Show your PYTHONs & Snakes Here +++
- Thread starter bigi
- Start date
Nice E frames. I particularly like the Officer's Match Target on the lower left, I have a similar revolver in 22. For interests' sake, the I frame and E frame Colts are the same, E frames have hammer mounted firing pins and I frames have frame mounted firing pins. - dan
Someone ask me to put my Colt Snake's Family in the post so here it is !
Sorry for the quality i was in the hurry because of the raining.
From the first pic one to five:
1) Python Hunter
2) Anaconda hunter ( have just left the scope in the case kit for storage )
3) Python 8 inch royal blue
4) Python 6 inch Royal blue
5) Not a snake but a old model 357 in incredible shape somes call them Pre Python
Sorry for the quality i was in the hurry because of the raining.
From the first pic one to five:
1) Python Hunter
2) Anaconda hunter ( have just left the scope in the case kit for storage )
3) Python 8 inch royal blue
4) Python 6 inch Royal blue
5) Not a snake but a old model 357 in incredible shape somes call them Pre Python
Lucky you!!
jester3006
CGN Regular
- Location
- Edmonton, AB
My family of snakes. Anaconda, Diamondback 22lr, and Python.
Finally figured out how to upload pics from my phone to photobucket, so here are a couple Pythons and three Diamondbacks at the my last range outing. - dan
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Finally figured out how to upload pics from my phone to photobucket, so here are a couple Pythons and three Diamondbacks at the my last range outing. - dan
nice stuff there, god i wish i could buy prohibs.
Just a little info for those of you collecting BNIB snakes. Every Python came wrap in brown colt paper AND included a signed target like the one below:
Looking for ELITE, BOA, GRIZZLY/KODIAK or other Snake 5" or longer, EMT ready or can work a trade for other Colt or SW high quality gun.
Looking for ELITE, BOA, GRIZZLY/KODIAK or other Snake 5" or longer, EMT ready or can work a trade for other Colt or SW high quality gun.
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This set of Colt pistols (DB & Python) was given away in a bank promotion in 1982 and put away and never fired.
wow!
Nice write up from a very knowledgeable guy.
The Colt Trooper Mark V was simply fitted with a different profile barrel and sold as the King Cobra.
The first King Cobras were made in stainless steel, blued was added a short time later.
In blue, the only difference between the Mark V and King Cobra is the shape of the barrel.
The Trooper Mark V is the slightly improved version of the Trooper Mark III.
The later Colt's like the Trooper Mark III, Trooper Mark V/King Cobra and the Python are major.
In fact, other than the name "Colt" the Mark V and Python are totally different designs with absolutely nothing in common.
The Python action was originally designed in the 1890's and was finalized in the Colt Army Special of 1908.
The Army Special frame and action was used on all Colt medium frame revolvers up until the last Pythons were made in 2004.
The frame was identified after WWII by letter codes. The models fitted with the firing pin on the hammer were the Colt "E" frame, the Colt 3-5-7 Model and the Python both had the firing pin inside the frame and were the Colt "I" frame.
These guns all used the same frame and action design, so they are usually just known as the Colt "E&I" frame models.
The action uses a "Vee" spring to power the entire action, and has two internal safety devices.
One is the rebounding hammer, the second is a hammer block.
When the trigger is released, it's forced back, "rebounded" and locked so it can't move forward.
As an extra level of safety the Colt Positive Lock is a bar of steel that is moved downward when the trigger is pulled, clearing the path of the hammer to fire the gun.
These actions are very complex, with each part performing at least two totally different functions. This is why the old Colt action is often known as a "watchmakers gun" and why so few people are qualified to work on them today.
These actions are know for the smoothness and quality of the single action trigger pull, and the very smooth double action pull that "stacks" or gets heavier as the trigger is pulled.
These models were totally hand fitted at the factory using forged steel parts. A Master fitter assembled the action by stoning and even bending parts to get a working gun.
The Python received even more fitting and smoothing of the action by Colt's top Master fitters.
The Python received Colt's famous Royal Blue finish, later bright nickel, electroless nickel known as Royal Coltguard, and stainless steel in both satin and bright polish.
The Python was the finest finished double action revolver made in America and was more or less a semi-custom revolver, intended to be the best quality revolver made.
In 1969 Colt was pricing itself out of the revolver market due to the large amount of hand fitting needed just to assemble an old style revolver action.
