Six-hundred 6-inch revolvers and 600 four-inch revolvers were made, of which 100 were matched sets. It's back and better than ever. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7], In 2020, Colt announced it would be reintroducing the Python in the 4.25" and 6" barrel configurations. I admired the Python back in the early 80’s, but to expensive for me. Bbl., rev., poorman's Python - .357 Magnum $1,250.00: 0 $1,250.00 7d 4h 48m 17116349. Some firearm collectors and writers such as Jeff Cooper, Ian V. Hogg, Chuck Hawks, Leroy Thompson, Scott Wolber, Renee Smeets and Martin Dougherty have described the Python as "the finest production revolver ever made". One of the … The Colt Python is a six-shot model and yes, six shots of.357 Magnum are a great idea for self-defense purposes. Apart from that, the manual of arms is still the same as any other double-action wheelgun. The newly upgraded model is available in stainless steel and in both 4.25- and 6-inch barrel lengths. She had a barrel that was 4″ long, Pachmayr grips, and a polished blue that looked like it was made out of black chrome. Colt Python With German Proof Marks MFG 1973 W/ Box. Meanwhile, Colt's new management was paying attention to the market and quietly working on bringing back the leader of the snake revolver line, the Python. [3], In October 1999, Colt announced that it would cease production of Python revolvers. For several years before that, however, the mighty Python's days were numbered, and some collectors believe the sterling quality of these guns were not the same during the "strike years," which began on January 24, 1986, when more than 1,000 workers struck the Colt Firearms division of Colt Industries and Colt hired replacement workers. Colt Python 357 Revolver Colt launched the new Python in late 2019 in the form of 6-shot stainless steel, double-action chambered in 38 Special/ 357 Magnum. On December 4, 2019, Colt Senior VP Paul Spitale, Marketing & Product Management Director Justin Baldini and pro-shooter and LE Sales Manager Mark Redl collectively announced the Python’s return during a small, media event at the Gunsite Academy in Paulden, Arizona. That Python was my sidearm for many years. While the pandemic has slowed down a lot of my shooting due to ammo availability and price; I made time for the Python and simply cranked out more reloads. I ordered one from Colt at the 2020 SHOT Show after shooting one for a long time at Range Day and tried to get it to fail. S/N 01851N. Going into this review, I was anxious for a true resurrection of an old classic. It uses a Python barrel mated to a Trooper Mk V frame. The original triggers on Pythons deliver it all from a smooth, consistent DA pull to a glass-rod-crisp break to a remarkably nice reset. The original triggers on Pythons deliver it all from a smooth, consistent DA pull to a glass-rod-crisp break to a remarkably nice reset. Among other celebrated recipients: King Khalid and Prince Fahd (Saudi Arabia), King Hassan (Morocco), Sheik Zayed (United Arab Emirates), President Anwar Sadat (Egypt) and President Hafez Assad (Syria)."[4]. [13] It was discontinued by 1990 and briefly offered as a "Custom Shop" model afterward. Numerous improvements were made to reinforce the revolver, including the use of stronger stainless steel alloys and a re-designed rear sight which allows for a 30% increase in the cross-sectional area of the top strap -- meaning more … The frame and barrel are forged from stainless steel. [2] From the 1970s each Python revolver was boresighted at the factory with a laser; the first mass-produced revolver for which this was done. It uses a Python barrel mated to a Colt King Cobra frame. These bullets leave the bore at 1435 fps and while recoil was not unpleasant, you knew that you were not shooting a 38. The orange ramp in the front sight was so easy to pick up and balanced perfectly in the rear for a perfect sight picture. New year, same legacy. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Colt_Python&oldid=992182035, Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1955, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, 2.5-inch (6.4 cm), 3-inch (7.6 cm), 4-inch (10 cm), 6-inch (15 cm) and 8-inch (20 cm) barrel, This page was last edited on 3 December 2020, at 22:56. Where previous small caliber personal defense weapons were inadequate in caliber or configuration for engaging varying target sets, the Colt SCW in 5.56x45mm NATO provides the stopping power soldiers need on the battlefield. No Reserve. [16] Georgia State Patrol and Florida Highway Patrol issued Pythons to their officers. Seller: Vans Firearms . They once had a name now what I can tell they are just an a company in Canada selling an over priced product! A three-inch barrel version is very collectible, although not rare. Comparing the old Colt Python model to the new version released on January 1, 2020. The 2020 Colt Python is a six-shot, stainless steel, double-action revolver chambered in .357 Magnum. The most desirable of the “snake guns,” as Colt likes to call them, is back. These .38-Special-marked guns are