Hey guys i've had my colt python for 3 years now and i got it for a very good price. Unfortunately the lock up is pretty loose. When you shake it you can hear the cylinder go back and forth...


Is there a way to fix this or am i stuck with this loose lock up? Does it effect anything or is it just annoying to hear it rattle?


Also who is the best person to work on pythons these days? Is colt still the best place to send it or is there other gunsmiths who are better on working on them?


Thanks for your time.




 

Cock hammer, pull trigger while not allowing hammer to fall, try to wiggle cylinder, is there play? Colts lock up differently then S&W's do. Does it have fore and aft movement or side to side?

If the cylinder is "going back and forth", this is known as end shake.

To measure how much is there, push the closed cylinder to the rear and hold it there while you gage the barrel-cylinder gap with an automotive feeler gage set.  (Buy an auto gage set at most any discount or auto store cheap).
Then push the cylinder forward and hold it there while you gage the gap again.
Subtract one measurement from the other and that's how much end shake you have.

Colt specs are much tighter then S&W or others.
Factory specs are that the maximum end shake allowable before repair is needed is 0.003".
If it's over that the gun needs repair, and if you continue shooting it the gun will be seriously damaged and will cost even more to repair.

With the Colt revolvers the gun must be sent back to Colt.  Repair requires the collar on the front of the cylinder be stretched with a special hydraulic device that "pinches" the collar and stretches it.
Then the collar is precision trimmed to re-set the correct end shake of near 0.001" or so.

Some notes:
Unlike S&W and most other brands, you CANNOT drop washers into a Colt cylinder.  The design is quite different and putting washers into the cylinder will seriously damage the cylinder and possibly the frame.

With the cylinder pushed to the rear and held there the gap is the actual barrel-cylinder gap.  The actual gap is NOT with the cylinder forward.  A narrow gap with the cylinder forward is because of excess end shake.
A Colt should have a true gap of from 0.004" to 0.006".

While Colt has the gun they'll give it a total check out and internal cleaning.
Colt is back logged so repair will be slow.
If you just can't stand to wait, Frank Glenn in Arizona is a well known Colt expert who does factory level work.
He's faster then the factory, but Colt is still the recommended repair source.

does it already show sighns of being messed with - gouged screw sect ect.

ride the hammer forward A  colt should have no movement in the cylinder at all this is the colt "bank vault lockup."

If there ia any movement find a smith who can work on it or call colt.  DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FIX IT YOURSELF colt da's are a ginsberg device.  

Goldberg maybe.......lol...

OP- I'd send it back to Colt, let the mothership take care of it.

there is little to non front to back movement in the cylinder it is all side to side.

sorry i haunt responded been very busy.


It sounds like front to back movement is what causes the problems is some side to side movement ok?

Are you shaving lead ? If the Hammer is cocked or down..can you turn the cylinder free to the next chamber ? One or more ? Moderate pressure not cranking on it...two fingers from under the crane one on each side rotating the cylinder about as hard as turning an interior door knob... does it stay locked up.
Complete, Shinny ring around the cylinder from Cylinder Stop dragging..? A Gunsmith can check with range rods to see if the bore is lined up with the cylinder.

Guessing this is a shooter ? My guess is Timing. Cylinder Stop and or Hand.