why no love for the anaconda?

[memphisjim]

ok the colt python seems wildly popular and collectable
and you see plenty of love for the s&w 629 in revolver threads
why do i see so little love for the colt anaconda?

 

[memphisjim]

wow no love at all no one will even comment on it

 

[NoAlibi]

The Colt Anaconda is a solid gun and it's not that there isn't any love for it as much as there is so little interest in it.

It took Colt 35 years after S&W introduced the Model 29 to finally come out with a revolver chambered in .44 Magnum. With so many other revolvers chambered for the .44 Mag and the slew of more powerful handguns that are on the market, Colt's offering was just ho-hum except for Colt collectors.

 

[memphisjim]

the python commands a price that the smith cant
why is the anaconda different?

 

[GUNKWAZY]

The Anaconda is not anything like a Python other than the vent ribbed barrel and the pony stamped on the side.
The Anaconda is a working mans gun. In other words its a utility gun, and made to be carried for hunting and other uses, not some fancy high end target model like the Python.
The Python was originally developed to be the high end target model and was always finished to the highest standards. Colt's Royal Blue & bright nickel with checkered wood stocks were the only way you could even get the Python in the 50's, 60's & 70's.
The standard Anaconda was offered in brushed stainless from the start with rubber recoil reducing grips. The only fancy finish it was ever offered in was the Bright Stainless first edition guns that came in a factory hard case.
The Anaconda was also offered in the Realtree camo finish. (Sorry, but I can't consider that a fancy finish). But I can say, it was a utility style hunting finish.
The Python was iconic and made for 50 years. People like Elvis and US Presidents ordered them from Colt fully engraved in presentation boxes and gave them as gifts to others because they were so highly regarded.
I don't recall any stories about Anacondas being done like that.
If you attempted to put a complete collection of Anacondas together, you may have about 12 guns.
If you tried to complete a collection of available Pythons just in different barrel lengths and finishes, you'd need a boat load of money and it would take a long time to hunt them all down. It makes it more more of a challenge to a collector, I assure you of that.

I hope that all makes sense.

Jeff (GUNKWAZY)

 

[MMCSRET]

The Anaconda and King Cobra are totally different guns. The Python is the top end of a design that started in 1908 with the Army Special, transformed into the Official Police and Officers Models and came into the "I" frame model named "Python". The King Cobra and The Anaconda are modern designs with little of the hand polished refinements of the "E" and "I" frame revolvers. They are all good guns but its like comparing a S&W Registered Magnum to a S&W 627. Good but not the same.

I was typing at the same time as Gunkwazy, good show!!!!

 

[SaxonPig]

Years ago I traded a nickel M29-2 for an Anaconda. Stupid... stupid... stupid...

All Colts command ridiculous prices since they don't make guns any longer.

The Anaconda was a cheap, mass produced revolver that was heavy, clunky, and in no way reminded me of the fine Colts of years ago. Owning that gun made me realize just how much i hate stainless. Ugh. I sold it at a loss a year later and was glad to be rid of it.

 

[Slamfire]

The Anaconda was a cheap, mass produced revolver that was heavy, clunky, and in no way reminded me of the fine Colts of years ago.

I examined Anaconda's when they were new and on the market. They were overpriced compared to the competition.

This is a dig against Colt, but they were very late in introducing a 44 Mag. Colt is always ten years behind the market. So they introduce this 44 Mag way after the 44 Magnum craze had peaked, and there were a lot of excellent models by other manufacturers at better prices.

Colt fanatics will pay extra for the Pony, but I did not, and won't.

 

[captain awesome]

I bought one at a gun show a little while back, looking for any one of the following for a decent price; redhawk 44, smith 44mag, python, anaconda, any freedom arms high caliber revolver, or a bfr in 450 marlin, 460s&w or 45/70. Almost everything there was outrageously priced, and after searching around for a good three hours, I found the anaconda, in pristine condition, being sold for about the lowest price you could find on gun broker at the time. I don't know what these people were on but that guy had the only decent prices for revolvers (at least the ones I was after) in the whole place. I checked it over thoroughly and after finding absolutely no reason not to, bought it for $800 (talked him down from 1k), after looking at a USED stock red hawk for the same price at the table next door. Unlike the rest of the thread, I am quite fond of mine and don't regret the purchase for a second. its extremely accurate, feels great in my hand and has a very smooth action and trigger pull that seems to me better than my 500s&w. It may not be quite as sweet as a python (which I am currently saving for to be the next revolver purchase) but I won't let it go.

 

[memphisjim]

ok that answers that

 

[PattonTime]

Anaconda

I agree with The Captain, they are nice, they are more rare then Model 629 s
I would not say they are better , I would say they are almost the same.
I believe that all the newer Colts from the mark Threes onward feel more like Smiths to me then Pythons and other earlier Colts
This is not to say bad , just not real special when compared to a Smith. I do like them however and some very noted Smiths say they are one of the strongest actions out there.
So I would buy what you like and enjoy it.
I know that that is what I do ....

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

Colt revolvers are usually very accurate. Stainless demands more sophisticated alloys in manufacture and different lubricants, tends to be a little rougher than carbon steel, tends to need a bit of action work to make smooth, and MAY lose a little bit of that "polishing" and smoothness over time, making the carbon steel guns a little more durable action-wise. Stainless does have it's strong points, like rust resistency, and the ability to "touch up" a scratch, etc without refinishing. The Anaconda is a great gun, but dollar for dollar, the S&W 629 MAY be the better buy. The Anaconda will not have an action near as nice as the Python (as some have pointed out, it's a different action), but can be slicked up at additional expense. But who wants to spend another C-note or two for just action work? Not everyone. If you find one you like the action on, and the gun is otherwise in fine shape, go for it.

