Lady Blue: Colt Python vs Dan Wesson Model 15VR

[Anthony]

When I was a teenager and going nuts over wheelguns with blued steel I proudly identified the gorgeous revolver wielded by the equally gorgeous Jamie Rose on the weekly television series "Lady Blue" as the Colt Python. While on YouTube the other day I noticed a tribute to the actress comprised of clips from the "Lady Blue" series.

I think I may have been a bit overzealous in my initial identification as it now looks like a Dan Wesson Model 15 VR to my older and more experienced eyes.

See for yourself...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqaHl-dpaqs&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaigYA2px30&feature=related

Does anyone recall her wielding a Colt Python on the series at all or was I bewitched by the idea of this gorgeous redhead running around with a .357 Magnum to the point that I totally misidentified the gun?

 

[Olympus]

It doesn't look like a Colt Python to me.

 

[Iggy]

Looks like a DW to me.

 

[Snowbandit]

Yep........ Dan Wesson. Doesn't take anything away from the lady though. Here's better pictures.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs5jhdYsO2I

 

[Virginian]

What gun ?
The guy on the train really died good. Emmy stuff, that.

 

[Anthony]

Yeah, I called that one wrong...BIG TIME!!!

Then again, I was about 15 years old at the time and most likely fresh off of seeing "Magnum Force" and its cadre of Colt Pythons for the umpteenth time.

Live and learn.

That guy on the train did die good though...you're right Virginian.

Can't take anything away from Jamie Rose though as she still looks good even after all these years...

 

[9mmepiphany]

yup i concur, it's a Dan Wesson

the give away is usually the shorter hammer, the slab sided underlug and the flat muzzle.

don't feel bad, most folks will call Python as soon as they see the vent rib atop the barrel.

 

[Demitrios]

Initially I thought it was a Dan Wesson as well, especially due to the locking lug you see on the nose of the barrel (I own one myself), but at 1:15 seconds you can clearly see that it is NOT a Dan Wesson. It is obviously a miniature Howitzer as the mustached bad guy is sent 6 feet through the air and through a nice piece of glass. Sorry guys, no Dan Wesson here.

 

[9mmepiphany]

i thought it was clearly a 2nd Gen in the first link posted...at 0:30-0:40, when she's taking it out of the case and fitting the laser...you can see the slabbed underlug and the front tension nut for the barrel. you can also see the separate barrel shoud where it transitions to the curved sides.

as she's panning the laser across the back of the rear seat, you can see the short hammer spur

 

[medmo]

I find red haired women exceptionally attractive. I find red haired women in shower scenes extra exceptionally attractive. Sorry, what was the question?? Oh yeah, I think she was carrying a Colt Combat Magnum Wesson FBI Secret Service Special Agent Forces something or another....

 

[Anthony]

Was the Dan Wesson Model 15 VR always a part of the product line, or was this vent rib version added after the company had been in business for awhile?

 

[Demitrios]

#1 Red heads have no soul. I know this is The High Road and we're supposed to be talking about firearms but still, just thought some clarity was needed here. #2 This pistol is known as a 15-2. The '15' identifies it as a .357, if it were a .44 then it would be known as a 44-2 and if you add '7 (making it wither a 715-2 or 744-2) that identifies it as being stainless. next you have V, H or VH symbolizing Vent, Heavy or Vent Heavy. It appears she has the Vent Heavy model which would make hers a 15VH2. The '2' identifies its generation making it a 2nd generation. Therefore, from the appearance it looks like she has a 15VH2. A blued, .357 Magum/.38 Special, Vent Heavy, 2nd Generation Dan Wesson Revolver.

 

[Waldo Pepper]

I am a DW nut and collector 15VH2 means 357 Vented Heavy barrel in 2" configeration not generation as Demetrios posted. Generations were 12, 14, & 15 I believe is all, but may have been an 11, but can't remember off hand. Actually generation is not correct as the 12, 14, & 15 were model numbers.

I have the following;

15-V4 with a VH6 barrel Scope mounted to VH6 barrel

715-V8 with a VH4 barrel Still new in the box



722-VH8 with a VH6 barrel Scope mounted to VH8 barrel



744-VH8 with a VH6 barrel

The Dan Wessons are more accurate then any of the S&W's I own and are not for sale.

 

[wad]

A litle more correction

There are both a model 15 and 15-2. The -2 is an update (think of software and the .x ) of a model 15.

On the left is a model 15-2 and on the right a 15. The most noticeable difference is the hammer. There are other small differences in the lock-work (from what I have read).

Go here -> http://www.danwessonforum.com/?page_id=9 and read the American Handgunner Jan/Feb 1978 article.

