Rick Grimes' Colt Python

[FortKnox]

Cool article that talks about Rick Grimes' Colt Python and if it would make a good zombie weapon.

http://www.luckygunner.com/labs/colt-python/

[seez52]

A love that was lost... Years ago, decades actually the place I worked for had a 4" nickle Python that was brand new from the Colt custom shop. It was the best looking revolver I believe I ever saw, and at the time I was not a nickle finish fan, but it was unbelievably gorgeous.. It had the smoothest buttery trigger of any double action I have ever felt. Man I wanted that gun, but it was just out of my price range, she was just in a different class. I have thought about that Python often and dreamed about what might have been.

[FortKnox]

You know if Colt was smart they would make a reproduction of the Python and sale it around 600 to 800 dollars and they would make a killing. Like what Smith and Wesson did with the Model 29 a few years ago. Edited February 15, 2015 by FortKnox

[musicman]

As I understand it, the inner workings of the Colt designs are such that they are VERY labor intensive and even at $1k, they wouldn't be making money on them. Rugers are dead simple inside, and generally the Smiths are a happy medium between the two.

In these days of MIM mass production and less skilled labor, the business case for the Python just isn't what it used to be.

[TrickyNicky]

As I understand it, the inner workings of the Colt designs are such that they are VERY labor intensive and even at $1k, they wouldn't be making money on them. Rugers are dead simple inside, and generally the Smiths are a happy medium between the two.

In these days of MIM mass production and less skilled labor, the business case for the Python just isn't what it used to be.

 

 

This. Anyone know what MSRP was when they quit selling them? The article mentions that in todays dollar the cost was about $1,100 to mak these when they first came out. Considering the tooling is gone as well as the skilled labor to build them. I'd say jump on the next Python you can afford if you want one, even if they came back I'd hate to see what got shoved out the door for $1K.  :ugh:

[VERO1]

I can remember in the earl 80's I had some spare cash saved up. I decided I would either buy a Browning Hipower or a Python. I chose the Hipower, retail at the time was $460.00 for either. I chose the Hipower, kept it for a year or two and let it go. not my smartest gun move but I have done worse!

[Caster]

It may be classy but it is an abaolute piece of crap for the role it's being used in. Despite what it may seem like on the surface, 357 ain't exactly easy to find compard to 9,40&45
It's heavy, GODAWFUL loud and pathetically slow to reload.

AND, this stomps a lot of toes out there but revolvers can and do malfunction.....only when they malfunction, you can't just clear it and rock on.

In a Walking Dead world, revolvers suck, about half the 1911's suck, all your oddball pistols suck, there's very little REAL choice. A solid reliable PROVEN automatic in one of the 3 dominant calibers by one of big boys in the industry. Glock, M&P, XD this is not a time to try to express your individuality.

It's classy and elegant and out of my price range but if I was given one like Rick's, I'd trade it for a pair of Glocks. Edited February 15, 2015 by Caster

[A.J. Holst]

This. Anyone know what MSRP was when they quit selling them? The article mentions that in todays dollar the cost was about $1,100 to mak these when they first came out. Considering the tooling is gone as well as the skilled labor to build them. I'd say jump on the next Python you can afford if you want one, even if they came back I'd hate to see what got shoved out the door for $1K. :ugh:

I bought a 6" king cobra in 1989 for $369 plus tax from sports unlimited in Orlando Florida. They had a used python for sale at $750.

[DaveTN]

I had three six inch Colt Pythons. They were absolutely beautiful. I don’t know they would do them justice today.

I also had two 68 Camaro’s; how were we supposed to know?

[SmokyBaer]

My Dad's old Python was and still is THE most accurate pistol I ever shot...  ever.

[seax]

One of the three guns that will be with me until I die is my fathers Colt Python four inch. In another life time he was on the Nashville PD pistol team. His Python cost 86.37 ordered direct from Colt, delivered to Cater Hardware, custom tuned for competition. That should give you an idea of how old it is. It has never had anything other than .38 mid range wadcutters and never shot over a breathing pace. Gun is like new and has the box, paperwork and receipt. One of the three guns I can  consistently shoot well, even on a bad day. It's also funny that the other two pistols I shoot well are also old Colts.

 

Colt will never again have the quality of revolvers as in the past. They have not continued the training to have what amounts to custom pistol smiths as employees. Bottom line is it takes more skill and time to produce. The closest thing manufactured today is the Korth. Look at what they cost. Also the market is not there since Few competition sports use revolvers and police departments issue plastic pistols.

 

Just my opinion and I'm sticking to it.

 

BTW I love my N frame Smith's. Not a Colt snob , just like good machines.

[JPR1959]

I remember seeing a 6" blue Python for $749 at a gun show in 1988.  Beautiful guns, but a little pricey.  Dan Wesson 357s currently in production has a MSRP of $1168.

