Colt Python

The advertising people at Colt must have known just exactly how much I could stand. In 1956, I was straight out of high school and a Colt Python and the Colt Single Action Army each carried a price tag of $125. I wanted both of them, however I was in my first job making 90 cents an hour so I had to make a choice. Actually the choice was easy — Gunsmoke’s Matt Dillon did not carry a Python!

By 1959 I was married and had added two more single actions, Ruger .357 and .44 Magnum Flat-Tops and the much more reasonably priced, $85, Smith & Wesson .357 Highway Patrolman. By 1960 we had our first baby on the way and I was working full time at the General Tire factory and attending college during the day.

Guns Or Grub?

By 1963 we had three little babies and there was no disposable income for such a thing as a Python because all three of those kids insisted on eating regularly. I had traded in the stick-shift ’58 Chevy Coupe for a ’61 Chevy Station Wagon and was shopping at the factory store for new tires. I had to drive 30 miles one way every day to school in all kinds of weather so I needed good rubber, General Tires of course. While I was waiting for my car to be finished, I looked around the factory store. Remember this was the 1960s and practically every store, including grocery stores, had gun departments.

Colt had recently come out with a 4″ version of their Python and the advertising folks at Colt were picturing the sixgun with a little added teaser of a top view of a .357 Magnum cartridge. I wanted the gun so bad it hurt. As I looked around the store I walked over to the gun department and there in the display case was a beautiful, brand-new 4″ Royal Blue Colt .357 Magnum Python and, if this wasn’t bad enough, right next to it was another brand-new Bright Blue Magnum, a Smith & Wesson 6-1/2″ .44 Magnum. There was no such thing as credit cards then but this was the factory store and there was payroll deduction. On top of the cost of the tires I added $125 and $140 for the two Magnums. It only cost a few dollars a week and I now had my Python with an extra added bonus.

So now I had a Python and someday I planned to add others. Someday is a very elusive creature and before it arrived two things happened.

Updates

Two of the problems inherent with the original Python have now been fixed. As produced in the middle of the last century, the Python required a lot of hand fitting and was a very old design which was somewhat fragile. Both of these problems no longer exist. The first thing I noticed when I picked up the new Python was it just felt like a stronger sixgun. With the original Python design, cocking the hammer was almost a supernatural experience. It cocked so smooth and easy no other revolver even came close. The first thing I did with the new Python was cock the hammer.

It doesn’t feel like the old Python but it’s very similar. With the original action, a double action shooter could easily learn to take up the slack until arriving at a point when the hammer was about to drop. The new action is different, with no stacking, which provides a straight pull-through rather than a seemingly two-stage operation. The original may have been best for a target shooter who preferred to shoot double-action but the new operation feels much better to me.

Keeping The Good Stuff

The original Python was a departure in several ways from the standard Colt double action design. Ever since the 1890s Colt’s double action sixguns had an ejector rod just sticking out in space with no protection. Smith & Wesson’s ejector rod locked at the front with a catch under the barrel and in 1907 Smith & Wesson started providing enclosed ejector rods on most of their N-Frame sixguns. Colt did not follow suit until 1955. The original idea for the Python was a heavy barreled .38 Special target pistol. When they realized what they had, they decided to make it a deluxe .357 Magnum complete with the full under lug, ventilated rib barrel, which was subsequently copied by other manufacturers, and an enclosed and protected ejector rod.

Colt has maintained this one-piece, heavy under-lug rib barrel on the new Python and it is still machined from bar stock. They did not take the path others have now taken, using a two-piece system with a barrel and the shroud. Sometimes change should not happen.

The action has been redesigned with fewer parts and should definitely be stronger, avoiding the timing problems the original Python was plagued with. Even though it still looks like the original Python, the top strap has been beefed up 30 percent. The rear sight is still fully adjustable and is now mated with a red ramp front sight held in place by an Allen screw. Colt offers other interchangeable front sight options including a fiber-optic style.

The new Python is offered in two barrel lengths, 4 1/4″ and 6″, and only in stainless steel. Unloaded weight is 42 and 46 oz. respectively. My test gun is quite attractive with no polishing mistakes. Grips have been somewhat redesigned with room at the top cut out for the thumb, which also makes ejection of spent cartridges easier. Gone are the days from most manufacturers when grips were nicely hand-fitted to the grip frame. These are fitted with two pins as well as a grip pin to maintain a tight fit. They are classified as “walnut,” however, again as with most manufacturers, today’s walnut is nowhere near what we used to see.

On The Range

Shooting the Python was pure pleasure with one caveat. When I was in my invincible period .357 Magnum factory loads were at the bottom of the recoil ladder; now they are at the top and full-house loads do get my attention simply due to the fact my hands have been beat up so much over the past 60-plus years. I did manage to concentrate and get some very good groups. My testing was done with both .38 Special and .357 Magnum loads.

My most accurate .38 Special load proved to be the Speer Gold Dot Hollow Point 125 Plus P clocking out just over 1,121 fps from the 6″ barrel and grouping five shots in 1″ at 20 yards. Switching to .357 Magnum factory loads saw the Black Hills 125 JHP and the Black Hills 158 JHP clocking out at 1,584 and 1,410 fps respectively with groups of 1″ and 1 1/4″ also respectively.

The first load is my Texas turkey load as it is accurate enough to head shoot turkeys and there is no doubt in my mind the same could be accomplished using the new Python. Due to time restraints I did not shoot any handloads of either .38 Special or .357 Magnum but those tests will come shortly. These days I load my .357 Magnum brass to about 1,200 fps as they are so much more user friendly, meaning kinder to my hands. These will come as the weather changes.

Good luck gun

I do not believe there is a such thing as luck; life is much deeper than that. However, notwithstanding this, the new Colt Python is hereinafter known as the Good Luck Colt, GLC for short. I was facing a very tight deadline with not much window of opportunity available. The Python arrived on Tuesday. I checked the National Weather Service Tuesday evening hopefully to be able to shoot on Wednesday. The forecast was rain and wind. However, I got everything prepared and ready just in case. Rising early on Wednesday I rechecked the National Weather Service and found the forecast had been moderated to no rain nor wind until noon. It was still dark when I left the house and by 9 a.m. the sun was shining with a temperature in the very low 40s.

I was able to shoot for 2 1/2 hours testing both the Python and three other new guns. The weather stayed nice the rest of the day. I awoke on Thursday to fresh snow. If the Python had arrived one day later nothing would’ve worked out the way it was supposed to. By the time you read this, hopefully good spring weather will be here and I will be shooting the GLC with much handloaded ammunition.

Takeaway

MSRP is $1,499 which looks like a lot of money compared to the original price of $125. However, when we compare the minimum wage in 1955 to the minimum wage today it is not only not out of line, in some states it is actually less expensive now than it was 65 years ago. Actually, it is about $500 cheaper than today’s very limited production Single Action Army which was the same price way back then.

The original Python was referred to by me in my first book as the Cadillac of Colt Revolvers. Even so, as mentioned, it was somewhat fragile. The new Python maintains the classic look of the original while providing a much stronger sixgun.

Subscribe To GUNS Magazine

Purchase A PDF Download Of The GUNS Magazine June 2020 Issue Now!