I burst my buddy’s bubble today

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dodo bird

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So a good friend say he has always wanted a Colt Python and his wife was going to buy his a new one for Christmas. (Nice wife). Anyway I mentioned that I’m sure CZ quality would be very good. I blew his mind as he didn’t know Colt was bought out. Is CZ currently making the revolvers now? I never called CZ and could not find out much on the internet. He wanted a American made Colt revolver plain and simple. I am going to send him the link to this thread. Are these new revolvers worth the coin?
 
Does he want an American made revolver or does he want a gun made by an American company?

Toyota Tacomas are made in Texas. Is that an American vehicle?

If he wants an American gun made here, purchase a Freedom Arms revolver. Manufactured in Freedom, Wyoming. Can't get much more American than that.
 
I've been pretty impressed with the new ones. The DA pull is lovely on them. Yeah, I'd say they are worth it. I have an original Python to compare it to and if I had to pick just one I'd probably lean towards the new one.

If you think these are bad, take a look at the MR73 revolver. I want one of those but don't know that I could ever afford one.
 
If CZ makes the revolvers like they make the 1911s and bolt action .22 lr rifles, the revolvers will be fantastic! I have a Dan Wesson Specialist Commander 9mm that I've hit steel targets meant for rifles at 98 yards 50% of the time and couldn't reproduce that with the STI marauder I have. The CZ 457 .22 I own is a great precision rifle.

I may need to start looking at the python or anaconda...
 
When you can get an equivalent (and in my opinion) probably better revolver for half the price ? No. Not unless you just want the rampant Colt stamped on it.
 
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I have a new production 6" Python and a new production 6" Anaconda. Both are made well and I am pleased with them.

I've shot the Python some but am leaving the Anaconda un-shot until my Brit son-in-law comes to visit around Thanksgiving. I thought it was great to let him shoot the first rounds through the revolver, something that is not "normal" for someone in the UK to experience..

I missed an 8" Anaconda a few weeks ago, but it is also on my list of wants. I've grown to appreciate my 8-3/8" S&W revolvers over the past few years so an Anaconda is a natural fit.

I have no experience comparing the current production Colt revolvers with the earlier production models. But, I am happy with my current, CZ Colt revolvers.
 
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Is CZ currently making the revolvers now?
No, the revolvers are made by Colt. In fact, it appears that CZ is stopping their revolver production to avoid overlap of product lines.
Anyway I mentioned that I’m sure CZ quality would be very good. I blew his mind as he didn’t know Colt was bought out.
It would be slightly more accurate to say that both CZ and Colt are now owned by the same holding company, the Colt CZ Group SE.
 
The old Python was famous for its highly polished Royal Blue finish.

Do the new ones have the same quality finish?
 
The old Python was famous for its highly polished Royal Blue finish.

Do the new ones have the same quality finish?

The new ones are not offered in blue. Stainless only. It's a very nice looking material and they do polish it fairly well. It doesn't look cheap by any means. However, if you want a high polished blue you really have to buy used for anything nowadays. Nobody makes them like that anymore. Or send a carbon steel gun off to a fantastic refinisher like Turnbull.

I've heard reports that Colt will be doing a black DLC coating on their Pythons but I don't think we will ever see blue again.

Personally, I prefer the stainless. The blue is lovely but I like that the stainless requires less maintenance.
 
The new ones are not offered in blue. Stainless only. It's a very nice looking material and they do polish it fairly well. It doesn't look cheap by any means. However, if you want a high polished blue you really have to buy used for anything nowadays. Nobody makes them like that anymore. Or send a carbon steel gun off to a fantastic refinisher like Turnbull.

I've heard reports that Colt will be doing a black DLC coating on their Pythons but I don't think we will ever see blue again.

Personally, I prefer the stainless. The blue is lovely but I like that the stainless requires less maintenance.
I also like stainless for its utility, but there is something about a nicely blued gun. I'm not a Colt fan in particular, but the polished blue finish on the old Pythons was something.
 
I would classify it as American assembled as only 55% of it's parts are made here. Does CZ bring in any parts of the Colt revolvers or are the complete guns built here?
Far as I know, nothing about revolver production has changed. They may not even move Colt out of Hartford, which is a shame.


Nobody makes them like that anymore.
Not 100% true. I personally pay my blued guns very little attention. Not sure of this "maintenance" people talk about.

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The CZ connection doesn't bring me down at all on the new Colts if it promotes good QC and financial stability for the brand.
The Czechs are staunch US allies now, far more so than even Germany, and they know a few things about building excellent firearms.