[JAB]

It may be classy but it is an abaolute piece of crap for the role it's being used in. Despite what it may seem like on the surface, 357 ain't exactly easy to find compard to 9,40&45
It's heavy, GODAWFUL loud and pathetically slow to reload.

AND, this stomps a lot of toes out there but revolvers can and do malfunction.....only when they malfunction, you can't just clear it and rock on.

In a Walking Dead world, revolvers suck, about half the 1911's suck, all your oddball pistols suck, there's very little REAL choice. A solid reliable PROVEN automatic in one of the 3 dominant calibers by one of big boys in the industry. Glock, M&P, XD this is not a time to try to express your individuality.

It's classy and elegant and out of my price range but if I was given one like Rick's, I'd trade it for a pair of Glocks.

 

I disagree because:

 

A.  I shoot revolvers better than semiautos

 

B.  I think that 'battlefield pickup' of ammo in a TEOTWAWKI situation is a bunch of nonsense.  The stores will be stripped and stockpiles will be guarded by other guys with guns who don't want you taking their stuff.  The Internet won't be working so what is available 'online' in normal circumstances won't matter - just what you can get at Walmart, Academy or the LGS.  Those supplies will go fast and there is a good chance people will be shooting each other over them.  What you have onhand is what you can count on so the idea is to have plenty of ammo for your gun and/or the supplies and ability to reload. That being the case, if a person wants to go with a .357 revolver then they should simply make sure they have plenty of .357 (and/or .38) ammo on hand.  The problem with counting on being able to find 'common ammo' is that it is the same 'common ammo' that everyone else is looking for.  Case in point, at the onset of the current ammo craze 9mm was among the first ammo type to disappear.  Also, .40 was hit or miss.  It would be the same in an 'apocalyptic' situation - those 'common calibers' that everyone touts as the best choice because they are so common might actually turn out to be a bad choice precisely because they are so common.  It is kind of like happened with rifle ammo - .'common' ammo like 223 and 7.62X39 became scarce for a little while but less common (although not 'niche') ammo like 30-30 was pretty much always available.  The difference would be that there would not be any new manufacture of ammo forthcoming to alleviate the shortage.  Once all that 'common ammo' was grabbed up it would be gone, period.  I imagine that someone like you, who casts and reloads, would be able to maintain ammo for whatever the heck he wants.

 

C.  Yes, any revolver can jam (however unlikely) but I believe that every semiauto will jam.  Even if it is just an ammo problem, a jam with a walker breathing down your neck is still a jam.  I imagine tap/rack/bang is a lot easier to pull off smoothly in drills than it would be in such a situation.  Further, if it came down to it, I'd a lot rather be faced with bashing a walker's head in with Rick's Python than with a plastic fantastic semiauto.

 

D.  As Negan points out in the comics, using firearms on the undead is, generally speaking, a waste.  For smaller groups, things like crowbars, baseball bats, etc. work better.  As he puts it (paraphrasing from memory), "Just because we don't use guns doesn't mean we don't have any.  We just save them for the living."

 

E.  As a continuation of point D. in a "Walking Dead" world gunfire just brings more walkers so, again, if there are few enough to take out with a ball bat, etc. then that would be the way to go.  If there is a horde, you aren't going to shoot your way out and the best bet is to hide, get away or get to a position where they can't get you.

 

F.  In such a situation, generally speaking, the choice of handgun shouldn't be of utmost importance, anyhow, because it should really only be serving as an ace in the hole to get you out of trouble and to back up the rifle/carbine/shotgun you are carrying.

Edited February 27, 2015 by JAB

[rbishop]

Everyone has a Python story. I had a friend who had a lower shelf in his safe full of Pythons of varying finishes and lengths, all in the original boxes. This was around 2000. He offered to sell any of them to me at $1,000 each. I could buy one or all. I thought the price was a little hefty and passed. Been kicking myself for that stupid move ever since.

[Caster]

I disagree because:

 

A.  I shoot revolvers better than semiautos

If you can reload fast enough, then by all means.  Obviously there's no ONE answer.

 

B.  I think that 'battlefield pickup' of ammo in a TEOTWAWKI situation is a bunch of nonsense.  The stores will be stripped and stockpiles will be guarded by other guys with guns who don't want you taking their stuff.  What you have onhand is what you can count on so the idea is to have plenty of ammo for your gun and/or the supplies and ability to reload.

If you have to travel, the idea of carrying 'enough' ammo is ludicrous.  You're going to HAVE to scavenge.

 

C.  Yes, any revolver can jam (however unlikely) but I believe that every semiauto will jam.  Even if it is just an ammo problem, a jam with a walker breathing down your neck is still a jam.  I imagine tap/rack/bang is a lot easier to pull off smoothly in drills than it would be in such a situation.

