Colt Python .357 - Who knows about them?

[Bang]

There is a chart of years made, serial number ranges, et cetera here:

https://www.guncollectorsclub.com/python.htm

If I am reading the charts correctly, Grandpop bought it used in 1974.

Here's the problem with the Pythons (not saying yours is one)... The cylinder did not stand up to high numbers of fired cartridges, resulting in axial play. There should be no fore-and-aft movement of the cylinder when locked into the frame. Once play begins, each shot hammers the cylinder and parts at the recoil shield and the cylinder to forcing cone gap increases.

That resulted in owners discovering that Colt was uncooperative in supplying parts to gunsmiths, while not able to repair the Pythons at the factory. If repairs were able to be found, it was very expensive. Summing it all up, Python owners with those problems began selling them. Be VERY careful of a used Python. Have it examined by a smith with the tools to evaluate its mechanical integrity.

[anstead610]

I looked at RL Wilson's Colt's Dates of Manufacture. 3462E technically doesn't exist in his book. 3462 was made in '57, E3462 was made in '69 and 03462E was made in '75. I would have thought the 0 was just omitted but I have a 45 made in '76 and the first digit in the serial number is in fact 0.

I have a python made in '78 with the E suffix. The serial number is also on the crane and the E is repeated there as well.

Couldn't hurt to call Colt Customer Service. Letters used to be salty but they may give you something over the phone

And damn, that is a beautiful gun

This is exactly what I was looking for, thank you!

There is a chart of years made, serial number ranges, et cetera here:

https://www.guncollectorsclub.com/python.htm

If I am reading the charts correctly, Grandpop bought it used in 1974.

Here's the problem with the Pythons (not saying yours is one)... The cylinder did not stand up to high numbers of fired cartridges, resulting in axial play. There should be no fore-and-aft movement of the cylinder when locked into the frame. Once play begins, each shot hammers the cylinder and parts at the recoil shield and the cylinder to forcing cone gap increases.

That resulted in owners discovering that Colt was uncooperative in supplying parts to gunsmiths, while not able to repair the Pythons at the factory. If repairs were able to be found, it was very expensive. Summing it all up, Python owners with those problems began selling them. Be VERY careful of a used Python. Have it examined by a smith with the tools to evaluate its mechanical integrity.

Sadly I will never know what the story is behind this one. I did fire it a couple times, cleaned it, stuffed it in a waterproof/dustproof case.

[Miles42]

I love the looks of the Blued Python. Wisth new production included a Royal Blue.

[cdi]

Colt E and I frame revolvers develop end shake and go out of time with use, it's what they do. It's not a fault. it's what happens when they're used. Smith and Wesson revolvers do the same thing, but the Smith is a little more robust. When the Colt in spec., the action feels like a quality watch. It's more complicated than a Smith and regrettably, the folks who understand the lock work and can do the needed adjustment are getting harder to find by the day.

The mechanism was designed to be serviceable. Any old school gunsmith can return it to factory spec. The difficulty is finding the parts to do it.