POTD: Colt Courier – The 3,000-Unit Failure That Became the Agent

Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! Here we have a 1955 Colt Courier in .22 LR, one of an estimated 3,000 manufactured 1953-1956 before being phased out in favor of the Colt Agent. The Courier was Colt’s attempt at a lightweight compact revolver for plainclothes police and civilian concealed carry. The 3-inch barrel balanced concealability with adequate velocity, and the .22 LR chambering kept weight down while providing economical shooting.

Colt marketed the Courier toward budget-conscious buyers and departments wanting lightweight backup guns. The .22 LR chambering was its fatal flaw – most law enforcement and serious defensive shooters wanted centerfire cartridges like .38 Special. Rimfire reliability issues and limited stopping power made the Courier a hard sell.

After three years and approximately 3,000 units, Colt discontinued the Courier and introduced the Agent – essentially the same frame and barrel length but chambered in .38 Special. The Agent succeeded where the Courier failed, proving the platform was sound but the caliber choice was wrong. The Courier’s brief production run and low numbers make survivors relatively uncommon. Most saw hard use as working guns rather than careful storage as collectibles. Finding Courier revolvers in good condition with original finish is challenging.

Colt learned the lesson – American buyers wanted compact revolvers in serious defensive calibers. The Agent, Detective Special, and later derivatives all chambered .38 Special or larger, leaving the Courier as a footnote in Colt’s D-frame development.

Most of our POTDs utilize images from our friends at Rock Island Auction Company, the premier firearms auction in the United States. Take some time to browse their current auctions – who knows, maybe you’ll find a piece of history to take home!

“Scarce Colt Courier Double Action Revolver in .22 LR.” Rock Island Auction, www.rockislandauction.com/detail/5026/852/scarce-colt-courier-double-action-revolver-in-22-lr. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

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