Chance to buy a Python

[georound1]

I'd appreciate any thoughts:
Buddy of mine wants to sell a Colt Python in 357 with a 4" barrel. Bluing is maybe 80% as it was a duty gun for some time. It has a set of John Hurst grips in rough condition. I'm not much of a revolver guy, but the trigger is amazing! Don't know if it's been worked on or not, maybe all Pythons are this good. I can say that I've never even felt a better 1911 trigger. So, no box either.
So, what's it worth? If I pick it up, refinish or not? Would the year/serial number effect the value?
Thanks!

[PandaLuv]

Most of them in 99% condition cost around $1300 and up, I think $700 is a good offer.


Though I saw a calgunner that got his for $600 and his colt python was 99%, lucky son of a gun.

[compulsivegunbuyer]

My guess is 700-800 is the going rate for a shooter Python. I would not refinish it. Shoot it. Ask him what he want's for it. I bought a 4" stainless from a buddy's brother for $600. That was a screaming deal. I ended up reselling it for $1200 to a friend who kept bugging me that he had to have it.

[morrcarr67]

I would not buy it if I were you.

I would give me his number so I could buy it.

Of course you should buy it. The Colt Python is simply put the best revolver ever made.

[saki302]

$700-800 is a buddy price on a shooter python. You won't find one for sale on this forum for less than $1000-1100 regardless of the condition- closer to $1400+ for a clean one.

-Dave

[wtkaiser]

"...best revolver ever made"? That's a rather sweeping statement. It's a goodie, admittedly. But it really should be fed a diet of .38 specials or "357 -P" ammunition, if you forgive my usage of my personal nomenclature. The very things that make it such a sweet shooter make it inappropriate to shoot a steady diet of full power ammunition.
But for 700? Heck yeah!

[Zula]

Of course you should buy it. They're not gonna get any cheaper.

[georound1]

"... But it really should be fed a diet of .38 specials or "357 -P" ammunition, if you forgive my usage of my personal nomenclature. The very things that make it such a sweet shooter make it inappropriate to shoot a steady diet of full power ammunition.
But for 700? Heck yeah!

That's interesting, can you expand on that a bit? Extra wear on the mechanism? In comparing the gap between the cylinder and barrel versus a Smith 66, this one has double the gap. Would that indicate 357 loads? Again, I'm not so familiar with revolvers.

I appreciate the comments so far... I can't imagine losing money on this one. I'd finally consolidated on one caliber of ammo....

[littlejake]

If you don't take it... I'm just down the street!

[Army]

Pythons, in order to get that silky smooth trigger pull, have less than stout internals. A steady diet of full power loads will let it go out of time (cylinder does not revolve, align, and lock correctly each shot). This is normal for Pythons, and can be expected to have already happened to a used one.

Shooting regular .38 Special will alleviate this problem, as the battering is literally tons less than magnum ammo. The Colt factory will re-time it for a fee, if you are willing to not see your gun for many months while it gets cured. Or, you can search in your area for a qualified Python 'smith that will help you.

Mine went out of time in double action, but still locks up tight and correct in single action. It is funny, that my Bisley model made in 1906 is tighter than my "modern" Python

[jpscoot_21]

My guess is that it hasn't been shot too much if it was carried as a duty gun by the original owner. If the bolt under the cylinder locks before the hammer falls you're good. If the bolt lifts before the cylinder starts turning that's good too. The part that gets worn is the hand that pushes the ratchet, as that part is pushing on the ratchet when a cartridge is fired. I'd offer a fair price and take it right over to a gunsmith with a good reputation to check it, or call Colt.

[saki302]

The Pythons have too many tiny internal parts- it's built like a Swiss watch, not necessarily a good thing. The S&W and Ruger internals are much simpler and more robust.

IMO a tuned S&W also has a superior trigger to a tuned Python- it takes a great gunsmith to tweak the stacking out of the Pyton's DA pull.

Only thing is- IMO the Python is the most beautiful revolver ever made. I can just stare at the thing.

-Dave

[bsg]

if you pick this Python up... i'd suggest you not refinish; value will be negatively affected if refinished.

[g17owner]

Pythons, in order to get that silky smooth trigger pull, have less than stout internals. A steady diet of full power loads will let it go out of time (cylinder does not revolve, align, and lock correctly each shot). This is normal for Pythons, and can be expected to have already happened to a used one.

Shooting regular .38 Special will alleviate this problem, as the battering is literally tons less than magnum ammo. The Colt factory will re-time it for a fee, if you are willing to not see your gun for many months while it gets cured. Or, you can search in your area for a qualified Python 'smith that will help you.

Mine went out of time in double action, but still locks up tight and correct in single action. It is funny, that my Bisley model made in 1906 is tighter than my "modern" Python

+100%. If i was going to go for a colt to shoot the heck out of I would go a Trooper MKIII. Built stouter then the python and cheaper to boot. If you want a good medium frame revolver that can handle a good amount of magnum round then a 586/686 is your best bet. I prefer N frame revolvers like the model 27 or 28 but those are large frames.

[battleship]

This is all the nudging you will need.
And they are addictive.