anyone else think pythons were made to be shot

Yup, shoot em if ya got em!

The nickel on mine is not perfect anymore so i dont mind shooting it. Just factory level 357s a couple times a year. Its a late 70s model with 6" barrel.

Like saving your firewood pile?

Like saving your girlfriend for the next dude?

......no thanks.

When I get a Python, I get them for one of two reasons.
One, if it has obviously been fired, I run it a lot.
Two, if it hasn't been fired, I hold on to it a year or two and sell or trade it. At my age holding on for a long-time investment
isn't even optimistic.
I don't criticize anyone either way, just like Garands and 1903 Springfields, if you pay the going price
today it will take time to build up or, wait for an election like I did.

they are made to be shot, but they aren't the best tool in the shed for just shooting, imo.

Hmm? Take a Burmese Python in the Everglades with a Colt Python?
Hunting Burmese Pythons To Help Save The Everglades - South Florida Reporter

Targa said:

The new ones yes…What the classics like yours are worth today no sir, it wouldn’t get shot at all. The original would be a safe queen and the new manufacturer would be a shooter. Obviously that’s just my choice on it, I certainly wouldn’t question you or anyone else why they are shooting something that is designed to be shot and I do realize that I am the minority in the safe queen thought..

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Iffen you wouldn't shoot it what would you do with it? Be a warehouse for the next owner?..........Not much fun in that.

To add to my post #23, I do shoot about every gun that is in my inventory. Older revolvers do not get shot alot but they get shot once in a while for the enjoinment.

My Python is of current manufacturer so I'd shoot it a bit more than an old, original production example. I have a couple current manufacture S&W Model 586 and Model 686 [pistols that get the brunt of my 357 magnum shooting. Generally, I load 158 gr SWC bullets in 357 Magnum cases to about 950 or so FPS for my 357 Magnum revolvers. The load is more than adequate for punching holes in paper or aluminum.

I have guns chambered in 38 Special so I save those cases for those guns. For 357 Magnum chambered guns, I save the 357 Magnum cases. Just one of my idyiosyncracies. There is little down side to shooting 38 Special in a 357 Magnum chambner.

Yes. I have two, and my first was a six inch that I was fortunate enough to have Reeves Jungkind do an action job on, and I actually talked to the man. So that Snake has a special place in my heart. It is by far the most remarkable, smoothest action I have ever experienced (and I’ve been around the block with action jobs).

My wife bought me one from the custom shop in 1980. I initially shot it a lot but found how fragile the guts were. It went out of time twice and twice I had to peen the top fork on the hand to bring it back into time. So now it just occupies a spot in the safe. While I readily shoot my tougher S&W's.

If I had an older one at this point for what they are going for I’d sell it and buy a new one and pocket the rest ymmv

P5 Guy said:

Way too valuable to shoot, just like a Korth.
They are only for display.

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What? I shoot my Korth .22 every range trip, it will outlast any of us.

kennedy said:

20 years ago, friend was retiring and afraid he was going to be short on money so sold it to me.

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Is he still your "friend"?

The Happy Kaboomer said:

My wife bought me one from the custom shop in 1980. I initially shot it a lot but found how fragile the guts were. It went out of time twice and twice I had to peen the top fork on the hand to bring it back into time. So now it just occupies a spot in the safe. While I readily shoot my tougher S&W's.

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They aren't always tougher, I recently bought my first S&W, a 1974 Model 19, after the first range trip it went straight to my local gunsmith to be retimed, he speculated it had had too many .357s through it. Over on the S&W forum I've heard of Model 14s (.38 only) that had to be retimed after about 8,000 rounds. Anything mechanical needs to be maintained.

Guns are made for shooting. What puzzles me is why the python is so expensive. I consider it it hype. Of course when Colt quit making them they did what most good guns do that aren't bringing in enough bucks to be profitable. The price went through the roof when production stopped. I had one years ago it was a good gun but I considered my Smith to be better and still do.

ALL GUNS ARE MADE TO BE SHOT OR WHAT IS THE POINT?

Maybe with an exception each one of us might have.

