This seemed cool so I thought I’d share it with everyone.
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When you really need to go big:
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Anyone at the SHOT show? I was unable to go this year.
Yesterday I inherited a Colt Python from my uncle. I wish I was getting it a few decades in the future, he went too soon. I believe it was his favorite gun. I went out shooting with him a few times and really liked the way it shot. It seemed like I could fairly reliably hit a coke can from 100 feet with it. My perception of it was that it was quite accurate / precise for a pistol (as someone who has shot maybe 10 or so pistols, so not a huge statement there). He had been telling me I’d get it when he died for a few years. I think he wanted it to go to someone that liked it close to how much he did (although, I am not going to keep it loaded on the night stand like he did). I got the receipt for it with the gun, which shows he bought it in 1988, so I am assuming it is around that old.
I don’t know a ton about guns. From what I gather, this a pretty solid gun, and somewhat in demand (not that I’d sell it). Probably went up in demand with the walking dead show (it’s shown a lot, as the main character’s gun).
Anyone know anything unusual about it (see picture below). Any cool facts or anything? I am thinking it would be cool to get some sort of customization to commemorate my uncle. I was think perhaps a walnut handle with engraving or something (since it just has the rubber handle currently). Any suggestions there.
Here it is:
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I’m not an expert, but my very knowledgeable friends who collect guns absolutely covet the older Pythons. Definitely a keeper and a “pass it down to your kids” kinda gun.
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My sympathies about your uncle. I would read up on care and care for it well, then pass it on as Chris suggested. What you have is intrinsically different from my new production Python.
They are very accurate and so are the new production ones. If you measure the cost of buying one like mine and running it for shooting against the potential long term value loss against your collectible, the new revolver is likely to “pay” for itself.
That’s one way you could talk yourself or your spouse into it. You could even do all of your customization to THAT Python, and pass them down as a pair.
Stocks are easily changed but consider the value loss engraving might have in it. They aren’t making any more of those.
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As for cool facts, IIRC Colt used walrus hide in the manufacturing of Pythons, maybe to polish the action. They are also fitted about as precisely as was attainable prior to modern CNC manufacturing. Note how narrow the cylinder gap is.
They are a relic of 20th century manufacturing methods, which helps to impart some of their value.
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Thank you!
Is it worth that much? New ones are around $1500. From a bit of googling, I’ve found that used ones are in that ballpark, but perhaps the website was outdated or wrong.
Is there much wear from just shooting a gun if it’s cleaned and oiled? Or it least is there much wear that is irreversible? I do understand that as you cycle the mechanism, things get worn, pin connections get loose, etc… But I’d think if oiled well, it would be 10s of thousands of rounds before wear that impacted the performance would start occurring?
Perhaps we may not be on the same page as far as use goes. I’ll likely shoot this gun, but I’ll probably end up averaging something like 20 rounds of ammo a year. Is that enough to be worried about?
I watched a YouTube video (Honest Outlaw) on it. He did go over that. Kinda said the old ones were more labor intensive with the build (gunsmith work, file, grinding and such involved), new ones are more CNC controlled. I don’t think one is better or worse, especially with how far CNC has come since the 1960s.
I would keep the ones on it as is. They can be swapped in and out, right? I was thinking about getting non OEM stocks to put on. Perhaps a walnut handle with engraving. I don’t really want to do custom stuff that is not able to be reverted back.
I’ve read they are sought after, I wasn’t sure what the extent was. Kinda hard to gauge when the article was about the Python haha. I wasn’t sure if it was a universal gun collector want, or niche type of thing.
Maybe @Bauber could answer that better, but it depends on the condition of the gun. If it’s in really pristine condition, I’d keep it that way.
A quick search shows that 3k is the auction ballpark, not 1500. That’s what the new ones are going for.
They are well built guns and value won’t tank if you shoot it occasionally, but I can see those being really valuable in another 50 years or so.
Your new python would also hold it’s value fairly well. Here’s a 1988 stainless 6” in auction right now.
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That is double what I thought as of today, or at least a third more (I figured 2K tops). TBH, I was surprised to see $1500-$2000 being thrown around for a used revolver, when I was googling last night. That googling didn’t have any context though, for example, I didn’t know until today that production is segmented into gen 1 (beginning to early 2,000s?), and gen 2, which is roughly 2020-2025. As of yesterday before googling, my gut feeling was that it was about half, or $750. It doesn’t matter too much, as I am not going to sell it, but it is cool to know it is a desirable gun.
It is in close to pristine from the looks of it (again, I am not an expert). No scratches, and everything seemed really tight and smooth. The cylinder glides in and out, and the action is smooth.
I’ll probably shoot it some. He’d want it to get shot I think. I’ll just keep it to a few rounds at a time. He was a cool dude. You would have liked him I think. He lived up in the woods in northern MN. Kinda a hillbilly, rocked a mullet a lot of the time. I used to say he adapted to life with one hand because he would do most two handed jobs with one, to leave the other free to smoke with. Big into outdoors stuff, lots of hunting and fishing. Did a bit of snowmobile racing back in the day. Just way too soon (he was 62).
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Right, you were looking at used “new” Colt Pythons of the current generation. That’s what I was planting the idea of buying into your head. It is a different gun than what you have, but has many similar qualities and are engineered more ruggedly.
From a collector’s point of view, they aren’t making any more of what you have, and even if they recreated the entire process to the exact print of the 1980’s, the new ones still wouldn’t be “the same” to collectors.
Sentimental value is part of the value it has to you too, so it is all stuff to consider for how you want to use it or not use it. As long as you continue to care for it 20 rounds a year or so will barely leave a scratch, but be warned that shit sometimes happens and you end up scratching it, dropping it, etc.
Even with use like you’re describing it should work perfectly fine in 100 years, as long as it is cared for.
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Depends on the year, model, and condition is HUGE when looking at pricing OG Pythons.
They can range greatly. I’ve picked up a few steals on older Pythons over the years.
I wouldn’t be surprised if you could easily get $3K or more. As a Python collector and connoisseur, I’d pay $3K for it.
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Main difference besides metal quality and engineering is how the trigger is done. The newer Pythons have fewer trigger mechanism parts and are smoother.
Which is amazing because the older Pythons have good triggers too.
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I watched a Youtube with a side by side of the new and old. The reviewer mentioned that he thought the new trigger was smoother, but that the old one had a click that can be heard and felt right before firing with the old python that wasn’t there on the new one when using double action. He thought that having that click made firing double action easier for him. That might just be a preference thing?
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There are mechanical differences in the triggers and I’m sure you could sense them if you had one next to another. I haven’t shot an OG Python since the 1990’s, so I can’t really say how different they feel.
Both old and new Pythons are generally regarded as having some of the best triggers of any production revolver. I carry a Smith and Wesson 642 with a long, gritty and heavy pull that’s nothing like my Python. I wish it were, but it’s a $400 grab-and-go carry option for when I don’t want to rig up with my carry belt and my all-around better Sig P365.
Like all things firearms, preference is inherently subjective.
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Definitely a preference.
Both have great triggers.
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Picked up a classic blackjack for the heck of it. 14 oz.
My grandfather’s shotgun for size reference.
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Does it work on squirrels?
Man, that would require some fast human reflexes! But if you could connect… splat city. 
