Colt Python Help

[paracarry]

A few years back I was given a 4" Colt python by my ex-boss (had an issue renewing his permit) anyway, it doesn't look to bad, he bought it through the military base while stationed in Germany in 1968. After that he used it as a duty gun on a police dept on the south shore. Now to my problem, with the cylinder closed and hammer forward you can rotate the cylinder, sometimes with the hammer cocked you can rotate the cylinder and with the cylinder open you can cock the hammer back. Does anyone know of a good gunsmith that works on Pythons. I just need him to go through it and get it back in working order. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[TY43215]

If it were mine, I would arrange to send it to the Colt Custom shop. Sounds like the cylinder stop is either sticking or worn. Pythons of that era are very desirable and the custom shop would do it justice

Edit to add


Tel: 800-962-COLT (2658)

 

[timbo]

If it were mine, I would arrange to send it to the Colt Custom shop. Sounds like the cylinder stop is either sticking or worn. Pythons of that era are very desirable and the custom shop would do it justice

Edit to add


Tel: 800-962-COLT (2658)

^^^ this. I have a 6" Colt python (it was willed to me by a dear friend that passed away about 15 years ago). I sent it to Colt to check it over...I think I had it back in about 3-4 weeks. I don't think they even charged me if I remember correctly. Their note said that it looked like it had barely been fired. I haven't shot more than 100 rounds through it myself. It's far more accurate than I am.

 

[Iron Horse Gunn]

If you want to stay local contact Greg Derr in Marshfield. He is a NES member and is listed as derrprecision in the dealers section.

 

[Zappa]

Pythons do not have an interlock that prevents cocking the hammer when the cylinder is open, so this is normal, but the cylinder failing to lock is not.

 

[center442]

As Zappa said, cocking with the cylinder open isn't an issue, but the other things you described are. Those are very nice revolvers, and it would be worth the time/money to send it to Colt to have them look it over. My money would be on TY43215's comment on the cylinder stop.

 

[mark056]

I own two Pythons. What the other posters have said true about cocking the cylinder while open. The Pythons have a rather delicate mechanism. When I purchased my first one, back in about 1988, it was a former privately own police officer's gun and in rough shape. I called the Colt Custom Shop and they wanted an arm and a leg to refinish it and tune it. For some reason I called Colt Customer Service and the service advisor said I could ship it to Colt and have them rebuild it on the assembly line. So I essentially got a brand new Python (totally refinished with parts replaced and action tuned for about half of what the Custom Shop wanted, but they were still producing Pythons then.) THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN TODAY !!!

You can try the Colt Custom Shop, but remember they have not been making Pythons for a while (the last ones had stainless frames forged at Smith and Wesson, BTW) so I would take your Python to Mike LaRocca. Mike is well known, and while he works on all kinds of guns, he is old school and is the man I take my Pythons to when they need re-timed. There was a guy named Reeves Jungkind out in Texas who was a famous Python specialist, but I don't know if he is still in business or not (or even alive0. Greg Derr is a great gunsmith but I think when it comes to Pythons, LaRocca has the edge (but Greg is the man I take my S&W MP to and I don't think he would be a bad choice).

You own arguably the finest production revolver ever made, it is a race horse not a draft horse and has to be treated accordingly.

 

[paracarry]

Thanks guys, I am going to call Colt, and Larocca and see what they have to say, i would rather keep it local and have always heard good things about Mike Larocca.

 

[paracarry]

Called Colt yesterday they will fix the problem and go through it entirely for about $95.00, that also includes return shipping, I will probably send it off next month, while they have it I will ask them to give me a price on making it like new, blueing, grips the works.