 

[PhiloebeddoUSA]

More of the same of what others have said. You are paying for the pony. Equal and/or better guns can be had for less. Having said that, Colt collectors are a loyal breed who come with their wallets flush. As with anything, if the price was right I would go after one. I would not bet against them from a collectable standpoint either.

 

[bearmgc]

Anaconda= BBQ gun. Like a big diamond pinky ring at a wedding......bling, conspictuous consumption.

 

[harmonic]

The reason the Anaconda never took off was because it was poorly made compared to the Python, which revolver it was designed to emulate. The Anaconda was supposed to be the 44 mag Python.

But the outward appearance was the only similarity. In fact, the Anaconda quickly developed the reputation for having timing problems.

I picked one up at a gun store in Modesto and was doing a revolver checkout. Sure enough, the timing was off. They had to ship it off to get repaired before they could sell it.

 

[rmfnla]

At one point I had both an Anaconda and a 629.

I LOVED the big Colt, mostly because it fit my hand and (IMHO) had great balance.

It did develop timing issues but I got a new hand and that took care of it.

ANOTHER gun I shouldn't have let get away! :banghead:

 

[Confederate]

Colt loves to use OLD designs, even with new guns, then they believe people will see the pony emblem and just start shelling out the cash.

The Python's tiny pawl has always meant timing problems for that gun and this flaw was passed along to the Anaconda.

The gun is heavy, expensive, has a gritty, stacking action and was too late in the game to make most shooters care. It also wasn't easy to get. A 629 is better balanced, has a better action, is probably more accurate, and will blow a bad guy's head cleeeeeean off. And a Redhawk is cheaper, stronger, better designed and built like a tank.

 

[Action_Can_Do]

I would have happily bought an anaconda. Unfortunately, the only used anacondas that I've seen have been in really bad shape and I have a problem with dropping $800+ on a used gun. If there was a new one available for say, $1000, I would pick it up. That's not gonna happen though.

 

[nonseven]

I've got a Colt Anaconda, black titanium plated, a limited edition by Colt. Quite an unusual piece. Never shot it.

 

[kennedy]

bought and sold two anacondas, one a used 4 in, and a new in box 6 in, never could warm up to them, I have a bunch of other colts and it never felt it fit in. Don`t know why

 

[S&Wfan]

The Anacondas came very, very late onto the double action revolver scene . . . not long before most revolvers fell out of favor with folks switching to bottom feeders.

Thus . . . you are not going to see a lot of 'em around. That doesn't, IMHO make them "rare" in a desirable way. Big and ugly, with hard stacking triggers that usually suck . . . and coming from a company soon to be discontinuing their revolver line anyway, they didn't exactly set the world on fire. Seasoned revolver enthusiasts generally avoided them like the plague back "in the day."

TODAY . . . it is hard to find knowledgeable gunsmiths who know how to work on Colt revolvers and parts are pretty rare. Colts always have had timing issues too, compared to S&W and Ruger, even the fancy Pythons.

If I saw one in a gun store case I wouldn't even give it a second look. Now if it was a nice S&W Model 29 or 629 from the same era as the Anaconda? Well . . . that would be different!

The only Colt double action revolver I own is a 1961 Colt Agent snubbie I inherited from my dad. It . . . of course, has timing issues and I have no idea who still has parts to work on 'em. Surprise, surprise.

 

[Zundfolge]

Back when I was looking for my first .44 I looked at a couple of Anacondas because I've always been fond of Pythons (even though I can't afford one).

Anacondas may have ponies on them, but they're nowhere near the quality of a Python. In the same way that both the Chevette and the Cadilliac are both General Motors products.

I'm happy with my S&W Model 29-2 thankyouverymuch ... and if I add another .44 mag to the stable, I'll get another S&W, a Dan Wesson a Ruger or a Mateba but not an Anaconda.

 

[jhco50]

The Anaconda was a massed produced handgun. That is why it had a different action. It's action was easier to manufacture.

The Python was literally hand-fitted from beginning to end.

I have a Colt King Cobra with the same action as the Anaconda, but someone took the extra step of having the action tuned and it is butter smooth. I gave $300 for it and it was and is in excellent condition.

 

[8emem]

I bought my 6" .45 Colt Anaconda brand new years ago for about half of what they are going for today. It was an impulse purchase just as I was leaving the gunshop range one day. As stated above this is not a gun for strong loads. It is very accurate with my handloaded lead target rounds and has a nice smooth action. I had some primer ignition problems (even in single action) with Winchester primers before they switched to the single primer for standard and magnum usages. Since there really is no prospect of Colt making any more double action revolvers, I am passing the Anaconda to the next generation of my family when my time is up.

 

[Confederate]

I think one of the problems was that Colt's suggested retail was a slap in the face to many. Colt had gotten to the point where it thought stamping a pony onto a gun automatically would make it worth more than its competitors' guns. And then there were the unionized workers commanding top pay. (Colt had even used United Auto Workers to assemble their guns at one point, and its Troopers were becoming hit or miss.

The old designs were catching up with them as well. The 1911s were overly expensive and unreliable out of the box. People who bought them had to have them accurized and altered until they worked flawlessly -- all requiring $$$. Meanwhile, second and third generation S&Ws could zip through thousands of rounds with no malfunctions, and with all-steel frames at a fraction of what tye Colts cost. Why was that?

And why was S&W able to design and manufacture these fine guns at a fraction of the price Colt did on theirs?