I would not own a gun that I could not shoot unless I had a special reason to keep it. I still have the old .22 rimfire revolver gave me as a CHRISTMAS present. It was my first handgun. I it one of the those funny looking GERMAN made revolvers that were often labeled as Saturday Night Specials. I don't shoot it as it has an awful trigger, but I will always own it.

I also have an engraved rifle, which is a WINCHESTER 94 commemorative from when I lived in CANADA, like the .22 revolver, it is a reminder to me of something important. I can live without ever shooting it.

That is the exception. I sold my snubnose S&W model 24 and my model 57 41 magnum revolvers because I just saw no point in a big bore snubnose and could no longer deal with the recoil of the .41 magnum full house loads (the old lead semi wadcutters medium velocity loads may exist, but I have never seen any). I have a few others that I rarely shoot, but I know that I can shoot them and every once in a while, I will shoot them.


doubleh,

I would consider the PYTHON as not overhyped.
It is very well made and has features not found on a S&W or RUGER.
uger triggers in my experience are not as good as a S&W and the PYTHON comes from the factory with a better trigger than the S&W'S unless they came from the Performance Center.
RUGER has a very good trigger on the MATCH CHAMPION, but you are paying extra for it (which is the way all RUGER triggers should be in my opinion)
Even if they equaled the trigger, they would still lack the ventilated rib which is a nice and very attractive extra, even if it does not really improve the gun.

Feel free to disagree,

Jim

OK, I disagree. I could shoot my S&W better than the Python so I sold the snake. I didn't lose a penny and had the fun of shooting it but never could consider it better or even quite as good as the Smith. Close but not quite by just a little. The person that bought it was perfectly happy with it the last time I saw him but that has been a few years..

Targa said:

The new ones yes…What the classics like yours are worth today no sir, it wouldn’t get shot at all. The original would be a safe queen and the new manufacturer would be a shooter. Obviously that’s just my choice on it, I certainly wouldn’t question you or anyone else why they are shooting something that is designed to be shot and I do realize that I am the minority in the safe queen thought..

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Apparently not as much as you think.....https://www.gunbroker.com/item/925309470 It will be interesting to learn what it eventually sells for.

Paul7 said:

They aren't always tougher, I recently bought my first S&W, a 1974 Model 19, after the first range trip it went straight to my local gunsmith to be retimed, he speculated it had had too many .357s through it. Over on the S&W forum I've heard of Model 14s (.38 only) that had to be retimed after about 8,000 rounds. Anything mechanical needs to be maintained.

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True. But having owned and shot a bunch of both..........The old Colt guts just won't hold up. My Smith's and Rugers from the 60's have never had timing problems. And never will.

The Happy Kaboomer said:

My Smith's and Rugers from the 60's have never had timing problems. And never will.

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Of course, because we all know that never happens to S&W or Ruger revolvers. Especially if one never fires 'em.

Gotta love how any appreciation thread for a particular make always ends up with folks posting just to jab at the subject brand and tout their own personal favorites. Always happens.

I don't own a Python, but if I did I would shoot the heck out of it!

Shoot'em if you got'em

I bought this Python about 20 months ago.
It’s a 1977 and it hasn’t been shot much.
It was a young guy and was selling off most of his collection to pay the bills because he was laid off due to COVID-19 and being in the airline industry he didn’t think he’d be back to work anytime soon.
He also had a nickel plated 1977 which I regret not buying. It doesn’t have a turn ring on the cylinder so I don’t shoot It that much.
Truth be told I prefer the grip on my Ruger Match champion.

mcb said:

The fact that Smython/Smolt existed points to the idea that the Python's lock-works did not hold up to lots of shooting as well as the S&W of the same era.

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I agree, but he did say he's shooting light 38's. I didn't catch how often though. Side note, I'd love to have a Smython! So I'd sell the Colt and finally get one of those built, probably with money left over.

I have a nice collection of guns.
All are made to be shot, with 1 exception.
My FIL gave me a nice FIE 25 Auto.
He's passed on now & my daughter said she'd like to have it when I pass.
So I might shoot 20rds per year just to make sure it works for her

I’d shoot it, or sell it.