Advice needed on Colt Python

I called Colt this morning...they said it would be $275 to refinish in the Royal Blue.

Some say don't do it because it will ruin the value. I don't care too much about that, since I didn't buy the gun to re-sell or trade. I wanted to have a great shooting piece. The finish won't affect the shooting...either as is, or refinished. Of course, if I have it refinished, I won't want to get more scratches on it, but I won't be overly paranoid about it since I know it won't be worth much (to someone else, anyway.) It will just look nicer to me. I guess I also don't want someone else to think that I didn't take care of this fine revolver (but then, that's not a major concern to me anyway...when someone offers to buy me a gun, then I will really worry about their opinion.)

So, what to do?

One nice bonus...I have a very nice Triple K basket weave thumb-snap leather holster that I had made for an Alaskan that I traded in recently. I had been planning on selling the holster, since I now longer have the Alaskan, but I hadn't gotten around to it yet. I tried the Python in it, and it fits just fine.
 
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Well, GKC, what to do is whatever makes you happy! Trite, but absolutely true. Your call!

Re the unique looks of the Python, that sexy bbl with the rib, you hear stories about why it looks that way. My favorite is heat dissipation! Yep, the idea that the vented rib somehow dissipates heat better, and therefore makes it shoot better. (Har!)

Actually, if you look at an early experimental model in RL Wilson's The Book of Colt Firearms, there is a pic of an Officer's Model (Special, I think it was) with a King rib on it. Very close to a Python. Add the lug/ejector shroud and you're there. The point of the King rib is weight for the target shooter, a heavier bbl being easier to shoot bullyseye with for most people. Hence bull bbls.

So if you were to manufacture a gun with a bbl weight of a certain weight from the git go, you'd just make it that weight and forget the vented rib look.

But, that Python vented rib and underlug make for a very sexy looking gun! It's made that way 'cause it looks cool! Makes perfect sense to me. I like good lookin' guns!

Buddy of mine owned a TL once with a 4" bbl and a King rib. I only saw a picture of it, but, boy, that was a looker. :)
 
I carried a old .357 trooper for many years. I foolishly sold it, and durring or since, I have two pythons. Had colt simply went to a ejector houseing and dropped the rib, I think would have been the best of both worlds. Yes, I know the mark III or lawman is like that, but it isnt! They went to a different cheaper action and shorter grip frame on those.
Here is a couple troopers I have. The blue one is .22 LR, nickle, .38 special and my two pythons. Dont worry, my smiths still out number them.

HPIM1735.jpg


Guns145-1.jpg


IMG_0946_edited.jpg
 
GKC said:
I called Colt this morning...they said it would be $275 to refinish in the Royal Blue.
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That's nice to know. I've been wondering what Colt would charge for a good refinish. I doubt I'll send mine in, but I've still been thinking about it. I wouldn't think it would actually hurt the value, especially with a factory refinish. Either it's worth less because it's worn or it's worth less because it's a re-blue. Same difference, and with a re-blue, it's back to being a real purty gun!
 
Sven said:
That's nice to know. I've been wondering what Colt would charge for a good refinish. I doubt I'll send mine in, but I've still been thinking about it. I wouldn't think it would actually hurt the value, especially with a factory refinish. Either it's worth less because it's worn or it's worth less because it's a re-blue. Same difference, and with a re-blue, it's back to being a real purty gun!
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Well, that's the price they estimated...when I asked them if I needed to send payment with the gun, they said no, they would inspect it and then send me an invoice with the final price, and I would pay it then before work was done.

To tell the truth, I'm on the fence about this...it may be typical buyer's remorse, but if so, it's the first gun purchase I've regretted. Selling them, yes, I've regretted selling or trading them...but so far, I haven't regretted a purchase.

I called the guy I bought it from, and he said he would take it back and give me store credit or the equal allowance on trade for something else. (I've bought several guns from him here lately, and he is fair.) It would be the only older gun I have now...I know lots of guys here like them, but I like new stuff. That's just me. (Fortunately, my wife doesn't feel the same way about husbands...she is content to keep her beat up, rusty, cranky old guy.) In fact, today I traded the 1972 model 36 I bought for a Colt Lightweight Commander XSE...so if I do return the Python, everything I have will have been made in the 2000s.

I'll be surprised the ATF doesn't send a swat team to my door, with all the buying, selling, and trading I've been doing in the last 30 days. :eek:
 
GKC, I doubt the ATF will knock at your door. I haven't bought anything since my accident, but when I was...well they might have flown over the house once or twice.

What kind of remorse are you having about the Python? What kind of condition is it in mechanically? The only guns I ever had reblued was because of rust and pitting. I eventually guite doing that, especially after I got the first one back an it was three shades of purple and had a thumb print in the sideplate, and just oiled them up real good and used OOOO steel wool to clean off any rust. At least shoot it some before you decide to get rid of it.


