Colt Python: Stainless vs. Blued?

[John C]

I've decided to plunk down for a Colt Python. I have a strong preference for stainless guns, due to reduced maintenance. However, I've been told that the machining properties of stainless make it difficult to make as accurate as blued carbon steel guns. I'm told that that's why the top bullseye 1911s are all blued or nickel plated.

First of all, is this true? Second, does that mean that stainless Pythons are less accurate than blued guns?

Thanks,

-John

 

[dfariswheel]

When I was still working I saw MANY Colt Pythons.
The most accurate one I ever saw is the 6" stainless version I bought.

In my experience, there is NO difference between stainless and blued guns accuracy, especially in Pythons.

 

[absolute0]

Well that's all fine and good....

But the blued ones still look nicer

 

[Sean Smith]

You can make a carbon steel AUTOLOADER more accurate than a stainless steel autoloader, because you can fit the parts tighter without galling becoming a problem.

In a revolver, it does not matter. You don't have these large surface areas of steel sliding against each other, and the barrel is fixed to the frame.

 

[Majic]

Check around and you will see that 99% of all precision rifle barrels today are stainless steel.

 

[Marshall]

Python bluing sho be purdy!No mo accurate dough.

 

[Standing Wolf]

I prefer the look and feel of blued Pythons better, especially since Colt often did mediocre finishing work on stainless Pythons. This one was bead-blasted by the good folks at http://www.magnaport.com while the barrel was ported and crowned and the trigger and hammer were jewelled. The blued model was engraved by Michael Gouse: http://www.mtart.com/index.htm

By the way, if you've got a spare 2.5-inch stainless Python for sale, let me know, please.

 

[Marshall]

Standing Wolf,

I haven't seen those before on THR that I can remember. You have two absolutely gorgeous Colts there my friend! I wouldn't even want to guesstimate what they're worth. I sure am enjoying drooling over them.

 

[John C]

majic;

I thought the reason that precision rifle barrels are made of stainless is that the stainless, being harder, stays accurate a bit longer. This is because the throats stand up better to the hot gasses and burn out slower

I think I was more worried about the fit and finish of the revolver, and the care taken to ream the barrel and chambers.

All;

Yeah, I know, I know. The blued pythons are GORGEOUS, and although I've sworn to never buy a blued gun again (too much maintenance during storage, I fret about specs of rust on my guns) this is one pistol that may make me break my oath.

-John

 

[Arch]

It sounds like you are questioning whether stainless steel can be machined into the same shapes as carbon steel. If that is what you are questioning, then stainless can do everything carbon steel can do, in that respect. Like Sean said, it's only when you have two large mating surfaces where an old gun will be fit a little more loosely in stainless.

Besides, wern't all of the early stainless pythons nickle plated anyway? And then they stoped the nickle plating for some reason or the other?

Go for the stainless, they were finished to the same quality as the blued ones. Anyway 30 years of use may level the fit and finish on a gun.

 

[Majic]

However, I've been told that the machining properties of stainless make it difficult to make as accurate as blued carbon steel guns.

I was just pointing out in my previous post how the most accurate rifles in the world today wear stainless steel barrels. The machining of the steel is no problem.

 

[John C]

Majic;

Thanks, that's how I learn things on forums such as this. I was thinking that stainless precision rifle barrels were a compromise between accuracy and longevity. Like maybe the carbon barrels were initially more accurate, but burn out quicker, whereas a stainless barrel might be a little less accurate, but stay accurate longer.

But now I see that it's more about the form factor of the gun.

-John

 

[Majic]

With some of the alloys to be machined today (Hastaloy for one comes to mind) 416 stainless cuts like butter. It's all in the tool and how you use your lathe.
A first class competition gun will wear the best barrel no matter how long it lasts. Longevity isn't the name of the game. Bringing home the first place trophy is what counts. So you just go thru barrels and replace them as accuracy drops off.

 

[Logan5]

I have a 4' blued python and a 6' stainless, and at indoor shooting range distances, I see no difference in intrinsic accuracy. The 6' is, of course, a little steadier. I also don't experience a difference between my stainless and blued Commanders, 29's and 629's, or... well, and so on.
The longstanding pre-internet era rumor with Pythons as has to do with finish is that: The Colt royal blue finish as found on Pythons is absolutely hot lunch in a bag, requiring all kinds of hand polishing steps, the SS is a step down, the old "ultimate" polished SS is the equivalent of the blued, and the nickled guns are the ones they messed up and had to plate. A friend of mine's father had a 4' nickel Python that was really pretty, so I'm somewhat skeptical, but anyway, generally a blued python is thought to have more TLC put into the finish than a stainless one. This affects pricing. I've never heard this accuracy rumor myself until this very moment.

 

[TimboKhan]

Learned something new

You know, I actually had never heard the argument that stainless is more accurate, and thats some pretty interesting stuff. Personally, I prefer stainless because of reduced maintenace and looks, but I have to tell you, I used to work at a pawnshop, and I took in a Python that this very nice lady had, and it was the nicest, most well-cared for gun that I have ever seen. Rockstar.esq worked with me there for a time, and he can back me up on that claim. This thing was literally nicer than it would have been brand new. It had the single prettiest blueing job that I have ever seen. I wanted so badly to buy it when it came out, but as luck would have it, the day it came out I had 0.00 dollars in the ol' bank account and couldn't even come up with the 10% for the layaway. That really, really sucked too, because we got a pretty decent discount by working there, and I think I would have ended up paying somewhere around 350 to 400 bones for it. I am not a particular fan of Colt, but man, I still regret that I didn't sell some blood or something for that one.

Timbo