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what kind of colt python do i have?

burpfireburpfire Member Posts: 1,158 ✭✭✭✭
edited November 2015 in Ask the Experts
I have a colt python that was made in 1977 according to colts website. I think it is a bowling pin gun? it has the nicest single and double action I have ever felt! the hammer and trigger are both jeweled. there is a big weight on the bottom and a big weight on top with the sights built in.

it is in 357 mag. the gun weighs about 7 to 8 lbs? it is finished in starvel finish? at least that is what it reminds me of. I don't think it is a factory gun?

I have had it for a few yrs and never shot it. I just kept it because I thought it was very cool and have never saw another like it.
any info on it would be appreciated, and a value if possible, as I am going to sell it. thanks.

I forgot to ad, that it says ' TRAPPER GUN " on the side of the barrel.


[img][/img] 29xdftz.jpg
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    nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 36,013 ******
    edited November -1
    That's a PPC gun.

    Herrett grips, heavy slab-sided barrel with extra weight and a sight rib, maybe from Bomar.

    http://salemhuntingclub.com/ppcshoot.htm

    Looks like some folks are still doing it. I thought PPC (Practical Police Combat) shooting had gone out of style.

    http://ppc.nra.org/ppc.aspx

    http://rhawkins.us/shooting/?page_id=16

    Back when your Python was made, that's what a PPC gun looked like, only there were more Smiths than Colts. Action job, custom grips, heavy barrel, sight rib...all par for the course.

    Course was 60 rounds, at ranges of 7 yards to 50 yards.

    I would guess that the value of your Python is A LOT less than it would have been had it not been modified.
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    burpfireburpfire Member Posts: 1,158 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    thanks for the info nunn! you are correct on what it is. I figured value was lower than stock gun, just wanted to know what it was. I see there a few ppc guns for sale on gb, but not any colts. asking prices are all over the place.
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    Ricci WrightRicci Wright Member Posts: 8,260 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Trapper guns did quality gun smith work in the Detroit area but has been out of business for a while now.
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    rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,650 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If it's the same "Trapper"? Years ago he sold trigger pull reduction/action kits, for various guns. As I recall they just consisted mostly of assortments of springs of various poundages. To make trigger pull lighter, and more positive function of BCG.

    I had a 180 back then, (1980's). Pretty sure he's the one I got the replacement recoil springs from.

    Supposedly he was French Canadian, that's how he got the Trapper handle.




    EDIT #2,


    $1,500 was a very good price, specially from somebody in the gun business. As Nonsense notes, PPC has pretty much gone by the wayside. The alterations done to the Colt, also have reduced the Pythons value substantially.
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    nmyersnmyers Member Posts: 16,880 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You have answered your own question.

    Asking prices are all over the place because no one is willing to pay a lot of money for one of these, & sellers are afraid to start their listing at $.01 because they know that the gun that cost > $1,000 will bring only a fraction of that amount.

    Neal
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    dcs shootersdcs shooters Member Posts: 10,969
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Ricci Wright
    Trapper guns did quality gun smith work in the Detroit area but has been out of business for a while now.



    HELL the city of DETROIT is out of business [^][:0]
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    nononsensenononsense Member Posts: 10,928 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    burpfire,

    I had the great pleasure of building a ton of these revolvers in the 80's and 90's. Clients were geared towards having something unique looking but superbly accurate with perfect function. That's why we diverted from using the Python as the basis for the revolver, switching to the S&W instead since the design was simpler, stronger and more easily tuned than the Colt.

    However, the Colt barrels were more accurate right from the factory so we often built entry level revolvers using the Smith frame and a Colt barrel. I fell into a deal with a supplier who happened to have a large supply of these barrels at a reasonable price.

    Here is a good article detailing some of the Colt Python story:

    http://www.coltfever.com/Python.html

    The heavily customized revolvers were the most fun since we could let our imaginations run instead of producing the same pattern over and over. Many times the rib and sights had to made individually to match the shooter's load and working techniques. The under lugs could run the gamut from straight forward to flights of fantasy. Sometimes we even managed to get a barricade stop built into the lug.

    Now you would have a tough time finding an audience willing to pay for such design and building because the of the lack of interest in that form of competition. The revolvers themselves are truly marvelous to shoot.

    Best.
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    burpfireburpfire Member Posts: 1,158 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by nononsense
    burpfire,

    I had the great pleasure of building a ton of these revolvers in the 80's and 90's. Clients were geared towards having something unique looking but superbly accurate with perfect function. That's why we diverted from using the Python as the basis for the revolver, switching to the S&W instead since the design was simpler, stronger and more easily tuned than the Colt.

    However, the Colt barrels were more accurate right from the factory so we often built entry level revolvers using the Smith frame and a Colt barrel. I fell into a deal with a supplier who happened to have a large supply of these barrels at a reasonable price.

    Here is a good article detailing some of the Colt Python story:

    http://www.coltfever.com/Python.html

    The heavily customized revolvers were the most fun since we could let our imaginations run instead of producing the same pattern over and over. Many times the rib and sights had to made individually to match the shooter's load and working techniques. The under lugs could run the gamut from straight forward to flights of fantasy. Sometimes we even managed to get a barricade stop built into the lug.

    Now you would have a tough time finding an audience willing to pay for such design and building because the of the lack of interest in that form of competition. The revolvers themselves are truly marvelous to shoot.

    Best.




    thanks for the info. very interesting. I took it to my local gunstore on Friday, and he couldn't stop talking about it.i explained what it was and showed him the info on GunBroker. he said he had never heard of such a gun. even the customers that were there wouldn't put it down. he wasn't letting me leave with it. he gave me 1500.00 for it. its one of those guns that I will miss, but I never did anything with it since ive owned it, so it was time to go. very cool guns though.
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