Python Prices.. Shooting Times 1978

ditrina · Apr 24, 2016

I was thumbing through some really old magazines, and found the March 1978 Shooting Times with a cover story on the Colt Python..

Prices shown are adjusted for inflation..

The list prices from Colt were

6 inch blue $349.00 = $1,329.26 Today
6 inch nickel $369.00 = $1,405.44 Today

4 inch blue $344.00 = $1,310.22 Today
4 inch nickel $364.00 = $1,386.39 Today

2 1/2 inch blue $339.00 = $1,291.18 Today

Ahh... for the good old days

pinoakflats · Apr 24, 2016

yep

That would have been a good weeks pay check back then, or two bad weeks!!

Xfuzz · Apr 24, 2016

ditrina said:
I was thumbing through some really old magazines, and found the March 1978 Shooting Times with a cover story on the Colt Python..

The list prices from Colt were

6 inch blue $349.00 = $1,329.26 Today
6 inch nickel $369.00 = $1,405.44 Today

4 inch blue $344.00 = $1,310.22 Today
4 inch nickel $364.00 = $1,386.39 Today

2 1/2 inch blue $339.00 = $1,291.18 Today

Ahh... for the good old days

I will take one each of your
listed "today" prices.

Big E3 · Apr 24, 2016

That's funny, I bought my 6" blue one in 78 for $389. Must have been some mark up even back then. I know I had a hard time finding mine. They were not that easy to come by in the gun shops around here.

Warren Sear · Apr 24, 2016

I bought a new blue 6" Python in 1982 for $440. That has to be one of the most over-rated guns ever. Sold it and moved on...

Cocked & Locked · Apr 24, 2016

Pythons outran the inflation rate increase. The shorter the barrel the higher the price.

68sixspeed · Apr 24, 2016

You are $1-2k low on your 'today' prices... Or is that the inflation adjusted value of the 1979 price?

Cocked & Locked · Apr 25, 2016

I read post #1 not to mean current prices for Pythons today but what a Python should cost us today due to $ inflation...not Python inflation.

SC_Mike · Apr 25, 2016

I should have invested my money in Colts instead of Betamax players...

ditrina · Apr 25, 2016

68sixspeed said:
You are $1-2k low on your 'today' prices... Or is that the inflation adjusted value of the 1979 price?

Adjusted for inflation..

coltle6920 · Apr 25, 2016

There's inflation and then there's reality...

6" Python at my LGS w/box and paperwork for $3300.

No thanks!

jtcarm · Apr 27, 2016

Think that's bad, find one from the early 60s and flip through the mail-order/surplus ads in the back to see the $29.99 Hi-Powers, etc.

Old Corp · Apr 27, 2016

I was working at an LGS in that general time frame. I'm sure we sold some Pythons, but as Bullseye and PPC was the rage right then, we stayed fairly busy selling and sending M10's and M14's off to Jim Clark's shop in Louisiana (or was it Alabama?)

Jdavis · Apr 27, 2016

Clark's was in Lousiana and still is and run by his son. I bought several Pythons back in the day. They ran around $390 new. I sold them off over the years. Wish that I had kept them along with a few N-frame Smiths that I let go.

jmace57 · Apr 27, 2016

In 1977, I wanted to buy a .357 revolver. The Python was $325 and the S&W Model 19 was $225. I remember thinking that I had never felt a gun so smooth when I was handling the Python. But, as a college student, I just didn't have the money. I ended up buying the Model 19 (4" nickel) which I still have today. (See my avatar picture). Regrets? Not really.

44wheelman · Apr 27, 2016

In 1993 my 6" Bright Stainless Python cost me $590. My $265 Dan Wesson shot group sizes that were half as big at 25 yds. Don't regret selling it... just the financial gains I missed out on.

chud333 · Apr 27, 2016

If only i had the foresight to stash a few away back in 1978...

But then, i was at that time a Senior in High School so 350
bucks might as well have been a million bucks.

Chuck

Cocked & Locked · Apr 27, 2016

I've got a 1957 catalog from Sports. Inc. in Chicago. This catalog has both the retail prices and the "dealer cost's" from 1957.

Python's were only available then with a 6" barrel

Retail Price $125.00

Dealer Cost 101.53

As an added note, S&W .357 magnum N-frame (blue or nickel) were Retail $120.00......Dealer $97.48

Ross226 · Apr 28, 2016

Warren Sear said:
I bought a new blue 6" Python in 1982 for $440. That has to be one of the most over-rated guns ever. Sold it and moved on...

Agreed. I bought a 4" blued Python in 1992, used but in 'as new' condition. It was nice to look at but I always hated the trigger - it stacked significantly before release. I always shoot revolvers DA. It remained in the safe, very seldom got to the range, and I traded it last year on a Walther. I haven't missed it one bit.

italiansport · Apr 28, 2016

A little off topic but since were on memory land. Old gun mag prices on surplus from the 50s and 60s before the infamous GCA of 1968.
Jim

Python Prices.. Shooting Times 1978

US Veteran

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

US Veteran

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Similar threads