A glock that's been half assed cleaned is as reliable as ANY firearm EVER made.  G17's have been torture tested well past 10,000 rounds without failure.  That's with minimal if ANY cleaning.  I won't say nay, but I give any revolver a look of doubt that claims that.  

 

D.  As Negan points out in the comics, using firearms on the undead is, generally speaking, a waste.  For smaller groups, things like crowbars, baseball bats, etc. work better.  As he puts it (paraphrasing from memory), "Just because we don't use guns doesn't mean we don't have any.  We just save them for the living."

  

E.  As a continuation of point D. in a "Walking Dead" world gunfire just brings more walkers so, again, if there are few enough to take out with a ball bat, etc. then that would be the way to go.  If there is a horde, you aren't going to shoot your way out and the best bet is to hide, get away or get to a position where they can't get you.

Suppressors are the name of the game.  Ever see a suppressed revolver?  Doable? Certainly.  Easily? NO.  Efficiently? NO.  A 30 second barrel swap to a threaded Lone Wolff barrel and screw your hush can right onto your Glock.  Easy Peasy Japanesey.....err uhh Austrianeasy.

 

F.  In such a situation, generally speaking, the choice of handgun shouldn't be of utmost importance, anyhow, because it should really only be serving as an ace in the hole to get you out of trouble and to back up the rifle/carbine/shotgun you are carrying.

Edited February 27, 2015 by Caster

[JAB]

 

I disagree because:

 

A.  I shoot revolvers better than semiautos

If you can reload fast enough, then by all means.  Obviously there's no ONE answer.

 

B.  I think that 'battlefield pickup' of ammo in a TEOTWAWKI situation is a bunch of nonsense.  The stores will be stripped and stockpiles will be guarded by other guys with guns who don't want you taking their stuff.  What you have onhand is what you can count on so the idea is to have plenty of ammo for your gun and/or the supplies and ability to reload.

If you have to travel, the idea of carrying 'enough' ammo is ludicrous.  You're going to HAVE to scavenge.

 

C.  Yes, any revolver can jam (however unlikely) but I believe that every semiauto will jam.  Even if it is just an ammo problem, a jam with a walker breathing down your neck is still a jam.  I imagine tap/rack/bang is a lot easier to pull off smoothly in drills than it would be in such a situation.

A glock that's been half assed cleaned is as reliable as ANY firearm EVER made.  G17's have been torture tested well past 10,000 rounds without failure.  That's with minimal if ANY cleaning.  I won't say nay, but I give any revolver a look of doubt that claims that.  

 

D.  As Negan points out in the comics, using firearms on the undead is, generally speaking, a waste.  For smaller groups, things like crowbars, baseball bats, etc. work better.  As he puts it (paraphrasing from memory), "Just because we don't use guns doesn't mean we don't have any.  We just save them for the living."

  

E.  As a continuation of point D. in a "Walking Dead" world gunfire just brings more walkers so, again, if there are few enough to take out with a ball bat, etc. then that would be the way to go.  If there is a horde, you aren't going to shoot your way out and the best bet is to hide, get away or get to a position where they can't get you.

Suppressors are the name of the game.  Ever see a suppressed revolver?  Doable? Certainly.  Easily? NO.  Efficiently? NO.  A 30 second barrel swap to a threaded Lone Wolff barrel and screw your hush can right onto your Glock.  Easy Peasy Japanesey.....err uhh Austrianeasy.

 

F.  In such a situation, generally speaking, the choice of handgun shouldn't be of utmost importance, anyhow, because it should really only be serving as an ace in the hole to get you out of trouble and to back up the rifle/carbine/shotgun you are carrying.

 

 

Continuing the discussion, all in fun:

 

Reloading is an issue both ways.  How many spare mags are you going to carry for your pistol?  Probably about as many speedloaders or speedstrips as could be carried for a revolver.  Once those run out, the revolver is faster to reload with loose rounds and eliminates concerns that come from magazine problems.  If I am in a situation where I need 30 or 40 rounds from a handgun to shoot my way out then I am probably not going to make it, anyhow - either in a "Walking Dead" situation or a more 'real world' scenario.

 

If you have to travel - and especially if you are depending on being able to scavenge - you are probably toast either way.  At least I don't see me going all Rambo and living off the countryside.  I believe that food and water would become an issue long before running out of the ammo you could carry with you and, again, everything that can be scavenged probably will be scavenged pretty quickly.  I have seen estimates by folks with more knowledge in the area than I which predict that, if our supply chain were cut off, it would take about two days before grocery stores would be completely empty.  Even in a temporary situation, those same estimates say it would take two weeks or more for supplies to return to normal even after the event ended.  That all comes down to the JIT (Just In Time) supply philosophy that our modern suppliers and industries use.  Now, if one were willing to turn to marauding and kill others for the stuff they have scavenged then that person might last a little longer, assuming that one of their intended victims didn't kill them, first.