among the rarest of Pythons, with just 3,489 blued models produced. These made the list . Then, as now, I concluded that this is what the revolver was rated and intended to handle. [3] However, it has since fallen out of common use (along with all other revolvers) due to changing law enforcement needs that favor semi-automatic pistols. It is currently available with 4.25″ and 6″ barrels and custom wood medallion stocks made by Altamont. The Python immediately made inroads into the law enforcement market when introduced, with the 6-inch barrel being popular with uniformed officers and the 4-inch barrel considered optimum for plainclothes use. The New York Times, October 22, 1986, "After 8 Months, U.A.W. OUT OF STOCK (0) PYTHON … However, there were reports of misfires with hard-primer, foreign-made ammo, and apparently Colt had increased mainspring strength by the time our test gun, serial number PY004004, left the factory. The Python for King Juan Carlos of Spain bore his name in flush gold on the sideplate. [13] The scope was mounted on the barrel using Redfield mounts and the gun was packaged in a Haliburton case. It worked flawlessly and was incredibly accurate. [11] The Colt Custom Gun Shop continued making a limited number of Pythons on special order until 2005, when this limited production ceased. These.38-Special-marked guns are among the rarest of Pythons, with just 3,489 blued models produced. The Colt Python featured a fully adjustable white-outline Accro rear sight and a 1/8-inch front ramp with red inset. They are similar in size and function to the Colt Trooper and Colt Lawman revolvers. Aside from 2 rounds that were not properly sized and would not pop out of the cylinder, there were no failures with this revolver in single-action, double-action, rapid-fire, etc. Best Starter Kit for Concealed Carry: S&W M&P 9 SHIELD $429 … Colt Diamondbacks also come with a hefty price tag—up to $2,500. [2] They are similar in size and function to the Colt Trooper and Colt Lawman revolvers. [2][12], The Colt Python was officially re-released by Colt in January 2020, following months of circulating rumors. The first was the Colt Boa of 1985, a limited production .357 Magnum revolver, made for the Lew Horton Distributing Company in Massachusetts. Search the Guns.com database to shop for guns, ammo, mags, optics and more. Colt launched the new Python in late 2019 in the form of 6-shot stainless steel, double-action chambered in 38 Special/ 357 Magnum. I was not disappointed. Hey guys, there really isn’t much at all to say on this one. Its … A wide spur, checkered hammer and grooved, curved trigger provided maximum control and fast lock time. [9], The Colt Python is a double action handgun chambered for the .357 Magnum cartridge, built on Colt's large I-frame. Like the new Python, the original wasn’t rushed to market. The cylinder turns clockwise and the cylinder release pulls rearward.to load and unload. Of course, the real answer could simply be that Colt just builds a better revolver when it comes to sending 357 Magnum downrange. The 2020 Python features modern stainless … [20] When this happens, the lockwork needs to be re-timed. Colt.com/Python Colt abandoned the commercial market & people, I have abandoned them! The gap between the cylinder and forcing cone is very tight, further aiding accuracy and velocity. [2] The six-inch model was the most popular generally, and the eight-inch model was intended for hunting. This Colt Python Target model includes an 8-inch barrel and RH thumb rest wooden grips. In a 2000 follow-up letter to distributors, the company cited changing market conditions and the costs of defending lawsuits as the reasons to discontinue the Python line, as well as a number of other models. Though it resembles a Python visually, it is substantially different internally. [10], The Colt Python was first introduced in 1955 as Colt's top-of-the-line model and was originally intended to be a large-frame .38 Special target revolver. The Colorado State Patrol issued 4-inch blue Pythons until their switch to the S&W .40 caliber autoloader. Old School Guns: These Are the Best .357 Magnum Revolvers of 2019. GI#: 101503518. With target grade components like the sights, hammer and trigger and the oh so familiar ventilated rib on the barrel; this rerelease was a thing of … Colt's lockwork has been enough to give me agita with their older double-action revolvers and while their revolvers of the 20th century were huge improvements over the late 19th century double actions like the Models 1877 and 1878; they were still problematic for a lot of smiths. Colt Python .357 - 1972 4" Magnum - .357 Magnum BuyItNow! "The Python was the first time we used the Colt Royal Blue finish," says Al. The Colt Python is intended for the premium revolver market segment. [10], Two variants of the Python were made in small numbers by Colt. The Colt Python is a .357 Magnum caliber revolver manufactured by Colt's Manufacturing Company of Hartford, Connecticut. Model 19 Classic: Smith & Wesson’s Retro Revolver Is Back! Cooper, Jeff, "Cooper on Handguns," Los