PYTHON Owners: If you've owned a 1990's model, report it's quality level here?

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boa2

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1990 Python owner's: Please report any quality issues that you have had with any of this year(Or, other early 1990's python's)that you have experienced? Or(At least!)indicate what the overall quality level was on your specific Python's of these dates of production?

Although I know, that each individual Python, must be judged on it's own merit's, I'm in the process of buying a 1990(4-inch)Python-and, if you would very kindly, post this information here(Good or bad?)about the quality level of your early 1990's Python's, this will help me to get a better Idea(From actual 1990's Python owners!)about the quality of these guns, in the real world? So, please give me the(Good, Bad, or Ugly!)regarding the Python's of this era? Please come forward? Thanks!
 
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I've got a 2000 Python Elite 6" stainless - but I bought it new and it could easily be a 1999 build.

The only quality issue I found was a marred forcing cone. It had some concentric rings which look like they were left from the machining. Doesn't appear to be more than cosmetic, since the gun shoots like a dream. Timing has remained rock solid through several thousand rounds of 38/357. It has become my favorite gun.
 
Got mine new in '94. Slight burr inside that slowed down the trigger return, plastic front sight blade, otherwise good.
Bluing not quite up to the glory days, but well done.
Denis
 
Plastic sight blade on Python?

Does anyone know when the plastic front sight blade was first put on the Python's(Year?)? Thanks!
 
My father ordered a 6-inch blue one in 1990. We've had no complaints about it at all since it went back to have the barrel twisted a tad to get the sight to stand up straight. :) It was only off a hair, but it was crooked. It's a fine-shooting gun all the way around and one of my dad's favorites (and mine when he let's me borrow it.)

As far as ammo goes, Federal Match wadcutters have been very accurate, but I recently bought him a few boxes of Winchester Super Match 148-gr WCs to try because I couldn't find the Federals locally. Bad move. They are so much better that I went out and bought him a case at $18.50 a box. :eek:

John
 
Owned one back in the sixties and it was not repatriated.

Felt like replacing it sometime in the nineties and I couldn't believe that the new gun I was holding at the dealer's was a Python. Day and night.
 
Well, I see I am not alone... eh eh...

Had an early 90's Python NIB came with timing problems.

An Elite that jammed when more the 6 shots were fired. If you let it cool between reloads you may get 12-18 before the jams started.

Had an 80's vintage Python that had timing problems.

Had a 70's vintage MKIII that jammed when it got hot(12 rounds). Had a 90's vintage Anaconda that came NIB with a canted bbl.

For the most part, unless you want to get F****D really bad, don't buy a Colt wheel gun. Not that other makers don't have their issues but for the most part Rugers are built like tanks and rarely have problems. I don't care for S&W but would buy 100 of them before a Colt after my experiences. Of all the guns I have bought and sold through my life Colt has been the biggest let down of all. I have probably bought 10+ Colts from 70's-00's and I have had problems with almost all of them. Their autos are still very nice but their wheel guns are S**T!

My .02
 
Well, whatever it was, about the front sight, that was changed to plastic, I want to know what year this was first started, on the Python's? Thanks!
 
In 99, I bought a Python Elite. Just about the nicest gun I own. Only problem with it is that the grips are not relieved for a speedloader, but a different set of grips would solve that. They are pretty wooden grips, by the way....
Only other problem is that after shooting it, I lost a lot of my admiration for my .357s from other makers, ha ha ha.
 
It's good to finally get a "Positive" score, for a 90's Python!

It's good, that at least two owners of 1990's(Made)Python's(Up until now) have been happy with their guns! Surely, there are more 1990's Python owners, that could report their findings(In terms of quality, reliability of, or specific problems with?)these guns? Anything(The good, bad, or ugly?)?
 
Python Problems

I bought a new Stainless Python from a local Sporting Goods store. When I got it home I noticed the screws were buggered. It was also out of time.
I think someone at Colt tried to fix it and then gave up and shipped it out.

It was the early 90's when I bought the Phython. I waited years to have enough money to spend to buy a Python and was really upset. I returned the gun to Colt for repair. The customer service rep was kind of snotty. They returned the gun with the buggered screws still in it and 3 new unpolished stainless screws in a bag. I called them and asked them why and they said the Pythons are polished in the Custom Shop and that was another area. I polished the screws myself and replaced them. The gun was a high priced piece of crap. Colt couldn't care less about customer service. Like Smith and Wesson they are only concerned about money and being polically correct. I looked at many Pythons at Guns Shows even found the rare 2 1/2
inch model It was also out of time and getting them timed is a lot tricker than a Smith. I found an old set of 2 Snake Eye Pythons but the price was off the wall.

I now buy Pinned Barrel Smith and Wessons preferbly N frames in the wooden boxes. Found 1955 Colt 45 and ACP's and Model 27's 57's and 29's. With a good trigger job they are as good as any Phython. :o
 
I have a several pythons and some from the early 90's. Zero problems, absolute first rate quality.
One word discribes them for a wheel gun, "Perfection."
They are sexiest, sweetest, most accurate wheel gun ever made.
The action is nothing more than an art of a long gone era. Nothing can duplicate the action of an old Colt and in it's glory stands the python. If S&W tried to duplicate the action and craftmanship of making a python, the gun would easily sell for $2,000 and up.
I would own many many more if the cost was not so prohibiting.
I have many S&W, but none of them compare to the python. JMHO :)

Gunmann - "I bought a new Stainless Python from a local Sporting Goods store. When I got it home I noticed the screws were buggered. It was also out of time.
I think someone at Colt tried to fix it and then gave up and shipped it out."

You buy a used gun and you think "someone at Colt tried to fix it and then gave up and shipped it out"?

That is a something I always wanted to be able to do, look at a used gun and see it's entire history appear before my eyes. You diffidently have my admiration, sir.

I know I look used guns over pretty good before I buy them so I don't have surprises when I get home, and see flaws in it that I failed to notice before the purchase...but hey.... that's just me. :)
 
This gun wasn't used. I think an incompetent in Colt messed with it. It was brand new. The store only sold new guns and it had all the papers.
You will find out your late model Colt is junk ,
 
We've been shooting that 1990 Python for 14+ years. Any idea how much longer it will be before we find out that it's junk? :confused:

John
 
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