I concur; I would not hesitate in buying a Python knowing CZ owns Colt. A a matter of fact, I see that as an assurance that it will be a quality firearm.
Huglu makes shotguns for CZ, and I'll be the first to recommend them. Most clays gunners don't care for Turkish made shotguns, but CZ's involvement/oversight of Huglu's production of the CZ shotgun line makes them a cut above the rest of the Turkish shotguns (bespoke and individual small shops excepted), and worthy of CZ's name.
 
I would classify it as American assembled as only 55% of it's parts are made here. Does CZ bring in any parts of the Colt revolvers or are the complete guns built here?

If the situation is the same as Colt blackpowder revolvers, then very little of the Anaconda is made in the US. At least the value added parts. I called the Colt blackpowder factory at 110 8th Street Brooklyn New York, and it was obvious that the factory location was due to corporate welfare and Government subsides. And, talking to the guys at the factory, the major parts, such as cylinders, frames, barrels, internal parts, were fabricated in Italy. They were unfinished (to what level I don't know) and then finished and assembled into revolvers in Brooklyn. Somehow the dollar value of the labor in the US, or time to finish and assemble, entitled the blackpowder pistols to claim they were "made in the USA. I do think the polishing and case hardening alone is what satisfied the content laws, but content laws have been watered down to the point I think all it takes is a US employee to wrap and package the item, to get it classified as made in USA. And who is actually looking? How many Government officials are verifying content laws?

Someone will step in and claim that firearms corporations are all law abiding, ethical, totally honest, don't push or ignore the rules, but I would like to hear about the automotive manufacturers that did not cheat on emissions tests. Even though Government emission agencies have over sight, according to a UK link, all European diesel manufacturers cheated, and just been reading about Hino Motors in Japan and their cheating.None of the American emission agencies were looking for emission cheating and it took a College Professor and hokey equipment to ask the question: "why are the Volkswagen emissions so high?'

For the Anaconda, it is probable the re design work was done over seas, and the steel, forging, machining of the major components is by foreign manufacturers, and the cost of polishing (which is very labor intensive) and assembly alone allows Colt to claim the the Anaconda's are made in America.

And people are paying $1500 not for the quality, but for the Pony. Some Colt executive knows, (besides of the assurance of an obscene salary) that Colt is a Cult product, and regardless of any other factors, the Cultists will pay a premium for the Pony.
 
If the situation is the same as Colt blackpowder revolvers, then very little of the Anaconda is made in the US. At least the value added parts. I called the Colt blackpowder factory at 110 8th Street Brooklyn New York, and it was obvious that the factory location was due to corporate welfare and Government subsides. And, talking to the guys at the factory, the major parts, such as cylinders, frames, barrels, internal parts, were fabricated in Italy. They were unfinished (to what level I don't know) and then finished and assembled into revolvers in Brooklyn. Somehow the dollar value of the labor in the US, or time to finish and assemble, entitled the blackpowder pistols to claim they were "made in the USA. I do think the polishing and case hardening alone is what satisfied the content laws, but content laws have been watered down to the point I think all it takes is a US employee to wrap and package the item, to get it classified as made in USA. And who is actually looking? How many Government officials are verifying content laws?

That's a whole lot of speculation based on nothing but conjecture. Back in the 1990's Colt Blackpowder Arms Co had a licensing agreement to manufacture the 3rd series of the black powder guns and that has absolutely nothing to do with the revolvers being made today. Colt Blackpowder Arms Co was a completely separate company with completely separate owners but had a similar name.
 
Unless someone has information I do not, I see no reason to assume anything about the Anaconda comes from overseas. It would've been well underway if not a completed project when CZ bought Colt.
 
Colt Blackpowder Arms Co was a completely separate company with completely separate owners but had a similar name.

Can you point to something in the open literature of the times, that told the consumer that Colt Blackpowder had nothing to do with Colt Hartford? I don't recall any publication making the distinction. In fact, can you make the case that it was in the interest of both to make the distinction public?.

Who makes your cat food? Who makes the store brands? What is the complete supply chain that made your clothing? How much slave labor content is in your food and clothing? It is hard to find out.

And why should CZ pay Americans to do work, when they have perfectly good, and cheap European employees?

(How much American content is in Mercedes engines and transmissions? When I toured the Mercedes plant, those items were totally designed and fabricated in Germany)
 
Can you point to something in the open literature of the times, that told the consumer that Colt Blackpowder had nothing to do with Colt Hartford? I don't recall any publication making the distinction. In fact, can you make the case that it was in the interest of both to make the distinction public?.

You mentioned calling the plant in New York... That would seem to be a give away that the guns weren't being made by Colt in CT.
 
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