The Colt Python is the Rolls Royce of revolvers because:
The gun is essentially a custom built revolver.
Other revolvers are designed in such a way as the parts are "drop-in" as much as possible and require little hand fitting.
The Python, and all the older Colt's are "old school" designs from another era.
The guns MUST be totally hand assembled and fitted since all parts are made over-sized.
This requires extensive hand labor by Master fitters with many years of experience.
The Python then gets MORE custom hand fitting and polishing to give a even more refined action.
The old Colt action is an extraordinarily intricate, complicated design, that cost much more simply to build, much less finish to Python levels.
Other brands can be assembled by much less experienced people, and there isn't much fitting and tuning needed.
Next, is the exterior finish.
When a S&W or Ruger is being boxed for shipment, the Python is still being hand polished by highly trained polishers with many years of hands-on experience.
The Python is polished on custom Colt-made leather covered polishing wheels by people who were started out on Colt's cheaper guns.
After years of experience, only the very BEST of them were allowed to polish the Python.
The final polish on the Python used a media the consistency of flour.
This lengthy polishing process was used on all Python's including the nickel and stainless guns.
Reasons for Colt's reputation for being the most accurate
brand, and the Python's reputation for being the most accurate of all revolvers, involve the old-style Colt "Bank Vault" lockup, Colt's superior quality barrels, and their faster rifling twist.
The Python went even farther with an expensive tapered-bore barrel, which was finished with Colt's mysterious "Silver Ball" treatment.
In short, The Python is very much like ordering a true custom 1911 from a maker like Wilson, Brown, or one of the other top custom builders.
What you're getting is a revolver on which expensive hand labor is lavished, and on which everything possible is done to insure it's the finest quality and most accurate production revolver possible.
Hand labor, especially highly experienced labor is NOT cheap.
The kind of people capable of fitting and tuning the action or polishing the finish to the level the Python is, have many years on the job, and they don't work for minimum wage.
The difference is like buying a Seiko watch or buying a Rolex.
One is a common, mass produced, unrefined watch, and the other is a hand made labor of love that takes a year to build.
Hand made is higher quality than mass produced.
Why does a Rolls Royce cost more than a Chevy?
:
).
