.38 Special Python?

A

AndABeer

New member
An aquaintance may be wanting to divest himself of a Colt Python in .38 Special. While I swore to myself I would never own another Colt, this revolver is truly beautiful. LNIB condition, deep mirror blue finish, just freakin' pretty. Not sure what to offer him though. Does the .38 chambering make it more desirable or less desirable than the .357? I am not a collector as such. If I buy a gun, I am damn sure gonna shoot it. Just wondering how the chambering will affect what I pay for it? Anyone got a Blue Book handy?

[This message has been edited by AndABeer (edited September 07, 2000).]
 
No flame, but are you abso-flippin'-lutely sure it's a Python, and not a Diamondback? They look a lot alike, and the DB was commonly chambered in .38. Just curious...
 
I'm with Hutch. I didn't think they made Pythons in .38. I'd be looking to see if it says Diamondback on the side of the barrel.
 
Back in the early 80's Colt made the Python in 38 special. They were made in 6" and 8" barrel lenghts if I remember correctly.
 
Pythons were made in 38 special, there rare but they are out there. Also another bit of triva there are a few Python's in 41mag. I have seen two in they last twenty years. There also has been a tool room model made in 44 mag that Colt was thinking about putting out in the early 70's when the S&W model 29 was so hot, but the Python was not strong enough to handle the extra pressures of the 44mag.

6mm

By the way, Hutch there is a 6" blue 38 special Python in my safe and boy can it punch paper!!
 
I was unaware of the 6" 38's. Always wondered why they didn't make them in 4 & 6 so they could be used in PPC, where IIRC the 8" weren't allowed.

I have a nickeled 8" marked

PYTHON TARGET

on the top line and in smaller letters on the line underneath

* 38 SPECIAL CTG *

Wyatt Earp would have loved an 8" Python to whack folks upside the head with that full underlug if the stories I've heard were true.

PS, I also have a nickeled 4" Diamondback 38 special. Never had an opportunity to handle a 6 or 2(or were they 2 1/2)". But if they were nickeled I'd probably probably grab them.

[This message has been edited by Rusty S (edited September 07, 2000).]
 
Back at home with the books now. The Blue Book lists one price for the different caliber Pythons. The '99 Standard Catalog of Firearms lists the .38 Spl. Python as a limited-production venture that was not a success. Blue only, 8" bbl. Exc.=$500,VG=400,G=325. For comparison, to let you adjust for the Colt craze, the blue .357 Mag. Python is listed at NIB=$750,Exc.=550,VG=450,G=350.

Background from the Blue Book. The Python was made in .256,.38 Spl.,.41 Mag.,and .44 Spl. While the .22 LR and .22 WMR were advertised in catalogs, they were never manufactured - only a few prototypes exist.
John

(edit)Oops. Turned the page in the Blue Book and found: Python .38 Special, 8" bbl., blue or nickel finish. 100%=$625,98%=525,95%=450.



[This message has been edited by johnbt (edited September 07, 2000).]
 
I also have one in 8" nickel marked python target. Almost all the pythons in .38 were blue 8" models. I shoot mine frequently and it's a tack driver. Forget the whole .357 thing and just buy the gun.....you'll never regret it.

Rusty.....don't ever let go of that nickel one. These were never made available to the general public. They were made as a special deal for Colt employees only. They made so few of them that they didn't even make a die to stamp the information on the boxes. They actually handwrote all the information on the box at the factory. I still have all the original paperwork, box, etc for my nickel python. The python is my wife's favorite gun in the whole safe, by the way, since it's very accurate and has very little kick with the looooong barrel and full underlug.

spike
 
cjviper:

Thanks for letting me know that Spike. I picked mine up in a hardware store in Tonopah Nevda, NIB. It is an anniversary present, so I wouldn't dare let it go.
 
spike,
Interesting you say that. I saw a LNIB with all the papers for sale a while back in nickel, 8 inch for $700 at a show. Shoulda bought it I guess.
 
Cjviper,

I have a nickle plated 38 diamondback that has hand written label on the original box. Is this one of the colt employee guns also?

------------------
P229 Sport and 357 SIG, H&K P7PSP and 9MM, Dual Perfection!!
 
It was back in the late '70s when Colt briefly offered the Python in .38 Special. I had a chance to buy an 8" cheap ($500) years ago, but passed it up since I already had a regular Python. You can still buy .38 Special Python barrels from Gun Parts, Inc., but forging one would also require a cylinder and a serial # check at Colt would confirm the forgery.
 
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