What About The Colt Python in .38 Special?

[Phydeaux642]

I was in a LGS today right after they had purchased three handguns from someone. One was a S&W model 41 with the short and long barrels. One was a Colt Diamondback of some sort (I didn't see it), and the other one was a Colt Python in .38 Special with an 8" bbl. The Python and Smith were in boxes, but had been fired. Are these .38 Special only Pythons a gun that would command a premium? I would think that most folks would prefer a Python in .357. I figure that the Python in .38 with an 8" bbl would have been used in silhouette shooting?

I ssaw the paperwork for the purchase laying on the counter and the shop paid $500 each for the guns. This seems low for the Python. Heck, it may be low for the other two. I couldn't really have afforded it, but I wish I would have been outside the shop when the guy was coming in.

 

[earlthegoat2]

They are about the same as any Python from what I have researched. They are a tad uncommon but not rare.

 

[harmonic]

Some thought the 38 special round in the 357 chamber wasn't as accurate as the 38 special in a 38 chamber cause the bullet had to "jump" before contacting the forcing cone. But the 38 special Python didn't really take off.

 

[Logan5]

Up here, that is low for all three. By a good bit, too.

 

[Jim Watson]

They turned out a good number of those 8" .38 Pythons for some reason. I never figured out what they were meant for. The revolver was out of style for bullseye, 8" is too long for PPC, and .38 doesn't have the knockdown for metallic silhouette. I shot a regular 6" .357 Python at PPC and would have snapped up a 6" .38 but I never saw or heard of one.

 

[Bill B.]

I am dating myself but I can remember when the the Python 38 Special was considered a "Dog" among gun traders. $300.00 was considered getting a good price for one! One sold locally in the last 6 months new in box for $1300.00 so what used to be the "Dog" as came up in the world!

 

[Steve C]

Up here, that is low for all three. By a good bit, too.

Gun stores buying guns from individuals almost steal them, usually at less than 1/2 the price they'll resell them at. For some reason people selling used guns often think that the gun store is a good place to sell them as it has an air of legitimacy and they're unreasonably worried about the legality of private sales.

 

[Old Fuff]

I don't think that they turned out a whole lot of them because they were't popular - which someday may make them popular with collectors. The intended market was bullseye target shooters. Former and present competitors may grin at the thought, but Colt's management wasn't very well informed as to who used their products and for what.

Well at least they thought it was a good idea...

 

[Olympus]

$500 for any working Python is a good price. If it were near me, I'd snag it.

 

[harmonic]

I don't think that they turned out a whole lot of them because they were't popular

They were the answer to a question nobody asked.

 

[Old Fuff]

They were the answer to a question nobody asked.

Colt's done a lot of that....

 

[Phydeaux642]

$500 for any working Python is a good price. If it were near me, I'd snag it.

$500 is what they paid for it. I'd say it will be closer to $1,500 when/if it hits the shelf.

 

[novaDAK]

They were the answer to a question nobody asked.

Not completely true...some police depts. / security companies were required to use a revolver chambered in .38spl, NOT .357mag. This is the same reason Ruger made a .38spl version of the Security Six, etc. when in the exact same gun they also chambered in .357mag.

Now, the real question is, why bother with making a .38-only version of the Python when Colt already made other .38spl dedicated revolvers? Possibly due to the "balance" people liked about the Python?

 

[Jim Watson]

A 4 inch barrel would make sense for somebody limited to .38 and wanting a deluxe duty revolver, but 8 inch?

 

[harmonic]

were required to use a revolver chambered in .38spl

They already had the diamondback. I stand by what I said. You're wrong.

 

[Blue Brick]

I thought a Diamondback looked similar, but was on a different frame?

 

[Old Fuff]

A Diamond Back was similar to a Python, but build on a modified D-frame (think Detective Special with adjustable sights). Thus it was smaller then the Python, and not as highly finished and fitted. I know of at least one mid-sized police department that adopted them in the 4 inch barrel length.

So far as police departments adopting the Python was concerned, a few did. But considering the price not many. So far as I know, Colt's run of .38 Special Pythons all had 8" barrels, and I'm sure no law enforcement agencies adopted them for general issue.

 

[Olympus]

$500 is what they paid for it. I'd say it will be closer to $1,500 when/if it hits the shelf.

My apologies. It seems that I didn't read your post thoroughly. Whoever sold the Python for $500 got taken for a ride then. That's a shame...

I know of at least one mid-sized police department that adopted them in the 4 inch barrel length

There's a local county sheriff's department that used to carry the D-back back in the 70s.

 

[harmonic]

I thought a Diamondback looked similar, but was on a different frame?

The point is that Colt already had marketed a 38 special caliber revolver and didn't need to market the 38 special Python (just to have an available 38 special revolver).

It was the answer to a question nobody asked.

 

[pinkymingeo]

The gun makes a certain sense, if you prefer the 38spl-length cartridge. The 38spl can be loaded close to 357 levels for use in a heavy-frame revolver like the Python, but with a cylinder the proper length for those wadcutter loads.

 

[Olympus]

Other than the bonus of owning another Python, I don't know that there is any benefit in the .38 Python, at least for me. My normal Pythons shoot .38 just as good as .38 only Python, I would say. But if you've already got a collection of Pythons, the .38 version would be a nice on to add to the collection.