So, in 1969 Colt introduced a totally new type or revolver using "machine fitted" parts.
Instead of stoning and bending parts, a lesser trained fitter assembled the gun by pulling parts from a bin and test fitting until a part fit.
These parts were not made of forged steel, but were cast using a form of powdered metal casting similar to todays MIM (Metal Injection Molding) process.
The parts are made to such tight tolerances, it's possible to assemble a gun by test fitting parts from a bin.
The Mark III was the worlds first "machine fitted" revolver.
The new gun known as the Mark III had a totally different action using a transfer bar safety-ignition system.
When the trigger is pulled, a steel bar rises up between the hammer and the firing pin and when the hammer drops the force is transfered by the bar to the firing pin.
When the trigger is released the bar is pulled down from between the hammer and firing pin and the hammer cannot physically touch the firing pin. This system worked so well, virtually every double action and many single action revolvers have basically copied Colt's design.
The new design used coil springs instead of the old "vee" spring action and the feel of the actions are quite different. These later guns don't have the smooth feel of the older guns, and the actual operation feels totally different.
The Mark III was a success and Colt used the basic design from then on in the Trooper Mark V, the King Cobra, the Anaconda, and in the stainless steel small framed models like the Magnum Carry.
These later Colt's are no where near the hand built quality of the Python and are not as well fitted or finished as the super premium Python.
If you were comparing cars to Colt's the Python was a Corvette, the Mark V was a very nice model Chevy.
Due in large part to the design of the action and how the cylinder is aligned with the bore, and the tapered bore, very high quality barrel, the Python is famous as America's most accurate double action revolver.
While the Mark V also has a high quality Colt barrel, the different action causes the Mark V to be less accurate then the Python.
So, the Trooper Mark V was intended to be Colt's best quality holster revolver for police and most civilian use, the Python was a super-premium absolute top of the line hand fitted semi-custom revolver.
The Colt Trooper Mark V was simply fitted with a different profile barrel and sold as the King Cobra.
The first King Cobras were made in stainless steel, blued was added a short time later.
In blue, the only difference between the Mark V and King Cobra is the shape of the barrel.
The Trooper Mark V is the slightly improved version of the Trooper Mark III.
The later Colt's like the Trooper Mark III, Trooper Mark V/King Cobra and the Python are major.
In fact, other than the name "Colt" the Mark V and Python are totally different designs with absolutely nothing in common.
The Python action was originally designed in the 1890's and was finalized in the Colt Army Special of 1908.
The Army Special frame and action was used on all Colt medium frame revolvers up until the last Pythons were made in 2004.
The frame was identified after WWII by letter codes. The models fitted with the firing pin on the hammer were the Colt "E" frame, the Colt 3-5-7 Model and the Python both had the firing pin inside the frame and were the Colt "I" frame.
These guns all used the same frame and action design, so they are usually just known as the Colt "E&I" frame models.
The action uses a "Vee" spring to power the entire action, and has two internal safety devices.
One is the rebounding hammer, the second is a hammer block.
When the trigger is released, it's forced back, "rebounded" and locked so it can't move forward.
As an extra level of safety the Colt Positive Lock is a bar of steel that is moved downward when the trigger is pulled, clearing the path of the hammer to fire the gun.
These actions are very complex, with each part performing at least two totally different functions. This is why the old Colt action is often known as a "watchmakers gun" and why so few people are qualified to work on them today.
These actions are know for the smoothness and quality of the single action trigger pull, and the very smooth double action pull that "stacks" or gets heavier as the trigger is pulled.
These models were totally hand fitted at the factory using forged steel parts. A Master fitter assembled the action by stoning and even bending parts to get a working gun.
The Python received even more fitting and smoothing of the action by Colt's top Master fitters.
The Python received Colt's famous Royal Blue finish, later bright nickel, electroless nickel known as Royal Coltguard, and stainless steel in both satin and bright polish.
The Python was the finest finished double action revolver made in America and was more or less a semi-custom revolver, intended to be the best quality revolver made.
In 1969 Colt was pricing itself out of the revolver market due to the large amount of hand fitting needed just to assemble an old style revolver action.
So, in 1969 Colt introduced a totally new type or revolver using "machine fitted" parts.
Instead of stoning and bending parts, a lesser trained fitter assembled the gun by pulling parts from a bin and test fitting until a part fit.
These parts were not made of forged steel, but were cast using a form of powdered metal casting similar to todays MIM (Metal Injection Molding) process.
