New Snake Owner !!!

S

Sharps '74

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Today I joined the "Snake Pit" with the acquisition of a beautiful 4" Python off the EE. For pics, see the post on the EE by Pypes.

I had a 6" model years ago that I bought from S.I.R. in Winnipeg. Remember them? I was stationed at CFB Churchill at the time and had a lot of fun with it on the tundra along with my commercial Hi-Power.

Loaded for it on a Herter's "C" press and dies and found out how tight the chambers were in a Python. The PPCLI Captain that ran the Arctic Warfare School gave me a case of 9MM ammo telling me that when I had burned up that, I'd be a fair pistol shot. He was right.

Sold it to Alan Lever when I was posted to Jericho Beach so I could buy my first parachute for sky-diving with the BC Aero Club. In the early 70's I tried to buy it back and he laughed. I've regretted the deal ever since, 319 free-falls not compensating for the loss.

Now I can strike an item of my bucket list ..... ;>)
 
No one likes to talk about the infamous "stacking" SA trigger pull of the Python.

Colt put all kinds of effort into producing a superb SA pull on them, but the DA mode was not as well tuned. Some guns were good, but others were not.

It became an art to tune a Python for good DA trigger pull to match what S&W's have.
 
Sharps '74 said:
No one likes to talk about the infamous "stacking" SA trigger pull of the Python.

Colt put all kinds of effort into producing a superb SA pull on them, but the DA mode was not as well tuned. Some guns were good, but others were not.

It became an art to tune a Python for good DA trigger pull to match what S&W's have.
Click to expand...

Sharps '74 and I actually discussed this in an email. To just "copy and paste" a part of the email, I expressed my opinions on me buying a Python (in my own case, in Mexico, not in Canada):

" Although I have never owned a Python I did get to "snap" a lot of them. I had walk-in access to the Mexican Custom Shop and there was always a Python being remarked or reblued or repaired. I found -- and this was just my personal experience -- that there was a wide variance in the double-action pulls on Pythons. Some were magically pre-timed and felt more like a Smith & Wesson than anything else and didn't seem to "stack" badly at all. Others were not pre-timed at all with the cylinder locking precisely at hammer-fall and the pull got noticably tougher in the last 3rd of the pull.

When I do buy a Python -- 4 inch or 2.5 inch -- it will be in a situation where I will get to snap it. If I like the double-action pull, I will buy it. If I do not, I will pass and wait. As I said, I saw a very large variance in the double-action pulls on Pythons and personally believe that Colt did not put a lot of stock or effort into making the double-action pull all that sweet on them as the attitude at the time was that any thinking person would #### the damned thing anyway if they wanted to hit something. So they concentrated on the single-action pull. Still, sometimes, parts just went well together and fantastic double-action pulls came on some of the individual guns. Probably more by luck than by design.

I would probably just try to use the factory stock grips if I get one. On a 2.5 inch model I would install a Tyler T-grip I suppose, but that would be it. If I were being "issued" a revolver, I would want it to be a S&W because of the possibility of having a decent double-action being greatly improved and anyway, I can work on them myself. On the Python, speaking only of double-action, it seemed to me that it was a "luck of the draw" sort of thing. The good ones were really good. Most were mediocre -- somewhat less than a Smith & Wesson action -- and some where just dreadful. Great single-action pulls: but who cares?

And although I trust the [Mexican] Custom Shop boys to fix an out-of-time Python I do not think they can work the magic to take one with a so-so or even bad double-action pull and make it delightful. But sometimes, you can find one that has the delightful double-action right out-of-the-box it would seem. Although, I never hear Python owners actually discuss this. It's like the gun itself has become so venerated by the fan-club that no criticism whatsoever can be tolerated. Now, let's talk about that sweet single-action pull.....and it's value!!!!

Or so it seems to me. And I accept that what you paid for yours, is what I'll probably have to pay for mine as in both cases, we're talking something the average person cannot register and that sort of kills the collector-value."
 
Should the Python I have coming NOT have an acceptable DA trigger, it will be back on the block pretty quick!

I will not own a 'safe queen' just because it's pretty; not even a Python. If I was a bulls-eye shooter, I'd be happy with a great SA pull, but I'm not.
 
Congratulations....I love that feeling when I finally acquire a gun I’ve lusted after for a long time . Great things are worth waiting for !
 
According to Colt, the gun I bought was made in 1991. That makes it one of the latter ones made.

I hope that isn't a bad thing .... ;>)
 
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