If vent rib barrels are sexy, I have a Taurus 669 that should pose for Playboy. And a Llama Comanche III that could be the centerfold for Hustler. I agree with Onomea, the heavy barrel is to cater to the bullseye crowd. But I don't shoot bullseye, not competition anyway, and prefer a lighter, tapered barrel. No ribs, no shrouds.
 
Jellybean said:
GKC, I doubt the ATF will knock at your door. I haven't bought anything since my accident, but when I was...well they might have flown over the house once or twice.

What kind of remorse are you having about the Python? What kind of condition is it in mechanically? The only guns I ever had reblued was because of rust and pitting. I eventually guite doing that, especially after I got the first one back an it was three shades of purple and had a thumb print in the sideplate, and just oiled them up real good and used OOOO steel wool to clean off any rust. At least shoot it some before you decide to get rid of it.


If vent rib barrels are sexy, I have a Taurus 669 that should pose for Playboy. And a Llama Comanche III that could be the centerfold for Hustler. I agree with Onomea, the heavy barrel is to cater to the bullseye crowd. But I don't shoot bullseye, not competition anyway, and prefer a lighter, tapered barrel. No ribs, no shrouds.
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The ATF comment was a joke...although I did have one dealer from whom I had bought several guns gripe about having to fill out that form they have to do when you buy more than one gun in a 5 day period...as he was grumbling, I just resolved to not buy from him again. The other three local shops never peeped about it at all...they were glad to get my business.

I don't know why I just don't feel easy about the Python...it seems to be in good mechanical condition. Like I said, I tend to like "new" things, especially when it comes to handguns. For another, it is the only .357 I have now (I do have a model 40 for a BUG.) I have one .44 special, and then the rest are all .45 ACP. I think I am trying to talk myself into trading it for a 325 Night Guard, which is .45 ACP too.

I am a complex and difficult individual, as my wife lovingly tells me. I'm sure others would say I'm just a nut case. :eek:
 
The only person that calls me a nut case is my wife, nobody else can get visitation priviledges to talk to me.

Ken, like I said, try to shoot it first. You certainly wouldn't hurt the value by putting a box of ammo, or two, through it. I really have to hate a gun before I get rid of it and rarely do I hate one until I've shot it. Besides, you can't be too complex if you're trying to keep your calibers to a minimum.
 
Go shoot the darn gun! When I was a young guy I must have not hit on a thousand chicks because I thought them too beautifull for a ugly guy like me! Later I found out some like ugly guys. Sounds like you are telling yourself that you dont deserve that fine gun!
 
'Tell ya what, I have two Pythons -- the 2 1/2" pictured before and a 4", both bought close to 15 years ago. Paid $325 for the 4" and it was an ugly gun! Obvious holster wear, dirty like you wouldn't believe and had a set of broken after market target grips. It cleaned up real well and now wears a set of Hogue non-finger grooved pao ferro grips. It's a great shooter I have no real reason to get rid of.
Python4-1.jpg


Besides the holster wear, the 2 1/2" has some bad places I'm not sure how they even got there. Probably dropped on the pavement. Like I mentioned before it was at one time a stolen gun. (This is one gun I wish could talk!) But I actually prefer shooting the 2 1/2" over the 4". At least this one came with the original grips which I still have. Put the Eagle's on it because I was using it for CCW for a while.

I would strongly recommend taking it to the range and at least putting some .38 spls through it. You're gonna love it! And as nice as a prestine gun looks, there's something about a little blueing wear that does add character to a handgun.

Now that 4" .22 Diamondback I have in the safe will never see a holster again! My gun club holds a memorial .22 pistol match in the spring and has seperate classes for iron and optical sights. I took the iron sight match this year by swapping back to the 7" iron sighted barrel on my M41. Win, lose or draw, I have already decided to shoot the Diamondback in the match next year!

BTW, where are the pics of that Python???
 
Well, right or wrong, I went back to the gun shop this morning, and traded the Python back to him for a new S&W model 325 Night Guard in .45 ACP.

I feel better now, so it was the right thing for me. :)
 
Congrats, Ken! There ya go: It's all about what makes you happy! :)

(Now 'scuse me while I go off an oggle a Llama Comanche III. Oooooooooh....! ;))
 
Is that your nice way of calling me a simpleton?
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I don't think so, since I never do anything in a nice way. I hope you like the Nightguard, I'm not into anything new from S&W. It's the same, different strokes for different folks argument that we just had. Only you will be able to tell if you like it or not.

(Now 'scuse me while I go off an oggle a Llama Comanche III. Oooooooooh....! )
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You too! I wish mine was the satin nickle version, but that deep blue looks pretty good also. I never did adjust the scope on mine either.
 
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