[Countryguy1982]

I recently purchased a colt python 357 mag. off a buddy of mine for $600 and i see why. I was kinda leery of it due to the fact that someone had cut the barrel down to 4 inches and ported it. BUT i was excited about owning a colt python and thought the 357 mag would be good for close range deer hunting sense our deer don't get but about 150 to 175 lb live weight where i live. I got the gun home . Put a few rounds in it and fired and OMG it felt like someone was running a sharpened pencil into both ears. It literally HURT. for about 2 days all i could hear was that wheeeeeeeeeeeee ringing sound. I thought i was going deaf. I have to use my ears for hunting and those ear muffs and walkers game ears and such are very uncomfortable to me . and in real hunting , there isn't many times when you can take the time to put in a set of ear plugs. ( Gun still rung my ears with ear plugs in) ! what can o do to fix this problem? is there a place where i can find a factory barrel and maybe have someone put one back on it? what are my options . getting rid of the gun really isnt an option. I love the way it feels .

[ColtPythonElite]

That hack job is hideous, but that's another matter.

Yes, you can find a barrel. Try Jack First or WL Johnson Enterprises, as well as GunBroker. Colt will swap the barrel for about 80 bucks.

I figure a barrel is gonna cost you about 200 bucks. Shipping to and from Colt, plus their service charge is gonna set you back another near 200 bucks. So, you are gonna have nearly 1k in a stainless Python...Not too bad...It is stainless isn't it? or is it Coltgard?

[Countryguy1982]

yep. it is pretty bad looking. that's how i was able to talk him out of it for the price i did. ANd i am not sure to sure what the finish is. Sense it has set in a leather holster for years its kinda tarnished. I figure brasso or something may brighten it up. the parts that are not tarnished are like super bright , like a ruger m77 barrel or maybe like as bright as nickel plating. Got a k series serial number if that helps. Don't know anything about these guns. first one i ever had my hands on.

[ColtPythonElite]

It may be nickel. Check the serial number thru proofhouse.com to find the year of manufacturer. If it's 1982-back it is likely nickel. If it is 1983-up, it may be stainless....Look for a "S" inside the opening where the crane is, it is stainless.

[oldbear]

1982, welcome to the world of shooting full house .357 Magnum loads; there are more powerful handgun rounds out there but none of them have the "crack of the .357. Other than using hearing protection there is little you can do. Please do use hearing protection, as hearing loss can happen at anytime and is not a lot of fun to live with. I speak about this from personal experience.

[aryfrosty]

That you are shotting anything without hearing protection. Especially a .357 magnum.
I did that for years as a cop and after 40+ of those years I wear hearing aids even though I used "ears" when I shot.

[Countryguy1982]

naa. not shooting the gun at all. even when i put ear plugs in , it still makes my ears ring. and i can't stand that laying there trying to sleep and all i can hear is ringing. tried those push in ribbed ear plugs and those squishy foam ones and neither one worked. only thing that worked is my buddies walkers game muffs cause they cut off when something gets so loud. and i don't like wearing them cause it feels like i am trying to pick up satellite radio when i wear those

[TonyT]

The 357 magnum has a lod crach to, it when fired from a revolver even when the barrelis not ported. The ported barrel accentuates the noise. If you want to use it then youi have to obtainthe ear proytection which is required.
Years ago I purchased a Winchester Model 12 in 20 ga with a ventilated Ply Choke on the front. It was bargain priced and I thought it would make a good rainy weather upland game gun when I did not want to use my O/U or S/S. The first shot I fired in a hunting situation had my ears ringing for 3 days. I had the ventilated portion of the Poly Choke cut off and refinished so that I could use the gun.

[Vern Humphrey]

Never shoot a .357 without ear protection. You need more than ear plugs -- you need plugs and ear muffs.

[oneounceload]

naa. not shooting the gun at all. even when i put ear plugs in , it still makes my ears ring. and i can't stand that laying there trying to sleep and all i can hear is ringing. tried those push in ribbed ear plugs and those squishy foam ones and neither one worked. only thing that worked is my buddies walkers game muffs cause they cut off when something gets so loud. and i don't like wearing them cause it feels like i am trying to pick up satellite radio when i wear those

Welcome to the world of permanent hearing damage and loss. it never gets better or goes away. I have had this nice hissing sound (some call it ear crickets) for a few decades - mine was Jimi Hendrix at volume 9 with headphones on....

Wear your muffs when hunting - the amplification is helpful and the hearing you save you will like when you get older

[dfariswheel]

Before you do anything about the barrel you're going to have to positively identify when it was made and whether it's stainless steel or a plated finish.

First, Colt changed the threads on Python barrels in the 1980's and you have to know which type your Python has.
Once you know what threads and whether it's stainless or plated, then you can consider barrel options.

Finding a new barrel in the length you want can be difficult since most parts houses are out of new ones.
Used barrels are a crap shoot since many are for sale because something is wrong with them.

My suggestion: Cut to the chase and send the gun in to Colt. They can install a factory new barrel and get it right. While they have it, they'll inspect the gun for any other issues.
Prices on the barrel and labor will be competitive, and turnaround will be faster then most anywhere else.