good, accurate, and reliable easy packing gun for pot shooting grouse and ptarmigan while spiking out.

Now for the hard part.

I haven't got a clue where you can get one. I haven't seen one in a gun shop or at a gun show in a lot of years.

I think most of them are being held by collectors but I could be wrong.

Ka6otm

There's quite a few on the internet sales and auction sites. Prices range from around $350-$800 for 95% to Mint condition. Of course, the upper end cost models are the limited edition ones, which isn't what I'm after.

I really appreciate your input. Probably be awhile before I make the purchase, but it will definitley be before sheep season this year.

I bought a Colt Frontier Scout about 30 years ago and I still love it. It has the 22 LR Cylinder as well as the 22 Magnum Cylinder. I still take it with me when I go into the woods and I also take my Glock Model 23, 40 caliber as well. I normally take both guns when I am just walking on my property when it is not during deer season. There seems to be more and more coyotes now so I carry both for this reason. I have killed quail, squirrels, etc with the Scout 22 Mag and it is a lot of fun and very inexpensive. That is the good part. Many years ago, I fooled my neighbor when He and I went quail hunting. Instead of using my Remington Model 11, 12 gauge with a factory made 20" barrel, I told him that I was going to shoot the next quail that flushed with my pistol. I actually killed a flying quail with it. He was amazed and when he came back home, he was telling all of his friends about what a shot that I had made. I waited until 3 years later and then finally told him that I was using the "Rat shot" cartridge when I shot the quail. The cartridge is made by CCI and holds approximately 172 pellets size #11, 1/8 oz. total. The quail flushed and was about 20 feet through the air and when I shot, it fell to the ground dead. He and I both were stunned when it happened but I just didn't tell him then. By the way, the quail made a tasty meal along with several more.


I remember only paying $60.00 for this gun as it was still in the box with both cylinders and it looked like new. A friend's grandfather owned it and wanted to sell it because he could not see well anymore. What a bargain !!!!! It still shoots very accurately with both the Magnum and the LR cylinder and it is still so inexpensive. I have not seen another one of these in the past 15-20 years or so. Good luck finding one.

alyeska, if you can find one with both cylinders, pick it up. The Frontier Scout was the first handgun I ever bought, it was $200 in 1980 and worth every penny. I carried and shot that gun in 22LR for a year before I bothered with the 22 Mag cylinder, and did I get a shock. I had it with me at the range one day, and decided to see what it could do. I got 1.5 to 2 inch groups with the LR cylinder, with several types of ammo. Then I switched. Mind you, this was back when I had great eyesight, and the gun had a great trigger and excellent adjustable sights. My first group in 22 Mag was under an inch, the next two (5-shot groups) were both under a half inch. I still have the targets. I have talked/corresponded with several other people whose experiences mirror my own, 22 Mag way more accurate. Bore diameter is likely why.
As did Eagle Eye, I made some bragging shots with that gun, the best was head shooting a fox squirrel way up a tree at a measured 85 yards, in front of several witnesses. It might have been a lucky shot, but I wish I'd taken a few side bets first! One of my buddies ran over, picked him up, and found the top of old Bushytails head, and most of his brains missing. :eek: The range, by the way, was from my location to the base of the tree, and the critter was a good 30-35 feet up.
Just one more gun I wish I had back, I gave it to a Sgt I worked with in return for some work he did for me. So will he sell it back? I ask him every time I see him, and after fifteen years, the answer is still no! :mad:
PJ