Angeles, Petersen Publishing Co., 1974, P. 189. This revolver is a winner. The average group size was 1.28″. Mike has written over 2000 articles for a number of magazines, websites, and newsletters including Blade, RECOIL, OFF-GRID, Tactical Officer, SWAT, Tactical World, Gun Digest, Examiner.com and the US Concealed Carry Association as well as AmmoLand Shooting Sports News. Colt Python 357 with 6" Barrel Shoots Great (B8368-18) Dated 1978 - .357 Magnum $2,799.95: 0 $2,799.95 4d 11h 55m 17098656. [16], A Python, loaded with .357 Magnum semiwadcutter bullets, was used to murder Irish crime reporter Veronica Guerin in 1996, an act which resulted in the creation of the Criminal Assets Bureau. The Colt Python is a double action handgun chambered for the .357 Magnum cartridge, built on Colt's large I-frame. Eventually, they were priced well out of my reach and I gave up on the idea until Colt came through for me, unexpectedly. [1], A Colt Python with a 4-inch (10 cm) barrel and blued finish. Colt Python 2020 Review: The Greatest Revolver of All Time? Unfortunately, it was stolen from my truck about 12 years ago. Pythons have a distinct appearance due to a full barrel underlug, ventilated rib and adjustable sights. I moved on to other revolvers and of course semi-autos but that Python was special and almost always made a trip with me to the range. I left it in the truck because I had gotten to UPS too late and was going to try again in the morning. [17][18], Colt's Python revolvers are still popular on the used market and command high prices. Ballistics By The Inch tests including the Colt Python. I tested the Colt Python at 25 yards (75 feet) with an assortment of 38 special and 357 Magnum ammunition. Like the King Cobra and the King Cobra Target, the Python bears a recessed muzzle crown below an interchangeable front sight blade. A few days after the SHOT Show, a buddy asked what the best thing I saw was. I cannt remember the last time I saw PPC or any type of DA revolver match posted at any of the various ranges I have shot at around the country the past decade or so. [7] However, the revolver is not without its detractors. In December 2019, the new Python was introduced to a select group of gun writers at the oldest and most prestigious gun fighting school in the world, Gunsite Academy. Other revolvers have a hint of looseness even at full-cock. Pictures tell the story. $3,499.99 . Pythons have a reputation for accuracy, smooth trigger pull, and a tight cylinder lock-up. … With target grade components like the sights, hammer and trigger and the oh so familiar ventilated rib on the barrel; this rerelease was a thing of beauty. OUT OF STOCK (4) COLT KNG COBRA CRY 357 DA REV 2. by Gun News Daily. The new 6-inch barrel Colt Python has an unloaded weight of 46-ounces and an overall length of 11.5-inches. When I mentioned the Colt Python. The new Python ran like a Swiss watch and I cannot remember the last time I was this pleased with a new gun. In examining the new Python, I have a lot more confidence in shooting a regular diet of 357 Magnum through it than an older version due to the improvements that Colt has made. Hogue Wood Grip Goncalo Alves Colt Python I Frame. [2] The stainless steel and royal blue finishes were offered until 2003 by Colt on the Python "Elite" model. When the revolver is at full cock, just as the trigger is pressed, the cylinder locks up for the duration of the hammer strike. [19], Official Colt historian R.L. Colt last week issued an update to clarify some reported questions with their rebooted Python series of .357 Magnum revolvers.. Whether this was shooter error or a problem with an early batch from Colt, I have no idea. [1] It was first introduced in 1955, the same year as Smith & Wesson's M29 .44 Magnum. true price: $ 245.00 Both revolvers are 6 to 9 ounces lighter than Smith & Wesson's more powerful M29 .44 Magnum, which weighs 3.0 lbs in 6½-inch barrel configuration (1.36 kg). There were a few minor hiccups with a few of the first ones to roll off the assembly lines. I vowed I would find another. U.S.A. –-(AmmoLand.com)- Back in 1988, Colt Python was my gateway drug to handgun collecting. She gave me 20 years of great shooting and started to go out of time and she was going to be shipped off to a smith for some repair work. After all, the older Pythons were bringing in $2-3,000 each. Mike Searson’s career as a shooter began as a Marine Rifleman at age 17. Colt Python revolvers and all other Colt wheel guns are in big demand across the nation, with prices skyrocketing. The ported barrel includes a bear footprint. [8], The Python was originally available in two finishes: royal blue and bright nickel. They are still a bit pricey and can be hard to find, but the hunt is definitely worth it. [14][15] The move away from the Python is also being driven by the increasing number of law enforcement agencies which require officers to carry department-issue weapons (as a way to reduce liability). The Colt Product Innovation Team refined the design of the new Colt Python and performed rigorous testing, ensuring it meets the demands