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[rider209]

I don't think those grips are legit.
Gun is still awesome

[Wyatt Burp]

I don't think those grips are legit.
Gun is still awesome

As stated, I found the grips on Craig's List about 13 years after getting the gun. It came with Pachmayr rubbers. After I got the gun I found a pair of $7 Python grips at the flea market and sanded them to fit. I love the feel but now realize that I turned a $200 pair of grips into a $40 pair by doing that. Here they are on the gun in a holster I made for a guy's 8" Python. I swapped out the gold medallions for silver ones.

[nickel plate]

I don't think those grips are legit.
Gun is still awesome

What makes you say that? Gen III style is correct for a 1980 Python, grip screw and slot angle look correct, checkering footprint, shape and size looks correct.
Just looking at the exterior photo and nothing else to go on, I say they are correct.

OP, on the inside of the two grip panels, are there (usually three or four digits) ink hand written or rubberstamped matching sets of numbers? I say matching because they were inventoried in pairs but it's always possible to come up with a non matched set, usually when purchased from outside of Colt.
Photos below are of two different Gen III original pairs-inside and out.

[Wyatt Burp]

What makes you say that? Gen III style is correct for a 1980 Python, grip screw and slot angle look correct, checkering footprint, shape and size looks correct.
Just looking at the exterior photo and nothing else to go on, I say they are correct.

OP, on the inside of the two grip panels, are there (usually three or four digits) ink hand written or rubberstamped matching sets of numbers? I say matching because they were inventoried in pairs but it's always possible to come up with a non matched set, usually when purchased from outside of Colt.
Photos below are of two different Gen III original pairs-inside and out.

Mine are a little different than yours on the back. As opposed to being flat, they are slightly inletted for no apparent reason, and there's no large circle cut out. I always thought they were right for the gun, though not original to it. And there are no numbers written on the back. Here's the other side.
thanks for the expertise on them.

[CALI-gula]

Nice. As I'm leaning toward letting go some more of my rare Pythons, I see a thread like this and then get second thoughts.

.

[TripleThreat]

I "almost" sold my 6" Nickel Python (unfired) out of the blue as fellow CGer offered me $3,500....I was talking about it in passing with one on my friends.... "Are you nucking futs!?! You'll never get a gun like that again!"

He was right.

Triple

[BigPimping]

Super nice OP.....great wife btw.

[claylakers]

^ this

[TripleThreat]

This is how you stayed married, sharing lives, not controlling them. I feel sorry for the guys that same their girlfriend won't let them have a gun.....


Triple

[dfletcher]

Mine are a little different than yours on the back. As opposed to being flat, they are slightly inletted for no apparent reason, and there's no large circle cut out. I always thought they were right for the gun, though not original to it. And there are no numbers written on the back. Here's the other side.
thanks for the expertise on them.

Until about 1961 the Python used fully checkered stocks. From 1961 to about 1974 the design was similar to that shown on your pistol, however the top checkering border wasn't straight. The top border was in the same location, but it carried a concave "half moon" curve widely following the medallion. The straight top border started about 1974. Python medallions have always been gold.

If your Python is 1980 manufacture I would say the stocks are the correct type.

[nickel plate]

Mine are a little different than yours on the back. As opposed to being flat, they are slightly inletted for no apparent reason, and there's no large circle cut out. I always thought they were right for the gun, though not original to it. And there are no numbers written on the back. Here's the other side.
thanks for the expertise on them.

Curious as to what appears to be a capitol letter "Z" which is struck on the frame just aft of the trigger guard and partially hidden under the grip. Is that possibly something indicative to the E Nickels? Never seen it before on a blued, standard nickel or stainless Python.

[Wyatt Burp]

Curious as to what appears to be a capitol letter "Z" which is struck on the frame just aft of the trigger guard and partially hidden under the grip. Is that possibly something indicative to the E Nickels? Never seen it before on a blued, standard nickel or stainless Python.

I brought this up at Colt Forum a couple years ago and a couple people thought it was stamped on guns that were used for displays or shows and then stamped before being sold to the public. Beats me if that's the case. But I never seen it before.