Something I've never seen before...

C

CajunBass

New member
Stopped at the LGS the other day and to my surprise I saw the rarest of the rare...at least for me, anyway. A shooter grade Colt Python. :eek: Never seen one before. Everything I see are in at least near new condition, and most of them have the box and paperwork with them. And they are WAY out of my pay grade.

This one however appeared to be an old cops gun. Holster wear, some light rust, and it just looked "Dry" I guess is the word. It wasn't cheap, but it was the least expensive Python I've seen since they stopped making them, and was well under four figures. Mechanically it was in great shape.

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I took it home, flushed the innards with gunscrubber, and watched the crud pour out. A few drops of Break-Free here and there, polish and buff the exterior with silicon spray, and it looked a lot better.
 
I looked at one last summer that the guy behind the counter said he would sell to me for $750. Another shop had one for $675 not too long before that. I've never really wanted a Python, though, so I passed. Those are the only two shooter grade Pythons I've seen here and they were close to the same time period oddly enough.
 
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You are right, shooter grade pythons are rare. I don't see many shooter grade diamondbacks either. I think for under $1000 you did fine. 4 in guns seem to be more sought after, and yours appears to be a 1960s gun. If there is no letter prefix or suffix, its before 1970.
 
I gave $800.00 for it. Like I said, it's the least expensive one I've seen in years. S/N 388xx indicates 1964 according to Proofhouse.

It looks worse in the pictures than in real life actually. The macro setting and the flash enhance the flaws, and it looked a lot worse at the dealers. I almost passed on it, it looked so "dry." There was some fine rust here and there, and the barrel was filthy. Most of the rust wiped off however, and the stuff in the bore turned out to be dust. One pass with a Hoppes soaked patch, and it was as bright and shiney as new. Same thing with the cylinder.

Hope to shoot it in a day or two.
 
Awesome find!! I've been saving to buy one exactly like that one!
I just can't find any in my area.
I havent seen one in years for sale that I can get mt hands on.
I have a Colt Detective Special,a Lawman,and a Officers Model Match.
I want a 4" Python and 6" Trooper
 
Congratulations on a very nice find and a nice price too. A Python that can be throughly enjoyed, something most revolver enthusiast would like to find, I know I would.
 
Dang nice, the first handgun I ever shot was my Uncle's Python. And I remember that one shot to this day!!!!
Love it! Hope you don't ever have to let her go.
 
Very cool. Pawn shop here has one that tempted me till I saw the trigger guard had a number electropen engraved on it.

Still if I can deal on it maybe it would be a good shooter and
I could have it refinished
 
What a great find you lucky b$@&*)d!!

where i live guys will pay double that for a shooter grade 4 - inch Python.:)

Well done sir. No go and shoot the hell out of it. :D
 
Nice find. When I was newer to handguns probably four or five years ago I had someone offer me a Python for $600......kinda wish I woulda grabbed that one.
 
Very nice score and welcome to the "we actually shoot our Pythons" Club. :)

This one gets shot AND (gasp) carried sometimes too!!



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Now THAT one is nice Savit. I've had this fantasy of this one refinished in Colt Royal Blue, a set of (faux) ivory stocks, and gold fill-in in the roll marks, but I think I'll hold out for a while anyway.

I do plan to shoot it. I had hoped to today, but "events" got in the way. Tomorrow....

I'd consider carrying it, but I've gotten spoiled by my Model 12-2, Smith & Wesson Airweight. :D
 
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Thanks Cajun Bass!

If you saw it in person, you'd see that it's not a pristine show piece.

It had been used before I got it with some holster wear and a few marks on it, and it continues to get used.

There are pleny enough nice and NIB one's preserved for posterity out there for me to not feel guilty about shooting this one to death if I'm so inclined. :)
 
I did take it to the range yesterday. I put 125 rounds or so through it. Most were some wadcutter loads I had already loaded, but I loaded up 50, 125 gr, jacketed TC bullets over a moderate charge of powder. I don't shoot a lot of .357 ammo, but wanted to see how it did.

Well, it did about what I would have expected. It worked. The wadcutters were as expected, very accurate, with very little recoil. The Magnums had a much bigger POP, and kicked a bit more, but certainly nothing to surprise anybody. I wouldn't want to shoot them without ear protection though.

I guess the big thing that surprised me was the fact that it still locks up tight, and didn't get out of time. From what I've read around the internet, Pythons are only good for a few rounds before they wear out. ;)
 
A work Python

Mine was built in 1968. I carried it as a duty weapon for year. I've launched mayhaps 5k rounds through it. It's definitely a working gun. Four inch, blued, rubbed off, slightly worn grips, been dropped a few times. I paid $210 for it. Had my initials engraved on the trigger guard so's I wouldn't sell it.

My other keeper is a Ruger SBH made in 1970. Bought it new; shot the hell out of it. Three screw without safety mods. Cost $91
 
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