Colt Python sadness... UPDATE 05/15/09

[CrossFrire]

Glad to hear Dave (what a guy, he's saved me several times) worked his skills on it. I share the passionfor Colt wheel guns and they are getting more difficult to have properly repaired.
Sadly, the factory has not always been willing to work on their old creations.
I wanted a true factory reblue on my '51 Cobra but the factory no longer works on them. I just accept the wear as "patina"...

 

[Squished]

Glad to hear Dave (what a guy, he's saved me several times) worked his skills on it. I share the passionfor Colt wheel guns and they are getting more difficult to have properly repaired.
Sadly, the factory has not always been willing to work on their old creations.
I wanted a true factory reblue on my '51 Cobra but the factory no longer works on them. I just accept the wear as "patina"...

+1, don't let any shop do it either. There is something about "Colt" bluing that makes it stand out from the rest. My Python will never be reblued unless Colt would do it.

 

[Jose]

I wanted a true factory reblue on my '51 Cobra but the factory no longer works on them.

I bet Doug Turnbull can.

 

[Keystone]

rather my girlfriend wants me to get one and i figure "what the hell"

Keep her.

A Python is #1 on my list of guns to get (once I get the basics).

Glad to here yours is back up and running, Fooped

 

[Squished]

Keep her.

A Python is #1 on my list of guns to get (once I get the basics).

Glad to here yours is back up and running, Fooped

A Python should be on everyone's list. I got mine by a stroke of luck.

 

[RFWAVELENGTH]

Another reason why I would never own a gun with rare/sentimental value. The two firearms that are own are common, hard-use-type guns that are easy and relatively inexpensive to repair/replace (Remington 870 and Ruger KM77MKII). If all else fails, you may wish to contact Andy Cannon at the Cylinder & Slide Shop. He does custom revolvers and should be able to help you if Colt can't (for whatever reason). I believe that his shop is somewhere in the Midwest. You can look him up with a Google search. I hope that you can salvage your Python. It is too nice of a gun to see trashed.

 

[Chuck Would]

Colt trip home.

For a Python... I'd send it back to Colt and let them do the work. Almost any other handgun wouldn't be worth the trouble and expense...

Could you drive it to Hartford? I'm not sure what CT laws are.

I had two Colt Officer's that had front sight problems. One fell off the other was loose. Not wanting to ship them and trust UPS/FedEx with two hard to replace in MA pistols, I put them in their original Colt Blue boxes with locks on them and hit the MA Pike and down 84 to Colt after calling them.

They told me where to go and who to see and I even met with one of Colt's Smiths and handed them to him.

They were shipped back to me within a couple weeks. NO charge.

Can't beat that.

 

[ShadeWPI]

Click when you expect Bang

I had a squib on one of my own reloads once.

Only issue I've ever had with any of my reloads, but when you pull the trigger and you get PIFT! instead of BANG, your heart stops.

To make matters even worse, it was my S&W Model 500.

Things get even worse:

It was the first round of a full 5rd cylinder, so I wait 30 seconds to make sure it's not a hangfire, then attempt to open the cylinder to clear the round annd check the barrel for obstructions.

I push the cylinder release forward, and the cylinder is jammed

Now I have a problem. I have an inoperable, but loaded revolver to transport back home to my tools to remove the bullet and I can't open the cylinder when I want to remove the bullet.

A little more work and I manage to free the cylinder, and powder spills everywhere. There was powder in the cartriage, but the flash-hole was blocked with tumble media.

I unload the cylinder and clear off as much powder as I can sweep the bench clear of powder and pack-up to head home.

At home, I grab a steel and a piece of 3/8" dowl (keeps the rod off the barrel), support the frame below the forcing cone and tap out the bullet. As the bullet falls out "thunk" the cylindar thumps on the mat under the maintance bench.

The impact of freeing the bullet had moved the cylinder past the retaining screw and released it. Scare the crud out of me when it happen. Some searching and I was able to re-install the cylinder by loosening and then retightening the retaining screw.

The 4" 500 S&W magnum still works like a champ and I'm a lot more careful about cleaning media from the primer pocket to make sure it doesn't happen again.

Glad that your python is fixed, they are beautiful pieces and I wish Colt would re-release them. Maybe an Updated Model for 2010...


Just stay true to the original

 

[swampy]

Hey folks,



I've called 712 places, and NOBODY has Python parts. NOBODY. I did call Colt themselves, and they said they can source the parts if need be, but they don't have any for sale. Their turnaround is over a month, and I'm looking at close to 100.00 in shipping alone, without even getting into what they'll charge me for a shop fee to replace two parts that take about a minute to fit together.

I'm hoping that someone here has an idea on how to fix this. I was really looking forward to shooting the gun this weekend at the Mansfield shoot. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. I'm a pretty resourceful guy, but I'm out of my depth on this one. [sad2]

Can you tell me why you figured $100.00 to ship back to Colt? I've UPS's guns back to mossberg and ruger for short money and got them back UPS direct to my door with a signature.

 

[Zappa]

A Python should be on everyone's list. I got mine by a stroke of luck.

Yup. If you want one, you gotta' grab it when you see it.
I have a 4" Bright Stainless model myself.
It was just a matter of being in the right place at the right time, with the money in my pocket.
Pythons are sweeeeeeeet and usually are near the top of any gun afficianados wish list.

Python - check
Tommygun - check
Uzi - check
Luger - check
Browning Hi Power - check
Model 29 - check
Model 41 - check
T/C Contender - check
Winchester 92 -check
AK47 - check
1911 - check, check, check
(I've been doing this for 27 years)

 

[CrossFrire]

I bet Doug Turnbull can.

Turnbull does outstanding work and the cost is not that bad. But I understand that they do not do alloy frames such as the Cobra. Dave suggested I try Ford's and they quoted my around $375.00 for their "Master Blue" which is as close as I've seen to the Colt blue.
A few folks have said that the blue done by Colt and others back then can no longer be done at all, at least in the USA, because of the ban on various chemicals imposed by todays environmental regulations.
I'm used to the wear now and worry more about keeping the loads light out of respect for her age. Heck, it's as old as I am.

 

[WILDCATT]

sqib

always have a brass rod in your gun box.and big enuf to fit barrel.
and never open cylinder to drive out bullet.let it go back in to chamber or take cylinder out of gun. open cyilinder will bend crane.
just what does Colt make.Colt seems to make M16A4.then theres the othere branch USFC?which make pistols in custom shop.I am I right or wrong.and colt just lost the A4 contract.FNN in Columbia SC makes the M16.
I will stick to my S&W 10-6 with Bomar rib.and a better trigger than a Colt.