Posted: 1/9/2009 1:12:43 PM EDT
| Orlando Gun Show last weekend - private sale guy had a pristine Colt Pythin 4 inch barrel - 1966 - asking price was $1500 firm... I know a couple of guys who love the weapon but the high price turned them away. One told me that he's seen them advertised on internet sites for $1700. WOW! |
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Hey, man you haven't live until you fired a finely tune Python. Great guns. When you get tired of it, you can sell it for what you paid for it. Where else can you get a better deal. I am going to give my SS Python to my youngest son.Tell me about insanity..I just dropped 1500 on one locally here in Illinois. It had some custom work done to it by Cylinder and slide. I love it, but ouch it put a dent in my wallet. 
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Here is the king of insane Python prices!
http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=120527249 
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Hey, man you haven't live until you fired a finely tune Python. Great guns. When you get tired of it, you can sell it for what you paid for it. Where else can you get a better deal. I am going to give my SS Python to my youngest son.Tell me about insanity..I just dropped 1500 on one locally here in Illinois. It had some custom work done to it by Cylinder and slide. I love it, but ouch it put a dent in my wallet. Giving the Python to one of my sons is the plan! |
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I have an 8" nickeled 38spl Python Target, actually is "had." I bought it when my oldest son was born 21 years ago, and I haven't personally fired it, the only thing that I did was cleaned the barrel from the factory test firing. I recently gave it to my oldest son, and he refused to shoot it after I told him what it was worth.Glad I have two of them.  One a 6" blued, the other is the Python Target. 8" barrel only shoots .38 Specials. Both shoot absolutely fantastic.
ETA: Wish I had more.  
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It is amazing the prices these Pythons are going for these days. I've owned several over the years but I currently have 2. One is a 1956 vintage 3-digit serial numbered Python. These old ones are getting more and more expensive every day. my other is a 6" stainless Python I bought as a shooter.... so I won't be tempted to shoot my '56 version.
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I got a fairly used Python that was built in '69 for $600 this year. 4 inch blued model.
Has some holster wear but the action feels good and everything feels tight. Just bought some correct grips($125 off Ebay) for it and I may send it off to Grant Cunningham... It willl be a shooter... I am debating having it reblued |
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WantsAnRRA: Personally if it were me, I would just shoot the darn thing, and save the money for ammo.
If you are going to reblue, fellow ARFCOM member "dfariswheel" seems to be quite knowledgeable about Colt guns. I believe he recommends Colt factory reblue if it is going to be done at all. I would IM him if you have further questions, or contact the Colt factory for price quote on reblue and turnabround time. Somewhere in another post, "dfariswheel" describes how Colt gets the Royal Blue polish on the Python, and it isn't easy. He describes other blue jobs are just "normal" blue. 
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I believe it's insanity and a lot of hype. Pythons, like all Colt revolvers, exhibit beautiful features on the outside, but their unique internals make them preferred it seems. Of the ones I've handled and shot (two blued 6" Pythons, unknown mfg dates), I've found neither worth the price that is paid for them today. That said, I believe that to have someone produce today what Colt has put in the Pythons would probably be cost comparable, if not more expensive overall...
What I don't understand, and I'm sure someone on here can explain to me, is why there is such a premium put on revolvers that are known to go out of time, causing expensive repairs. Every revolver can have it's allures and ups and downs. I have a King Cobra which I love but I don't have the heart to shoot the shit out of (bought unfired, I put about 50rds through)...mainly because I have an SW 681 that is an amazing shooter. (I am in the market for a beat up MKIII 6" though)... |
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I was unaware myself.
Never been much into Colt wheelguns, only saw the insanity 1st hand when a soldier I work with asked me about finding a Python. Couldn't believe the avg going rate. Then again I saw last night that S&W 58s are breaking $1k as well - this stuff isn't as fun as it used to be. 
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"What I don't understand, and I'm sure someone on here can explain to me, is why there is such a premium put on revolvers that are known to go out of time, causing expensive repairs".