 

That Glock might be 100% reliable in an of itself but it can - and likely will - jam at some point due to an ammo issue (say, a dud round.)  Revolvers can have ammo issues, too, but the solution there is simply to pull the trigger again.

 

I concede the suppressor point IF one has suppressors on hand when the excrement impacts the rotary cooling device.  I, however, don't have any suppressors.  I don't have much use of one at the moment and don't really want to go through the expense and red tape of getting one.  Further, I doubt that a suppressor or threaded barrel would be something that a person could scavenge or just pick up after the apocalypse starts.  Again, guys who have them will probably want to keep them and would likely have some rather ballistic arguments against taking theirs.  Also, I have little knowledge of suppressors but don't they have a limited lifespan as in they cease to work effectively after so many rounds go through them?  Not sure how easy it would be to repair/replace them during an apocalypse.

 

To my knowledge, the only revolver that can truly be suppressed is the Nagant revolver (because the cylinder cams forward and seals the cylinder gap.)  I have one and if it was all I had I would use it but it wouldn't be my first choice, suppressor or not.

 

I am not hating on semiautos nor do I think they are useless.  I have a couple of semiautos that I carry, sometimes.  I simply don't think that revolvers are as obsolete as some folks do nor do I believe that semiautos are superior to revolvers in all situations any more than revolvers are superior to semiautos in all situations.

Edited February 27, 2015 by JAB

[FortKnox]

Why Colt will never build another Python.

http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2015/01/daniel-zimmerman/colt-will-never-build-another-python/

[eapking]

People will pay for brand new Pythons. Colt has been stupid for quite a while.

[Trekbike]

Why Colt will never build another Python.

http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2015/01/daniel-zimmerman/colt-will-never-build-another-python/

In the article the author said that in 1989 a Python was $300. He didn't state whether that was new or used unless I missed it. I don't have specific info but that sounds too low based on my memory.

Anybody remember what they sold for in the time period?

[musicman]

People will pay for brand new Pythons. Colt has been stupid for quite a while.

Some people? Sure. Hundreds? Quite possibly. The thousands required to recoup millions in new machinery and traning a workforce? Probably not.

But I fully agree with your second statement. :-) Edited March 6, 2015 by musicman

[LagerHead]

It may be classy but it is an abaolute piece of crap for the role it's being used in. Despite what it may seem like on the surface, 357 ain't exactly easy to find compard to 9,40&45
It's heavy, GODAWFUL loud and pathetically slow to reload.

AND, this stomps a lot of toes out there but revolvers can and do malfunction.....only when they malfunction, you can't just clear it and rock on.

In a Walking Dead world, revolvers suck, about half the 1911's suck, all your oddball pistols suck, there's very little REAL choice. A solid reliable PROVEN automatic in one of the 3 dominant calibers by one of big boys in the industry. Glock, M&P, XD this is not a time to try to express your individuality.

It's classy and elegant and out of my price range but if I was given one like Rick's, I'd trade it for a pair of Glocks.

 

Brother, it don't matter how long it takes to reload. A couple of episodes ago I counted 12 shots out of that gun without a reload, so you don't have to worry at all. I'm pretty sure he still had at least 5 shots left, too.

[JAB]

In the article the author said that in 1989 a Python was $300. He didn't state whether that was new or used unless I missed it. I don't have specific info but that sounds too low based on my memory.

Anybody remember what they sold for in the time period?

 

As 1989 was the year I graduated High School and such things were all out of my price range at the time, I don't remember what the price was during that period.  As for new or used, however, he did say that the gun was at the local Walmart.  I do remember when Wally World sold handguns and don't remember them taking trades or selling used guns so it was probably new.

[Garufa]

Pythons and Colt's in general have always been exquisitely priced.  Pretty sure they were much more than $300 new in 1989.

[Trekbike]

Pythons and Colt's in general have always been exquisitely priced.  Pretty sure they were much more than $300 new in 1989.

 

Yea.   That's what I was thinking.    I'll have to check my receipt when I get home tonight for my Ruger 6" Stainless Security Six that I bought back in the early to mid 80's and I think I paid $225 from Ace Hardware.   That was the reason I bought the Ruger because I couldn't afford a Python.    One of my friend's Dad had a Python and I was in awe, so it had to be way out of my reach at the time.     

[nightrunner]

If Colt sold a new Python, it might be a nice gun just like a new manufacture S&W Classic, but it won't be hand fitted like the old ones, doubtful it would have the famous Colt Royal Blue finish either. And a lot of people would pay for it to say Python on the barrel.

It would be similar to most being perfectly happy with your standard S&W 686, but some seek out an old pinned and recessed Model 27.