Will Colt ever make "snake" revolvers again?

[Jel]

Just wondering why Colt has not revived their line of large caliber revolvers? It would seem the market is ripe for the pickings, especially now.

Would love to see NEW Pythons, Diamondbacks, Boas, Vipers, Anacondas, Cobras and King Cobras come off their manufacturing line.

I've heard some people say that it just costs too much to manufacture nowadays. But it would seem reasonable to think that if the market will bear it, they could price them at a point that would make it worth their while.

Anyone have or know any good reasons?

[alfred1222]

I'd buy a colt pistol over a smith any day. Actually I would buy multiple colt pistols

[kurac]

they might in name but they won't be made like they were in the past.

[myk]

Not only that, but you can bet the price on new "snake" guns will make panic-buy prices on AR's and 'ammo seem sane...

[G-forceJunkie]

I doubt they still have the old world craftsmen to make such revolvers.

[Gryff]

The hand tuning that went into the Python/Diamondback would require it to be sold for $2000-3000 today to be profitable. They could never sell a reasonable enough amount to make it worthwhile for them.

[penguinofsleep]

i'd be really happy and buy a python or two if they did. hate saying this, but none of the snake guns ive seen/held/used ever felt quite "right" in my hands aside from the python. no doubt that they are very fine firearms though. i imagine if they had streamlined their processes earlier, cut a few models from the line, etc. they could still have at least the python today.

as for labor, it seems like a lot of their 1911's already involve some degree of semi to skilled labor by individuals. i don't see how/why these same skilled laborers couldn't be trained to work on a python. while their 1911s don't have many features and may seem lacking at first glance (i know i was underwhelmed my first time), it wasn't until closer/further inspection and use that i realize that the little bit extra workmanship and quality are probably the biggest things colt 1911s have going for them (excluding some of the lemons from the 90's).

[Merc1138]

I doubt that they could get production of those revolvers going again and get the price under $2,000, or be able to sell them in enough volume to get the price per unit down. Having a high cost revolver >$1000 drastically cuts down on the number of potential buyers.

You also have to consider that the only reason the older colt revolvers go for so much, is because there aren't tons of them. Sure, they aren't really rare, but they still aren't common. Also, even if they started making new revolvers, would people be willing to pay as much for the "new" one? We know very well that it's not going to be the same staff, may not even be the same equipment or materials. Any design changes that might come along with manufacturing equipment changes would be just about guaranteed to alienate the diehard fans. Because of all of that, I don't see colt selling as many revolvers as they manage to sell 1911's, and unless it would just be a turn-key operation for them to start doing so(and we all know it isn't), it's even more unlikely to happen.

[RickD427]

I'm with most of the above posters. The "snake" guns were real pieces of art, but the sad fact is they are probably no longer economically viable to produce.

The "Rattler" is probably going the be only surviving snake gun.

[SunkenShadow]

I was actually doing some reading about this not too long ago on a diff forum....with the current market being dominated by S&W mainly and Ruger, it is unlikely they will come out with a snake gun again, let alone a revolver. The only real revolver they currently have in prod is the Colt SAA (4th gen?), but the main issue is the fact that cost would be too high to produce, therefore too high to sell.

[sigstroker]

Geez, you guys are way too romantic about Pythons. There was nothing all that special about them other than their looks. They used archaic leaf springs when Smith was using modern coil springs. When I was buying my first revolver, I seriously considered a Python. I believe it was less than 300 bucks at the time. I ended up buying a Dan Wesson because it was smoother than the Python. Sure I would have been money ahead with the Python had I hung onto it, but there was little or no "hand tuning" that went into it. It was no better or smoother than any other decent revolver made at the time.

[Quiet]

During the late-1990s, when Colt decided to concentrate on Mil/Gov/LE sales only and discontinued all double-action revolvers, they ended up converting and selling off the tooling/machinery used to make them.

During the mid-2000s, they said it would no longer be profitable to try and restart up double-action revolver production.

Last double-action revolver project they were working on was the Colt Survivor.

[Gryff]

Geez, you guys are way too romantic about Pythons. There was nothing all that special about them other than their looks. They used archaic leaf springs when Smith was using modern coil springs. When I was buying my first revolver, I seriously considered a Python. I believe it was less than 300 bucks at the time. I ended up buying a Dan Wesson because it was smoother than the Python. Sure I would have been money ahead with the Python had I hung onto it, but there was little or no "hand tuning" that went into it. It was no better or smoother than any other decent revolver made at the time.

I think someone handed you a Rossi and told you it was a Colt.

Your opinion is not going to be echoed by those who have shot both Colts and S&Ws. I will say, though, that the S&W is easier to work on, and can have superior triggers after work by a top-notch gunsmith. But the Python/Diamondback lines had the finest out-of-box triggers/actions of any American revolver that I've ever shot.

[Vin63]

I doubt they still have the old world craftsmen to make such revolvers.

X2...or the old tools and tooling.

[timmyb21]

During the late-1990s, when Colt decided to concentrate on Mil/Gov/LE sales only and discontinued all double-action revolvers, they ended up converting and selling off the tooling/machinery used to make them.

During the mid-2000s, they said it would no longer be profitable to try and restart up double-action revolver production.

Last double-action revolver project they were working on was the Colt Survivor.

That would be AWESOME!!!! I want one.