I could go into the details on the Colt action, but Grant Cunningham does a good job: http://www.grantcunningham.com/blog_files/colt_python_delicate.html Colt's are further damaged by abusive treatment. This includes snapping the cylinder shut with a flick of the wrist, "Bogarting" it. Firing DA by jerking the trigger as hard and fast as you can. (Older Colt shooters learned how to "roll the trigger" very fast). Cocking the hammer SA by yanking the hammer back with a "CLACK". Other revolvers are not built to such high specs as the older Colt's, and will still work after abusive treatment. So will Ford's and Chevy's. Ferrari's will not take abusive treatment. |
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"What I don't understand, and I'm sure someone on here can explain to me, is why there is such a premium put on revolvers that are known to go out of time, causing expensive repairs". I could go into the details on the Colt action, but Grant Cunningham does a good job: http://www.grantcunningham.com/blog_files/colt_python_delicate.html Colt's are further damaged by abusive treatment. This includes snapping the cylinder shut with a flick of the wrist, "Bogarting" it. Firing DA by jerking the trigger as hard and fast as you can. (Older Colt shooters learned how to "roll the trigger" very fast). Cocking the hammer SA by yanking the hammer back with a "CLACK". Other revolvers are not built to such high specs as the older Colt's, and will still work after abusive treatment. So will Ford's and Chevy's. Ferrari's will not take abusive treatment. Dfaris thanks. Does this apply to just Pythons are should I be treating my King Cobra with this same tenderness? FWIW I've never snapped the cylinder shut on any of my revolvers, and have always rolled the trigger except when doing stress/rapid fire shooting drills at the range. What is damaged by pulling the hammer back hard with a "CLACK"? As Grand Cunningham goes in to, I do this on my 681 Smith occasionally at the range, but not often. I was not aware this is a detrimental process for revolvers. |
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You're kidding right? You know Colt actually made a Boa way back like 20 years ago. A distributor commissioned them to make it. I forget the exact details, but it sold out by the time the gun hit the firearm news rags.Pythons are cheap. Buy a Boa. No I'm not. At this stage of the game Pythons are rapidly becoming/have become collectors, and relative to that concern they are cheap compared to Boa's. I have a Boa. |
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ALL revolvers can and will be damaged by this kind of abuse.
Its just that the old Colt action, as used in the Python is less forgiving then other revolvers. In order to work properly and produce the astounding accuracy the Python is known for, the action must be in near perfect adjustment. Other brands can get pretty well out and still operate. Drive a sports car over a rough gravel road at 90 MPH and it'll get damaged fast. Drive a pickup truck over the same road at 90 and it'll still get torn up, it just takes a little longer. The King Cobra is likely the strongest medium frame DA revolver ever built, but even it can get damaged if mistreated. Jerking the hammer back or yanking the trigger hard causes the cylinder to rotate fast and slam to a stop on the cylinder locking bolt. This batters the locking bolt and the notches in the cylinder. This happens on all revolvers if you abuse them. Look at a revolver that's been abused this way, and you'll find burring on the cylinder locking notches where it slammed to a stop on the locking bolt. Often you'll find burred or battered locking bolts and even battered, distorted frame "windows" where the locking bolt projects. |
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I'd love to add a Boa to my Snake Gun Collection as it's the only hole i have left to fill........ but at the prices they are going for I don't see gettting one any time soon. Here is a link to a pair for sale at Gunbroker. He is asking too much money for the pair at $5800 and he's had them listed since before October with no buyer.... but sooner or later someone will bite on it. I just want ONE
4" & 6" Boa Set for sale |
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BTW, now I remember who commissioned Colt to build the Boa, it was Lew Horton.
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You're kidding right? You know Colt actually made a Boa way back like 20 years ago. A distributor commissioned them to make it. I forget the exact details, but it sold out by the time the gun hit the firearm news rags.Pythons are cheap. Buy a Boa. I believe the Boa was a King Cobra/TrooperIII frame with a Python looking barrel. I have a 6" brushed SS Python, and the trigger is "smooth as a baby's bottom," and it breaks like glass. You know in hindsight, I should've kept my Python Target instead of giving it to my son. The lucky bastard, oh well.... "win some lose some." 
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BTW, now I remember who commissioned Colt to build the Boa, it was Lew Horton.
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You're kidding right? You know Colt actually made a Boa way back like 20 years ago. A distributor commissioned them to make it. I forget the exact details, but it sold out by the time the gun hit the firearm news rags.Pythons are cheap. Buy a Boa. I believe the Boa was a King Cobra/TrooperIII frame with a Python looking barrel. I have a 6" brushed SS Python, and the trigger is "smooth as a baby's bottom," and it breaks like glass. You know in hindsight, I should've kept my Python Target instead of giving it to my son. The lucky bastard, oh well.... "win some lose some." That's correct they were a limited run for Lew Horton. 1200 guns , 600 6", 600 4", and if i remember correctly 200 cased sets making 400 of each available individually. It is a MK V action/grip frame with a Pythonesque barrel. I traded a lightly used P225 for one NIB about 1991 or so. Best deal I've ever made. There have been several for sale in the last year or so @ around $3500. I was on a campaign to own one of each of the named model "snake guns" the only one I don't have is an Annaconda, I really should buy one.There are many sub-variants of the named models but by far the Boa is the rarest named model. Prior and subsequent special runs were these variants that I describe, like your Python Target which if I remember correctly was chambered .38 sp only . |
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Wow, $3,500 that is some really serious bux, I think they originally sold for something like $700. I remember calling Lew Horton and they said "sorry all sold out."
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BTW, now I remember who commissioned Colt to build the Boa, it was Lew Horton.
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You're kidding right? You know Colt actually made a Boa way back like 20 years ago. A distributor commissioned them to make it. I forget the exact details, but it sold out by the time the gun hit the firearm news rags.Pythons are cheap. Buy a Boa. I believe the Boa was a King Cobra/TrooperIII frame with a Python looking barrel. I have a 6" brushed SS Python, and the trigger is "smooth as a baby's bottom," and it breaks like glass. You know in hindsight, I should've kept my Python Target instead of giving it to my son. The lucky bastard, oh well.... "win some lose some." . . @ around $3500. . . like your Python Target which if I remember correctly was chambered .38 sp only . Yep, Python Target, 38spl only. Colt had a rough time selling them because of that fact. I don't know how accurate they are because my son don't want to shoot it because he is afraid that it will loose its value. Mistake #1, I gave it to him; mistake #2 I told what it was worth.