The parts are made to such tight tolerances, it's possible to assemble a gun by test fitting parts from a bin.
The Mark III was the worlds first "machine fitted" revolver.
The new gun known as the Mark III had a totally different action using a transfer bar safety-ignition system.
When the trigger is pulled, a steel bar rises up between the hammer and the firing pin and when the hammer drops the force is transfered by the bar to the firing pin.
When the trigger is released the bar is pulled down from between the hammer and firing pin and the hammer cannot physically touch the firing pin. This system worked so well, virtually every double action and many single action revolvers have basically copied Colt's design.
The new design used coil springs instead of the old "vee" spring action and the feel of the actions are quite different. These later guns don't have the smooth feel of the older guns, and the actual operation feels totally different.
The Mark III was a success and Colt used the basic design from then on in the Trooper Mark V, the King Cobra, the Anaconda, and in the stainless steel small framed models like the Magnum Carry.
These later Colt's are no where near the hand built quality of the Python and are not as well fitted or finished as the super premium Python.
If you were comparing cars to Colt's the Python was a Corvette, the Mark V was a very nice model Chevy.
Due in large part to the design of the action and how the cylinder is aligned with the bore, and the tapered bore, very high quality barrel, the Python is famous as America's most accurate double action revolver.
While the Mark V also has a high quality Colt barrel, the different action causes the Mark V to be less accurate then the Python.
So, the Trooper Mark V was intended to be Colt's best quality holster revolver for police and most civilian use, the Python was a super-premium absolute top of the line hand fitted semi-custom revolver.
One more:
The Python didn't change much at all, and statements about "Generations" of Pythons you sometimes hear are not really valid, since the few changes were so minor.
The very early Pythons of the 1950's had a slightly different barrel rib and front sight. This was mostly due to the Colt Accro sight of that era being different then the later Accro. When Colt changed the Accro to the "humped" version to give more elevation adjustment the Python top rib and sight were necessarily changed.
The VERY early Accro sight had a rounded end on the sight leaf, which was changed within a couple of years to a squared off leaf.
The 50's Pythons had a hollow barrel lug, changed to a solid lug later.
Other than that, the only changes were the grips, finishes and the stamping of the word "Elite" on the very late 1990's Pythons.
Standard finishes were Royal Blue, Bright Nickel, satin electroless nickel known as "Royal Coltguard", satin stainless, and bright polish stainless.
Here's the changes to the standard Colt Accro rear sight.
Early Accro used during the 1950's. Note the rounded front sight leaf and the simpler elevation screw assembly.
Early Accro in place.
Later Accro. Note the "hump" in the sight leaf to give more elevation, the squared sight leaf and the more complicated elevation screw assembly. This sight was used on virtually all Colt pistols that had adjustable sights. This one is the early version with the "U" shaped notch in the sight base. Later versions changed to a rectangular notch to allow more windage adjustment.
Early Accro with square front sight leaf. This quickly replaced the original round leaf Accro within a couple of years.
The Python didn't change much at all, and statements about "Generations" of Pythons you sometimes hear are not really valid, since the few changes were so minor.
The very early Pythons of the 1950's had a slightly different barrel rib and front sight. This was mostly due to the Colt Accro sight of that era being different then the later Accro. When Colt changed the Accro to the "humped" version to give more elevation adjustment the Python top rib and sight were necessarily changed.
The VERY early Accro sight had a rounded end on the sight leaf, which was changed within a couple of years to a squared off leaf.
The 50's Pythons had a hollow barrel lug, changed to a solid lug later.
Other than that, the only changes were the grips, finishes and the stamping of the word "Elite" on the very late 1990's Pythons.
Standard finishes were Royal Blue, Bright Nickel, satin electroless nickel known as "Royal Coltguard", satin stainless, and bright polish stainless.
Here's the changes to the standard Colt Accro rear sight.
Early Accro used during the 1950's. Note the rounded front sight leaf and the simpler elevation screw assembly.
Early Accro in place.
Later Accro. Note the "hump" in the sight leaf to give more elevation, the squared sight leaf and the more complicated elevation screw assembly. This sight was used on virtually all Colt pistols that had adjustable sights. This one is the early version with the "U" shaped notch in the sight base. Later versions changed to a rectangular notch to allow more windage adjustment.
Early Accro with square front sight leaf. This quickly replaced the original round leaf Accro within a couple of years.
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