How bad is this? Please help...

[David E]

David E, sounds like a good way for him to mess up his gun in a way that Colt won't fix it for free.

If he's a total fool and complete klutz, I suppose you're right.

It is an egregious fitting fault and I'm amazed it wasn't spotted before purchase. Kinda like buying a car with a flat tire on the front drivers side.....

 

[David E]

Do not do this!!! Without the proper tools, this will more than likely ruin the frame and/or barrel. Do the smart thing and send it to colt to fix.

LOL!

How do you think the "good smith" fixed it?

 

[ChazHollywood]

If he's a total fool and complete klutz, I suppose you're right.

It is an egregious fitting fault and I'm amazed it wasn't spotted before purchase. Kinda like buying a car with a flat tire on the front drivers side.....

Very funny.

I'm not ham-fisted by any means, but if you think I'm going to attempt some bubba gunsmithing with no prior experience or proper tools on a collector gun with a perfect finish you would be wrong.

I agree that in retrospect it seems like a big error, but in-hand it's not as glaring as you make it seem. If the factory can miss it, I don't feel bad about missing it, not one bit. I wasn't looking for a tilted barrel, didn't even occur to me, and it's not noticeable unless you go looking for it. I was looking for clean bore, cylinders, lockup, and overall finish. Those checked out and it looked great overall so I bought it. I'm not sorry that I did.

 

[motorcycle-charlie]

i would definitly send it in. now that you know it is crooked, it is the first thing you will see every time you pick up the gun. i am a toolmaker by trade and work with close tolerances daily, so that would really catch my eye whenever i pick it up. i actually saw a brand new smith 686 at gander mtn. the other day with the same problem. it was lookin right at me through the case. good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[skidder]

You gamble doing it yourself for strength and accuracy. One other problem with doing it yourself is the blemishes left behind from where the barrel was turned. That is why I think it was a factory job. I don't see any scratches on the surface where the shroud should be. Unless, someone refinished it after the damage was done, but I doubt that was the case. They will match the finish after it is turned. A nice gun like that makes it worth the wait.

 

[ChazHollywood]

i would definitly send it in. now that you know it is crooked, it is the first thing you will see every time you pick up the gun. i am a toolmaker by trade and work with close tolerances daily, so that would really catch my eye whenever i pick it up. i actually saw a brand new smith 686 at gander mtn. the other day with the same problem. it was lookin right at me through the case. good luck with whatever you decide.

Yes, it's one of those things where one you notice it, it's all you see. But I handled it a fair amount at home while wiping it down and it didn't catch my eye. It was only when looking down the sights at a white wall that I noticed it.

I'll be calling Colt tomorrow. Why risk it when they will likely take care of it?

 

[Haywood]

A Gunsmith with a Barrel Wrench can fix it in no time. I have had that done.

 

[skidder]

David, you are correct in many ways. I'm hoping these gunsmiths are not moonlighting from Taurus. I will never send a gun back to them even if the barrel fell off. I posted my last comment counting on the Colt gunsmiths to be reputable.

 

[motorcycle-charlie]

Yes, it's one of those things where one you notice it, it's all you see. But I handled it a fair amount at home while wiping it down and it didn't catch my eye. It was only when looking down the sights at a white wall that I noticed it.

I'll be calling Colt tomorrow. Why risk it when they will likely take care of it?

good for you. i think that is a wise choice. it will probablly help you sleep better at night. i know it would for me. i hope it all works out for you.

 

[David E]

I'm not ham-fisted by any means, but if you think I'm going to attempt some bubba gunsmithing with no prior experience or proper tools on a collector gun with a perfect finish you would be wrong.

Not saying you are, just telling the other poster that IF you were, it would be beyond your ability and you'd screw it up.

I fully understand the trepidation of NOT wanting to do this on your own, I'm just saying it's not difficult in the least.

Send it back to Colt and let them take care of it.

 

[ChazHollywood]

Well, I called Colt this morning. They said it wouldn't be covered because I'm not the original owner. I can send it in for service and they can get me a quote. Turnaround is typically 90 days...

:|

By the way, they did tell me that based on the serial number the production date was 2004.

 

[MrBorland]

I called Colt this morning. They said it wouldn't be covered because I'm not the original owner.