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| I have two Pythons left and they have become too valuable to shoot. I sold off the others I had for a profit when things started going nuts with prices a few years back. So what I still own are safe queens and I shoot my Smith & Wesson revolvers instead. Pythons are truly great pistols and it's too bad Colt stopped making them. |
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The King Cobra is likely the strongest medium frame DA revolver ever built Can you elaborate on that or point in the the direction to some literature on the subject? I have a King Cobra I bought LNIB a while back. I've shot it some, and I really like it, but I was unaware of their reputation for being strong? |
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Quoted: edit for bandwidth.........Wow, $3,500 that is some really serious bux, I think they originally sold for something like $700. I remember calling Lew Horton and they said "sorry all sold out."
Yep, Python Target, 38spl only. Colt had a rough time selling them because of that fact. I don't know how accurate they are because my son don't want to shoot it because he is afraid that it will loose its value. Mistake #1, I gave it to him; mistake #2 I told what it was worth.
Ha ha I have baout $350. in my Boa. The first thing I did was shoot it. My gun dealer friend and my wife both about stroked out. "YOU SHOT IT?" said they. Fuckin' A said I. What am I preserving it for? So some future son in law can inherit it and hock it? My Boa is no longer NIB but it is damn near and I can say "I shot it". If I had it all over again would I? EHhhhh most likely. Tell your son to shoot that Python, you gave it to him, it's an heirloom. Shooting it will INCREASE it's value as an heirloom. Surely it's not for sale? |
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The King Cobra is likely the strongest medium frame DA revolver ever built Can you elaborate on that or point in the the direction to some literature on the subject? I have a King Cobra I bought LNIB a while back. I've shot it some, and I really like it, but I was unaware of their reputation for being strong? Master gunsmith Jerry Kunhausen had the opinion that the later Colt's like the Trooper Mark III, Mark V, and King Cobra were the stongest medium framed DA revolvers of them all. He thought the superior Colt forged frames and cylinders and the off-set cylinder notches were the reason. The S&W 686 has cylinder notches over the thinnest part of the cylinder, and the Ruger's cast frame were not quit as strong. This is certainly by a minor amount, but for absolute strength the Colt's are tough to beat. The only Colt's of this type I ever saw damaged were by insane overloads. These later Colt's have only one "weakness": If you dry fire them, the firing pin "might" break. This is a factory ONLY replacement part, due to the need for a special press and support dies to protect the frame from damage. |
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I've only cleaned it(from the factory test firing) and dry fired the Python Target. The trigger was a "bit" stiff, but broke cleanly. The trigger certainly is not quite the same as my SS Python, which I put through about 5,000 rounds. The Python Target had zero rounds fired by me.
Quoted: edit for bandwidth.........Wow, $3,500 that is some really serious bux, I think they originally sold for something like $700. I remember calling Lew Horton and they said "sorry all sold out."
Yep, Python Target, 38spl only. Colt had a rough time selling them because of that fact. I don't know how accurate they are because my son don't want to shoot it because he is afraid that it will loose its value. Mistake #1, I gave it to him; mistake #2 I told what it was worth.
Ha ha I have baout $350. in my Boa. The first thing I did was shoot it. My gun dealer friend and my wife both about stroked out. "YOU SHOT IT?" said they. Fuckin' A said I. What am I preserving it for? So some future son in law can inherit it and hock it? My Boa is no longer NIB but it is damn near and I can say "I shot it". If I had it all over again would I? EHhhhh most likely. Tell your son to shoot that Python, you gave it to him, it's an heirloom. Shooting it will INCREASE it's value as an heirloom. Surely it's not for sale? Nope, not for sale because I don't own the gun, I had my son formally transferred and registered it with the Calif DoJ. I wanted it legal, legal, & legal. Ain't I a nice dad?
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Stop the insanity!
http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=117209479 |
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The King Cobra is likely the strongest medium frame DA revolver ever built Can you elaborate on that or point in the the direction to some literature on the subject? I have a King Cobra I bought LNIB a while back. I've shot it some, and I really like it, but I was unaware of their reputation for being strong? Back in the early '80's (when I still had my 6" Python! ) I saw a magazine ad of a Python with a sectioned barrel. In that barrel were at least 5, maybe all 6 slugs from the gun! Back story was, this shooter didn't realize he had a squib and kept shooting until he emptied the cylinder. Idiot never noticed NO BULLETS coming out of the pipe! Well, he contacted Colt and they offered him a new revolver in trade for the old one so they could show how tough the Python was. I looked that ad over for days, and for the life of me, it didn't even look like the barrel was bulged.
Some day look at how much metal there is between the holes in the cylinder. And that massive barrel goes without saying. |