What should you pay for a...

**SCBaldr** · May 15th, 2011, 02:49 PM

What do you guys think is an accurate market value on a Colt Python with a 6 inch barrel with the royal blue finish? What about the same gun in the satin stainless finish? Lets assume that the gun in question is in NRA excellent condition with very little to no wear and a bright, shiny bore with sharp, distinct rifling.

I would particularly like to hear from SteveNEPhila and any of you other wheelgun gurus. Especially if you have one of these fine revolvers.

**Noah_Zark** · May 15th, 2011, 03:03 PM

Current market; excellent condition

Blued -- $1000-$1200 +/- $200
SS -- $1200 -$1400 +/- $300

Not bad for a revolver whose cylinder rotates the wrong direction . . .

The variation in price is a function of geography, the degree of avarice on the part of the seller, the out of production nature of the Python, and the "Colt" name on the product. Sorta like all things Winchester, if someone had used "Colt" TP for sale on eBay, there'd be a Colt fanatic there bidding on it.

Noah

**spoonltz28** · May 15th, 2011, 06:41 PM

I say add a few hundred to the above numbers. Right now, the Python is a very sought after gun. The prices also go with that.

I recently bought a nickel 6" Python (1969 vintage) without papers or box for $1000.
And I think I got a good deal.

**wellcraft** · May 15th, 2011, 10:37 PM

there's a mint SS colt python w/6" barrel at tanners for 1199 and there's a blued python that looks to be around 97% for 1000 at surplus city. i've seen well used pythons sell for between 700-800 dollars.

**SCBaldr** · May 15th, 2011, 10:51 PM

It seems I need to pay tanner's another expensive visit...

**1blindref** · May 16th, 2011, 09:01 AM

The 6 inch Pythons don't bring as much money as the shorter barreled versions.
If you shop around, you can find them in the $1,000.00 +/- $100.00 range.

If it has the original box and docs, add about $150 - $200. to the price. Be careful, there are a lot of reproduction boxes out there.

obligatory picture

The 6 inch blued is a four digit serial number gun made in 1958.
The 6 inch stainless was made in 1981 and my 18th birthday present from my Dad.
The 2 1/2 was made in 1976.

**Python73** · May 16th, 2011, 09:52 AM

Late 90's myself and a fellow security officer and several Zone 4 PD are chasing a suspect in one of the less savory west end projects. The perp ditches something shiny in the woods while making his get away (hey not all of us are sprinters). While lighting up marlboro reds and getting out the emergency donut kits we recover the dropped goods... stainless Colt Python. Not your typical hood_rat drop gun. Probably still locked in the PGH PD evidence room.

**Watchman** · May 16th, 2011, 05:49 PM

The trick with used Pythons is checking for timing and lock up. The lock work should be *solid* on a properly functioning Python.

1. test for bolt lock up. While pulling the hammer back, allow the thumb of your other had drag on the cylinder to give it just a little bit of resistance as it rotates. The cylinder should lock solid, if you can move the cylinder and hear it click as it engages the bolt, the gun has timing problems and the bolt may have taken a bit of a beating. Do this for all six rotations.

2. with the hammer back in single action mode, hold the hammer back and squeeze the trigger. Keep pressure on the trigger and check for cylinder play, there should be *no* wiggle. If there is wiggle the pawl needs work. Check for all six rotations.

3. Cylinder end play should be no more than .003" iirc

3. barrel crown. Pythons have a milled flat target crown and can be prone to nicking when not properly cared for. Also they're have been reports of out of whack factory crowns back when Colt was having that strike issue with the UAW.

For a typical used Python I see around, I wouldn't pay any more than $1K. If they are minty, low use, LNIB *and* still tight as all get out, I would go as high as $1.7K, even higher if it has the box and matching papers.

If you can get one in good shape but a bit out of whack, $800-900 is a good price but I do suggest sending it to someone who knows what they are doing and get it back into race horse condition.

**Duece McCracken** · May 16th, 2011, 10:57 PM

Please proceed...

**SCBaldr** · May 16th, 2011, 11:14 PM

Originally Posted by Watchman

The trick with used Pythons is checking for timing and lock up. The lock work should be *solid* on a properly functioning Python.

1. test for bolt lock up. While pulling the hammer back, allow the thumb of your other had drag on the cylinder to give it just a little bit of resistance as it rotates. The cylinder should lock solid, if you can move the cylinder and hear it click as it engages the bolt, the gun has timing problems and the bolt may have taken a bit of a beating. Do this for all six rotations.

2. with the hammer back in single action mode, hold the hammer back and squeeze the trigger. Keep pressure on the trigger and check for cylinder play, there should be *no* wiggle. If there is wiggle the pawl needs work. Check for all six rotations.

3. Cylinder end play should be no more than .003" iirc

3. barrel crown. Pythons have a milled flat target crown and can be prone to nicking when not properly cared for. Also they're have been reports of out of whack factory crowns back when Colt was having that strike issue with the UAW.

For a typical used Python I see around, I wouldn't pay any more than $1K. If they are minty, low use, LNIB *and* still tight as all get out, I would go as high as $1.7K, even higher if it has the box and matching papers.

If you can get one in good shape but a bit out of whack, $800-900 is a good price but I do suggest sending it to someone who knows what they are doing and get it back into race horse condition.

Wow, I'm gonna print this shit out and take it with me when I go to look at pythons... Thanks in advance.