forindooruseonly
Member
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2009
- Messages
- 1,076
So I've been photographing a bunch of my guns for a project and got around to the Python this weekend.
This is the first Python I ever bought. I gave what I thought was a princely sum for it, because I really wanted one and this was in the days before online auctions and sales. Unfortunately, I was also young and dumb and didn't really know what to look for, especially checking the timing when I shelled out the cash. Yep. Out of time. So I had to save up some more and send it off to Colt for repair.
After I got it back it sat in the safe for years. I love Colt revolvers, but I always found myself taking other guns to the range. I bought other Pythons and shot them instead. I think a lot of it was the fact that every time I looked at it, I was reminded that I got ripped off buying it and didn't really want to think about it. But I couldn't sell it, because between what I paid for it and what Colt charged me to fix it, I thought I was deep in the hole. So it sat there. Now of course, I could get my money back, but it was a sore point for me for a long time.
A couple of years ago, I dug it out and decided that I would either keep it and shoot it or sell it and call it a lesson learned. And looking through my notes, I realized I hadn't shot it a single time since I got it back from colt - thirteen years earlier. So I've been keeping track to satisfy my curiosity - how many .357 rounds does it take to put a Python out of time? The question still comes up, so I figured I'd find out. Now, at the rate I shoot .357s, I'll probably be an old man before I wear it out, but I'll at least know the round count when i finally have to send it somewhere for servicing again. As of this morning, I've shot 1,138 factory .357 loads through it in the past two years. Lock up is still tight. I imagine in another ten years I might have something to report. If I ever get around to reloading .357, it might be a lot sooner, because I really enjoy shooting this gun now that I'm not wrapped up in my embarrassing history with it.
This is the first Python I ever bought. I gave what I thought was a princely sum for it, because I really wanted one and this was in the days before online auctions and sales. Unfortunately, I was also young and dumb and didn't really know what to look for, especially checking the timing when I shelled out the cash. Yep. Out of time. So I had to save up some more and send it off to Colt for repair.
After I got it back it sat in the safe for years. I love Colt revolvers, but I always found myself taking other guns to the range. I bought other Pythons and shot them instead. I think a lot of it was the fact that every time I looked at it, I was reminded that I got ripped off buying it and didn't really want to think about it. But I couldn't sell it, because between what I paid for it and what Colt charged me to fix it, I thought I was deep in the hole. So it sat there. Now of course, I could get my money back, but it was a sore point for me for a long time.
A couple of years ago, I dug it out and decided that I would either keep it and shoot it or sell it and call it a lesson learned. And looking through my notes, I realized I hadn't shot it a single time since I got it back from colt - thirteen years earlier. So I've been keeping track to satisfy my curiosity - how many .357 rounds does it take to put a Python out of time? The question still comes up, so I figured I'd find out. Now, at the rate I shoot .357s, I'll probably be an old man before I wear it out, but I'll at least know the round count when i finally have to send it somewhere for servicing again. As of this morning, I've shot 1,138 factory .357 loads through it in the past two years. Lock up is still tight. I imagine in another ten years I might have something to report. If I ever get around to reloading .357, it might be a lot sooner, because I really enjoy shooting this gun now that I'm not wrapped up in my embarrassing history with it.