Will Colt ever make "snake" revolvers again?

[Merc1138]

SIG started making the P210 again, it is priced at over $2000, and it seems to be selling well enough that Sig/Sauer is continuing production. I bet that if Colt (or a similar successor company, like Sauer for SIG) started production of pythons / king cobra / anaconda again, and sold then for $3000 apiece, they would make a profit and sell reasonable quantities.

Remember: Not everyone wants to buy the cheapest possible gun.

Sure, but is the cost to buy equipment and tooling the same? Plus the new p210 isn't the same as the original p210. Sure, not everyone wants a cheap gun and there are indeed people looking to pay a premium for a premium gun. The problem is whether or not Colt can do it and make a profit, they aren't a charity so unless they can do it and earn money at the same time there is just no reason to.

Obviously since none of us work for Colt anything we come up with about what is required for them to start production of double action revolvers is just speculation. However I don't believe that no one at Colt has considered this at some point.

[tmundy24]

I heard you can still get colt pythons through the custom shop as special orders and they are $3,000 to 4,000 for a new one. Is this true?

[Merc1138]

I heard you can still get colt pythons through the custom shop as special orders and they are $3,000 to 4,000 for a new one.

If that's true, I've never heard of anyone discussing such a recently manufactured acquisition. Surely someone would be bragging about that. The only reference I can find is here http://www.chuckhawks.com/colt_python_revolvers.htm and even that says they quit in 2005.

[tmundy24]

yea it says they discontinued python production in 2005, but it says it will still be made in the custom shop. custom shop is not a general production gun, like the python was before they ended it in 2005.

[Merc1138]

yea it says they discontinued python production in 2005, but it says it will still be made in the custom shop. custom shop is not a general production gun, like the python was before they ended it in 2005.

That's not quite what it says.

At the 1998 SHOT Show I was told by one of the Colt factory reps that all Python revolvers would henceforth be produced entirely in the Custom Shop. In 2005 the Python was discontinued altogether.

It says it was discontinued in 2005 altogether after production had been delegated to the custom shop in 1998.

Sure, you could probably pay a ridiculous amount of money to have Colt make one for you, but that doesn't mean it's something they'd be willing to take orders for even at the custom shop on a regular basis. like I said, I have yet to run across anyone bragging about a recent brand new python acquisition from Colt. That doesn't necessarily mean it hasn't happened, I just find it unlikely that such buyers would all be dead silent about it.

[Jel]

It seems that everyone agrees that it would just not be cost effective for Colt to start making the snake revolvers again. The tooling and craftsmanship is would be too costly. Such a shame on several levels.

[Gryff]

Sig started making the P210 again, it is priced at over $2000, and it seems to be selling well enough that SigSauer is continuing production. I bet that if Colt (or a similar successor company, like USFA has done for single-action revolvers) started production of pythons / king cobra / anaconda again, and sold then for $3000 apiece, they would make a profit and sell reasonable quantities.

A $3K Python would only sell a few hundred a year. Yeah, sure, the first year or two they might sell decently, but after the glamor of the re-release wore off, the sticker shock would remain.

BTW, have you checked USFA's website for their prices on Single Action Army's? You might have trouble, since they are getting out of the SAA business.

[dreyna14]

I wish I had my dad's old King Cobra. Shot it a lot as a kid and always loved it.

[rsacks]

As others have said, I think the days of hand made revolvers are over. Shame...

[JohnCCW]

Colt quality, or lack of it, killed their DA revolvers. I had an Anaconda that couldn't handle moderate reloads without going out of time. Sold it and bought a S&W Mod.29 Classic DX. A superior gun in every way. The fit and finish of the Colt was crap. Looked cool with the vent. rib and all, but that's it.
I suppose the Python maintained their reputation during it's run, but it came at a super-premium cost.