I hope this doesn't tempt you to try The Dowel home repair method. Even if someone else got lucky...

BTW, AFAIK, Python barrel threads are right handed, so aligning the barrel by simply turning it would tighten, not loosen it. Excess barrel material at the base of the threads would add tension to an already-tensioned area. Yours looks to only need a degree or 2 or 3 of rotation, and at 36tpi (newer Python thread, IIRC), may not add significant tension, but OTOH, it may, and a tiny bit of barrel at the base of the barrel may have to be removed. Or the barrel replaced.

Looks like it'll be on your buck, anyway, so I'd send it to Colt, but I'd first want to chat mano a mano with them about it. They might just replace the barrel. If they shrug and say they'd just tighten it up, though I'd want a second opinion from another Colt expert. I'd recommend an email to Grant Cunningham. He's waaaay backed up on his own work load, but he'd likely be able to tell you whether it's a more detailed fix than a simple tightening. I'd be curious what he thinks about the dowel trick, too.

 

[rondog]

It's still a Python in beautiful shape, I'd send it to Colt anyway, unless you personally know an excellent gunsmith you trust. JMHO.

 

[David E]

Colt should fix it, since it wasn't tightened correctly in the first place and never should've left the factory back in 2004

Talk to a supervisor.

 

[MtnSpur]

I'm going to assume you paid a "pretty penny" for that Python and with that said I'd definitely send it to COLT for the proper repair. I believe that any barrel issue will require Colt to test fire after repair and supply you with the resulting target. Should your Python have any issues after they have done their due diligence then another trip back to them is on their dime. Best of luck.

 

[JohnBT]

"If he's a total fool and complete klutz, I suppose you're right."

He is right. Don't put it in a vise and twist it with a freaking stick. Let someone with the proper tools do the work. The proper tool is a frame wrench.

Some people just shouldn't be giving advice.


Fwiw, my father bought a Python around Christmas of 1990 and it had to go back to have the barrel refit. It wasn't off much, but once he got it in bright daylight it was off.

 

[skidder]

The odds are this is their mistake. They should fix it....End of story.

 

[JohnBT]

www.midwayusa.com/Find?userSearchQuery=Revolver+Frame+Wrench

Out of curiosity, I looked up the cost of a frame wrench and an insert.

$92 for the wrench and $37 for the Python insert.

 

[brnmuenchow]

I have a Python from the '70's with very high quality, now I have heard from several individuals saying that some of the Pythons made in the '90's have had some quality issues. I can't imagine it being unfixable, however I don't know about on their dime.

 

[David E]

"If he's a total fool and complete klutz, I suppose you're right."

He is right. Don't put it in a vise and twist it with a freaking stick. Let someone with the proper tools do the work. The proper tool is a frame wrench.

The method described has been used successfully for years by reputable smiths. But it does require a non-Neanderthal to do it right.

 

[Old Fuff]

The method described has been used successfully for years by reputable smiths. But it does require a non-Neanderthal to do it right.

It's also caused a fair number of bent/warped frames because the frame wasn't supported at the front in the weak area under the barrel where the crane/yoke cutout is made. Less often you may end up with a bent topstrap if the frame is of the fixed sight kind, and weakened by a deep groove down the middle, or in an older gun that has a fouling cup on the bottom at the front.

Good gunsmiths, and of course the maker's factory, will have special blocks that fit and support both the frame and barrel. It's true that the correct tools are both expensive and model specific, but it would beat taking a chance on ruining a $1000 + revolver.

 

[David E]

You're not supposed to crank on it hard enough to bend anything.

But yes, proper tools are always best.

 

[ChazHollywood]

You're not supposed to crank on it hard enough to bend anything.

But yes, proper tools are always best.

I think the force required to bring the barrel into alignment would also be sufficient force to bend the frame if being torqued by the handle. Being careful and slow isn't the issue, it's improperly applying torque to the wrong part of the frame.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

It takes huge amounts of torque to properly crush fit a barrel...certainly enough to damage a frame with a hammer handle stuck thru it. Unless a local gunsmith can show me the proper tools he isn't going to be turning barrels on my Colts.

 

[JohnBT]

"The method described has been used successfully for years by reputable smiths."

We obviously have a different definition of reputable. I'd call them hacks.