 

[Waldo Pepper]

Well finally someone actually has a picture of one posted. I had heard of the mod 2 before but no one ever posted a picture and I had several long time collectors tell me the mod 2 is not a mod for some reson. I think it is because they were just a mistake or something. This is a mod 2 as you call it but it is not stamped mod 2 and when it was sent to Dan Wesson for a tune up last year it was refered to as a model 15 VH6 is all in the paper work.



Here is the 15 apart but not the best od picture, and it is same as the 715 above IIRC, I don't remember anything being different but I guees it could have.



I have also been told it was just a model 14 hammer used when DW ran out and used model 14 hammer to complete orders. Now I know there was a running change in the over travel screw from trigger to frame but there was never an actual gun stamped or a mention of a mod 2 in and paper put in the gun boxes that I know of, but manufactures do strange things.

PS I am a Member of DW forum and sports rag's made more mistakes about gun's then you can shake a stick at.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Go here -> http://www.danwessonforum.com/?page_id=9 and read the American Handgunner Jan/Feb 1978 article.

i have a hardcopy of that issue...it's a very good read

 

[Demitrios]

Alright, so I've been told I'm incorrect. Then someone else has had a conflicting post to what the guy who said I was incorrect. Anyone else care to clear things up? I'm perfectly willing to admit I don't know everything and that the information I've read may be incorrect, so by all means, correct me. I prefer to be corrected rather than keep makin mistakes.

P.S. This is one of my Dan Wessons.

 

[Waldo Pepper]

Looks like what people refer to be a 15 VH6 mod 2, but I never refer to them as mod's because DW did not do the changes all at once and never did stamp the or put in the papers with the guns that they were mod 1 or 2's and the article just refers to them as 15-1 or 15-2 and DW never referred to them that way.

Myself I would call it just the same as most on the DW forum would a 15 VH6 and is what I call mine. Yours is identicle to mine, but may have original VH6 barrel where mine was original V6 and I got a new B&S because it had bad front nut that was stuck on barrel and inside shroud. Took a lot of work, but I got it apart. The barrel was lose but the shroud was saved and I put it away. Later I found a real nice V4 B&S for the gun for holster carry.

My 744 VH8 that is easier on the hand then a 357 S&W 6" gun. But then it tips the scale at about 5.5 pounds.

 

[Anthony]

Not so fast...

Since my last post I dug out the full length movie from my video tape vault from which the clips on YouTube were originally taken. It is a Dan Wesson kind of day through the entire movie, then there is a scene near the end of the movie in which Jamie Rose confronts the head of the drug family. At one point she really want to shoot the woman and for emphasis the director gives us a full on side view of nothing but the gun in her hands...

(dramatic pause)

...a blued Colt Python with a 4-inch barrel!!!

Just to be sure I froze the image, retrieved my own blued Colt Python with a 4-inch barrel from the safe and compared it to the image on my Sony 52-inch LCD HDTV. The long hammer, flattened heart shaped trigger guard, the barrel taper where the frame meets the barrel rib, and the rounded contures of the barrel and its lug.

Why on Earth they switched guns in the final scene is beyond me, but at least I was partially right. Perhaps the director thought the Python looked more menacing than the Dan Wesson for the super close up.

Thoughts?

 

[Mike J]

Anthony I'm sorry I don't remember that show. Waldo, wad, Demitrios-I am envious of your Dan Wessons they are beautiful.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Why on Earth they switched guns in the final scene is beyond me

because of most people the Colt Python is the most aesthetically pleasing revolver that can be photographed

 

[DougDubya]

It does my heart good to see this thread alive, still discussing the show, and giving us tons of gorgeous Dan Wessons.

(Maybe throw some Pythons in for comparison. )

 

[Anthony]

Thought

Personally I think Danny Aiello, playing her CO and being a nice Italian guy (like me), decided to pull Jamie aside at the end of the show and say something like...

"Hey Jamie! After all da gunfights you've been in you need to upgrade your hardware to da 'Rolls Royce of revolvers.'"

Ergo...the appearance of the Python.

(grin)

 

[hardluk1]

Pythons may be purdy but can't hold to a DW's at the the long distance shooting there known for. Two frail, like a beauty queen. Take an early DW any day.

 

[Anthony]

I was having a bit of fun...not trying to start a Python versus Dan Wesson debate. In fact, I do not own a single Dan Wesson revolver, but do own one highly tuned Python. So I really could not make the comparison even if I wanted to.

So speaking of Dan Wessons...

What years did Dan Wesson manufacture their Model 15 VR in blued steel with a 4-inch barrel?

How was the quality of this era of Dan Wessons?

Any suggestions on where I might pick one up and what a reasonable price would be?

Thanks for the input.