A few weeks back we had a thread here discussing cylinder and crane disassembly for Smith revolvers. Colt was included as well.
As my son would say, "What's up with this, Dad?" I am fortunate enough to be the owner of two Colt Pythons (blue with 6" bbls.) and a Colt Officers Model target revolver (.38 special). Using the Gun Digest produced book for assembly/disassembly of revolvers by J.B. Wood, something very interesting occurred.
In disassembling the cylinder and crane for the Officers Model, the ejector rod head is removed from the front of the ejector rod (unscrewed counterclockwise). The ejector/ratchet head is then unscrewed from the rear of the cylinder assembly using a Brownells Colt tool or wire bending round nose pliers (again counterclockwise). The crane/ejector rod assembly is then removed from the front of the cylinder. A standard Colt wrench is used to unscrew the ejector nut from the rear of the cylinder arbor on the crane. The ejector rod and spring are then removed.
The Python is different in disassembly! The ejector rod head is gripped in the same way as for the Officers Model. However, the entire ejector rod is unscrewed (counterclockwise) from the assembly. The ejector/ratchet head is NOT REMOVED from the ejector rod sheath as with the Officers Model.
OK,OK, so what's the point. It's this: One of my Pythons conforms to the procedure outlined in the book for the Python. The other conforms to that applicable to the Officers Model! The ejector rod head unscrews, not the entire rod. The ejector/ratchet head unscrews just as with the Officers Model. This I found by trial and error.
Exercise great care, my friends, when disassembling the Python cylinder assembly. Is this an anomaly or what?
As my son would say, "What's up with this, Dad?" I am fortunate enough to be the owner of two Colt Pythons (blue with 6" bbls.) and a Colt Officers Model target revolver (.38 special). Using the Gun Digest produced book for assembly/disassembly of revolvers by J.B. Wood, something very interesting occurred.
In disassembling the cylinder and crane for the Officers Model, the ejector rod head is removed from the front of the ejector rod (unscrewed counterclockwise). The ejector/ratchet head is then unscrewed from the rear of the cylinder assembly using a Brownells Colt tool or wire bending round nose pliers (again counterclockwise). The crane/ejector rod assembly is then removed from the front of the cylinder. A standard Colt wrench is used to unscrew the ejector nut from the rear of the cylinder arbor on the crane. The ejector rod and spring are then removed.
The Python is different in disassembly! The ejector rod head is gripped in the same way as for the Officers Model. However, the entire ejector rod is unscrewed (counterclockwise) from the assembly. The ejector/ratchet head is NOT REMOVED from the ejector rod sheath as with the Officers Model.
OK,OK, so what's the point. It's this: One of my Pythons conforms to the procedure outlined in the book for the Python. The other conforms to that applicable to the Officers Model! The ejector rod head unscrews, not the entire rod. The ejector/ratchet head unscrews just as with the Officers Model. This I found by trial and error.
Exercise great care, my friends, when disassembling the Python cylinder assembly. Is this an anomaly or what?