of shooters and collectors. OUT OF STOCK (0) UMAREX COLT 6 PYTHON 177 CAL BB. The double-action revolver originally debuted in 1955. [20] This is a condition in which the cylinder does not turn in exact alignment with the forcing cone, so a shooter may be sprayed with burning propellant when the gun is fired, or the gun may not fire when used as a double-action. No Reserve. The barrel comes in two lengths: 4.25 inches and 6 inches, and we were loaned the shorter of the two. New Colt Python Details. OUT OF STOCK (0) Hogue Colt Python Grip Rosewood. … The SCW features Colt’s patented one-piece monolithic upper receiver**and a Colt collapsible folding buttstock* for confined space combat operations and close quarters battle. The Python was a beefy, all steel and wood revolver chambered in.357 Magnum. Wilson described the Colt Python as "the Rolls-Royce of Colt revolvers",[4] and firearms historian Ian V. Hogg referred to it as the "best revolver in the world". Initially, only a blued finish was offered, but, befitting the gun, it wasn't just any blued finish. COLT PYTHON 8"BBL 357M . Some of the German proof marks are: German Eagle over letter "N" for for Ulm proof house, Crosshatched shield of ...Click for more info. [3] Colt originally manufactured Pythons with hollow underlugs but left them solid to work as a stabilizing barrel weight. One of seven mid-20th century Colt handguns named after snakes, the Python was introduced in 1955. If you are new to Colt revolvers, there are a few quirks. This makes the Python comparable to Smith and Wesson's premier .357, the M27, which weighs 2.6 lbs (42 ounces) with a 4-inch barrel. Colt … My original was a polished blue with Pachmayr grips because it was the 1980s but these Altamonts feel so superior. I bought a SW 629 5″ in 1985 to sidearm on hog hunting in western North Carolina and have loved it ever since. Perhaps as a younger man, I was a better shooter with regard to eyesight or was shooting a revolver at longer distances more often as opposed to a huge variety of pistols. OUT OF STOCK (31) Colt Mfg O1970CCS 1911 Competition 70 Series .45 ACP 5" 8+1 Blu. The Python was a beefy, all steel and wood revolver chambered in .357 Magnum. Colt was doing some very ambitious things with the new Python including a simplification of the internal parts. The situation is no different at Collectors Firearms, said owner Danny Clark, with some of the iconic Pythons he offers going for as much $4,000 apiece. When law-enforcement agencies realized that the 9 mm semi-automatic pistols fire a round with similar characteristics to the .38 Special with higher capacity, they began a migration to these, and other, semi-automatic pistol cartridges. Area Code: 601 . This Colt Python Target model includes an 8-inch barrel and RH thumb rest wooden grips. I would still like to see a new Python resplendent in that mirror-like high polish blue that made the original Pythons works of art and of course with these improvements to the lockwork, can a new Anaconda be in Colt's future? The new Python is built out of stronger stainless steel than the originals, and is available in 4.25" or 6" barrels with wood grips. Until then, I'll be happy shooting the new Python. When I received it, it felt like shaking hands with an old friend again. It was a hell of a night to get burgled. Colt's Manufacturing Company - firearms, handguns, pistols, rifles, revolvers. The barrel has the distinctive two slots in the ventilated rib, letting you know that this is the legendary Colt Python. He has worked in the firearms industry his entire adult life as a Gunsmith, Ballistician, Consultant, Salesman, Author and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1989. RELATED STORY. po deposit only: new colt python 2020 357 mag, stainless, 4.25" barrel, 6 rounds - new for 2020!!! Find out what's the same - and what's different. I’m kinda at a lost for words. [8] The reintroduced Python has been technically revised and reinforced compared to the original revolver. The Colt Python is a six-shot model and yes, six shots of.357 Magnum are a great idea for self-defense purposes. AmmoLand Giveaway – 5,000 Rounds of CCI Blazer 9mm Ammo FREE! Sees Shift in Colt Strike.". Colt Model 6 in. Building on Colt’s Snake Gun legacy, the legendary double-action revolver returns in stainless steel in 4.25” and 6” barrel lengths. [13] A Python Target model was made for several years in .38 Special only, in blue and nickel finishes. Pythons have a reputation for accuracy, smooth trigger pull, and a tight cylinder lock-up. Single-action pull was a surprisingly … Python (6") The Python is back! No Reserve. When evaluating a high-profile handgun that has a price tag over $1000; it is certainly something to keep in mind. Colt launched the new Python in late 2019 in the form of 6-shot stainless steel, double-action chambered in 38 Special/ 357 Magnum. [13] The Python Hunter was the first field-ready handgun hunting package made by a major handgun manufacturer. These are very mild target loads that average 700-750  fps. 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