Cougar (Rython) Bill Davis Custom

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Sevens

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I found and quickly bought a very cool piece of history yesterday and some purists may wish to avert their eyes! :p

This is a Cougar (or Couger, Rython... maybe a 'Puger' ?!) and it was done by Bill Davis in California. It is a six inch stainless Python barrel mated to a Ruger Police Service Six which dates to 1980, though I have no idea when Davis did the work.

The seller claimed "it has like a million rounds through it" and it's very well used, a little dirty and nothing about it is new or mint or anywhere near, but what a cool revolver. As you might expect from a custom Bill Davis gun, the double action trigger is amazing.

It had a Millet adjustable rear sight and it does not have a ball detent lock-up added to the yoke and it sure seems like it should. The end of the ejector rod does not click in to anything as a S&W would and it would benefit from some additional lock-up here, but then again... Mr. Davis knows a heap more about what he was doing than I could.

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Here is another picture that shows the neat logo Davis etched on it. Call me nutty, but I find this addition to be a large part of what I really love about this beast. No assumptions or confusion about who did the work.
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No need for anyone to get their panties in a wad over those. ;) "Back in the day, if you wanted one, you just called up Colt (or more likely a distributor) and ordered a Python barrel. They were still making them back then.

I'm sure you know the history. A lot of people thought the Python barrel shot better than Smith and Wesson or Ruger barrels, but they liked the actions of the other guns. So the hybrid's were born. Most I suspect were used for PPC shooting at some level. I remember hearing that the Python barrel tapered toward the muzzle and squeezed the bullet tighter as it traveled the bore. No idea if there is anything to that or not. I kinda raised an eyebrow on that one myself.

I've seen a couple of Smolts in the real world, but never a Cougar. Nice looking gun I think.

I don't have any idea if they actually did shoot any better or not, but I'll bet the people who paid to have it done at least thought so.
 
I had Bill Davis build me two of his outstanding revolvers. One was a Ruger Security Six tricked out by him and the other was a SW model 27 I gave him to perform his magic. Both would shoot one ragged hole at 25yds and at 50yds shot under an inch for five shots. Those guns were unbelievably accurate and had the best triggers on them you could ever imagine. I never shot PPC or anything with them. I got them for shooting woodchucks at very long ranges and also deer hunting.
 
Davis built my PPC gun on a model !0 S&W back in 77, still have it, still shoot it regularly, still accurate as hell.

The young guys on the Department call it "His Snake Pliskin gun".

Mike
 
This revolver is not beat-up or trashed, but to be sure -- it is miles and miles from "mint." It has been heavily used and I can't wait to see what I can do with it.

It would be very, very good if I one day stumble across a Smython (a Smolt?!) to sit right next to it in the pistol rack in my safe. :D
 
Couger and Smythons



I have the same gun but without any Bill Davis logo. I also have a pair of Smythons.



I like each of these modified guns as much as any of my (all Colt) Pythons (maybe more).

Mark
 
michaelcj said:
Davis built my PPC gun on a model !0 S&W back in 77, still have it, still shoot it regularly, still accurate as hell.

The young guys on the Department call it "His Snake Pliskin gun".

Mike
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I'm surprised the young guys know who Snake Pliskin is! Escape From New York is definitely one of the best "bad"movies of the 80's!

And I'd love to find any old school PPC revolver on a 357 frame at a decent price...
 
What an awesome gun!

It's got the rugged, durable Ruger action with the excellent full-lug heavy Python barrel!!!

Let us know how it shoots! :D
 
First range trip with the Rython. I will admit that I have dubbed it "the Puger" and mostly because calling that annoys my shooting buddies. :D

Sorry I didn't snap any pictures of targets. Was a short 2.5 hour session on the indoor range. Total round count for the Puger was 175 rounds, all .38 Special. I ran four different varieties through it -- two 125gr loads and two different 158gr loads.

It'll easily do one-hole groups shooting two-handed, double action at 25 feet. I was not shocked that it did light strike/fail to fire in double action at a rate of about 1 per 3 or 4 cylinders. I use the hardest primers on the market and this is a custom revolver, so it was no surprise and not a problem I am worried about.

I see myself putting a heap of ammo through this one!
 
Yeah, that seems to be the most popular name for them. I haven't had much of a chance to see if they have any presence out online. It kind of seems to me than many of the folks who spent a lot of time, money and passion in to PPC are getting on in years and there is not much of a market for these terrific handguns.

It makes for MORE than reasonable buying opportunities for gun lovers. I was a brand new shooter as a teenager and the club I "grew up at" had cops shooting PPC every weekend. I only wish I could look back in on those sessions to get a look at the hardware.
 
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