Colt Python Questions
I bought a Python today. The serial # is in the 92500E range. I checked the archives & in all the serial # questions the letter comes before the numbers, like E12345 or K54321. This revolver has the letter after the numbers 12345E. Is this normal? What is the mfg date of this revolver? Also, what is the early production high finish noted in the Blue Book. Thanks, Leo.
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We have some hardcore Colt guys here who can probably tell you much more than I can but I seem to recall the "E" suffix beginning on Pythons in around 1975 (the "E" prefix began around 1969 or 1970). Your own pistol was produced in around 1978 and this is well after the end of the high polished blue finish used on the early Pythons. By the time your pistol left Colt the only blue available on a factory Python was the so called Royal Blue which does not have the same appearence as the earlier polished blued finish. RancheroPaul or JudgeColt; was there ever an option through the Colt custom shop for high polished blue on Pythons after it became a non standard finish?
Mark T. Christian0 -
I have a 4" Python that has no letter in the # Serial# is 470XX
When was this one made? I think it was in the 60's that I bought it.
Thanks
Jim0 -
That one was probably made in late 1965. I'll wager that it has the highly desirearble stocks which are checkered over the entire surface. I think the retail price back in those days was a whooping $175!
Mark T. Christian0 -
Thanks for the info. Mark.
It does have the full checkered stocks. I can remember buying it for 85.00 used.
Thanks again.
Jim0 -
Mark is right as to the year of manufacturer of BOTH of these guns in question.
The First Pythons were made with a very highly polished blue finish. The gun actually had a very deep royal blue color and it was so smooth and shiny the finish was like a mirror in that it would reflect images much as you would expect in a deeply blue tinted glass mirror. I do not know exactly when this finish was "changed" to what was a very nice and gorgeous blue, shiny and such and of very high quality......just not a "mirror" polished finish as found in the first decade or so of production. Exactly what date the change came, I will have to leave to someone else....like Judge Colt. In 1978, you could also get a very beautiful mirror Nickle plated gun, also. There was only two finishes available, to my knowledge, in 1978, Nickle and Blue. The Electroless "Matte" Nickle finish came about in about 1981. Not much help here over what Mark provided. Wish I knew as much about the Garands and Mark does Colts...... Hahahahaha!!
If in Original condition without having been changed at some time, the 1965 gun probably had the grips Mark spoke of. Many folks refer to the Colts as "Royal Blue," or just "Blue." I personally think they are assigning the name of Royal Blue to the Early High Polished guns, but the later Blue Guns are about the same color, just not as highly polished, which I think leads to some confusion regarding the "color" of the Pythons.....my own opinion, not based on any fact I can relate.
The Colt Custom Shop would always attempt to provide anything and everything "reasonable" requested by a paying Customer. Given this, I would believe they made more than one of the "Highly Polished Blue" finished guns on special order. This is what I believe has contributed to the "confusion" between "Royal Blue" and "Colt Blue" reffered to as "blue." Again, my opinion......!!
I Miss The World I Grew Up In!0
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