Posted: 2/27/2013 3:35:54 PM EDT
| Just picked up a new to me python, it's got some wear and I'd like to send it in for a royal bluing can anyone give me an estimate on a turn around time? |
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Call Colt and ask what the cost and turn around time would be.
I have called them before about refinishing my Detective Special and they were very helpful. Colt |
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Be smart...send it in to Colt.
Right now they're behind on work due to the huge demand for refinishing of Pythons, so you may need to wait a while for it. The wait will be the smartest thing you can do. Unless it's badly pitted, it'll come back looking like a brand new gun. If needed, Colt can even refresh the stampings. The 1950's Colt Royal Blue finish had a slightly lighter blue color. The formula for the bluing chemicals changed and the newer Pythons have a slightly darker color. However, it's still the old mirror bright Royal Blue, unmatched by any other factory gun. Another factor is that a re-finished gun looses value due to the gun no longer being in factory original condition. A Colt factory re-finish looses much less value because it is a factory job. True, there are companies that can do a really good blue job, but it won't be a COLT blue job. |
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Send it back to Colt! I had them do a Det. Special for me last year and it came back really nice. Turn around time was about 6 weeks after they sent me thier review/estimate on what it would cost. $200., and well worth it. The down side of the whole thing was shipping it to them. Fed-X charged me $70 bucks. That's thier "firearms rate" from NV to Conn. UPS was about the same, but the guys behind the counter looked like a couple of gang-bangers and I figured I'd never see the gun again if I left it with them. |
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Ford's does very nice work. BUT...it isn't Colt and the value of your Python will take a bigger hit then it will if Colt does it.
If you have Colt do it, make sure to keep the invoice showing the work done. If you ever sell it, that's proof it was a Colt factory job. I suspect that Colt will get it back sooner than a year, but they are swamped with people sending in Pythons for refinish work. I also suspect that soon, a lot of those refinished Pythons will turn up for sale in fake Colt boxes as "New in the Box" Pythons at high prices. |
| If you want it refinished, I really wouldn't consider sending a Python anywhere but to Colt.... no matter how long it takes. I sent them a BADLY re-blued 3" Python I found online, with minor pitting, and a bad turn line on the cylinder. I had them go completely though the guns internals, give it a trigger tune up, and refinished it in Royal Blue, and if I hadn't seen it before it went to them, I would have never believed it was the same gun that I had sent it in. It looked absolutely PERFECT when I got it back, and seriously looked brand new. It certainly wasn't in any kind of "collectors" condition when it left, but was worth the 2-3 month wait when it came back. The trigger is as smooth as glass, and the finish mirror perfect, without the slightest hint of where any of the old minor pitting was. The barrel engraving, and Pony still looks sharp and clear. It cost me $350 plus the shipping, and was a steal for what my Python looks like today. I don't intend to EVER sell it so I couldn't care less about it's "collector value". Now I have a beautiful looking 3" shooter Python, I'm not worried about devalueing by shooting it. |