Colt Python Question - Please Help

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Combatops1911

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Hi all,

I am new to thr and can say I enjoy reading the posts but its time for my first question. I am thinking about buying a 6 inch Colt Python w/Nickel finish. The gun has a really low serial number in the 5k range w/no letters. From what I hear that should make it a pretty early gun. The gun has never been fired and is in mint condition. A big collector in the area just past away and I know the mans wife, who is willing to sell this gun to me, the rest are going to auction. The gun does not have the original box as a friend of the collector made him a wooden display box which the gun has been stored in. What would an item like this be worth?

She also has a 6 inch blue python, also never fired that they are holding for me, my father was going to buy this one but I don't think he has the cash now. The blue has a serial number in the 7k range (no letters), if I remember correctly. What would this one be worth? I would love to get both of them to keep but dont have the cash for that... I was thinking about buying the blued and selling it though...

No, im not playing games, she also has a 6 inch stainless but that one is going to the auction. I was not that interested in this one as it had a higher serial number, 75k range.

So my question is really about the nickel and blued versions of the gun, any help would be great. I must let her know by this Wed. 12/26/07.

Thank you
 
Either blued or nickel gun would definitely be worth more if they had the original box and papers. I wouldn't pay over $1000 for either personally. I see them listed for sale regularly online for much over that but don't often sell. If you go to gunbroker.com or auctionarms.com you can get a good idea of what they ar going for. Keep in mind what many are ASKING for doesn't necessarily mean that is what they are selling for. MANY of these pistols are relisted over and over because they cannot get the high asking prices they are looking for. If you are looking for a Python as a shooter they would probably be "worth" $800-$1000 but as an investment w/o box and papers they won't hold near as high a value. JMHO

As and example here are a couple of my Pythons. My 2-1/2" I bought recently at a gun shop w/o box and papers for $800 in near perfect condition and it is my "shooter"


The 6" blued Python I bought NIB unfired, with all papers for $1000 about a year ago, and the 4" nickel Python is a '67 vintage w/ box, that was also near perfect and I sold it for $1000.


 
Thanks for the info.

Jetman, I have also seen the high prices for Pythons on the net, thanks for sharing your thoughts on same. I really wanted to pay around $900 but I think she is pretty firm at $1,000. I just wish she had the original box/papers to go with the gun... Then again it it has never been shot and the chart Bullet Bob provided shows the gun was made between 1957-1959 as it has a 5k serial number... hummm, still have some thinking to do. It must be rare to find a python in mint unfired condition made in 57-59... Ha, im talking myself into jumping off the cliff :)
 
Keep in mind what many are ASKING for doesn't necessarily mean that is what they are selling for. MANY of these pistols are relisted over and over because they cannot get the high asking prices they are looking for.
Click to expand...

True. I think many sellers have discovered if they relist long enough, they'll catch someone with more money than patience and/or common sense.
 
I would think a 1957-59 gun would bring a premium - $1200.00, or even more. It should have grips like these that are on my Colt Three-Fifty-Seven, but with gold medallions in the grips instead of silver ones:

standard.jpg

Here's a better picture of the same type of grips on a OMM .22:

standard.gif

Sadly, I'm too poor to own a Python!
 
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I have seen Pythons go from $800 - $1500. Ask what they would take if you bought both. You might get a deal. My idea would be if you can swing it buy both and give the blue one to your father as a Christmas gift. A Colt makes a good gift at any time. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
 
Bullet Bob, Yes the grips have the gold medallion - thanks for your input.

Black Knight, I thought about giving them a price for the pair, I think I might try that... I would love to give one to the old man for Christmas, if only I was Donald Trump haha. Let me ask this, if she has the original box and papers for the blued python would you take the blued over the nickel? The nickel just appeals to me more, lower serial number and what an eye catcher...
 
If you like the nickled version better than the blued one then get it. Aside from durability (and the nickle finish does afford better rust protection), finish preference is usually a personal (subjective) matter. I prefer a good blue job but only because the aesthetics appeal to me.
 
I don't remember what I paid for a gun of mine after a few months. But I still have it to shoot.

If you want to brag about taking the widow for a ride, and make a profit off her loss, this may not be it. If you want a nice revolver, this IS one... or two.

I once had a nickel Python. I put a black Eliason rear sight and blue front blade on it so I could see what I was doing. It shot very well, but a good friend stayed after me for it so much I finally traded it to him for a blue one.
 
nice snake fire arms to collect ,better with boxes & papers!!
i had em with my snakes , but shot the begeezzes out of em !!& had one going or comming from colt factory to be timmed.
i ran up with a trader & he traded me 2 GPs for each python& a redhawk & super redhawk for an anaconda in 45colt
the last of my colts were a couple of king cobras i tried to find barrels for ,no luck so they turned into rugers too!!!
ill be the first to admitt i miss the buttery triggers on the colts but ive had to add on to my reloading bench twice & im learning to smooth out triggers on gps where they are very tolerable to shoot.
i have my gps to where they stack ever so lightly in da& the large bores where sa is like glass breaking!!!!
i wish colt would bring back the da revolvers but ive talked with personnell & that chapter is closed for the grand daddy of firearms manufactor!!!

GP100man
 
Well I went to look at them again yesterday and Im not buying either. They have the box and papers for the blued gun and no box/papers for the nickel. I was also wrong about the serial numbers, both had letters in them and were not the early models I thought they were. The Blued was in the 75k range with an E at the end and the Nickel started with a V, if I remember correct.

If I were to have bought any it would have been the blued as it had the box and papers but oh well...

Jim Watson - my intention was not to take the widow for a ride, I intended to make an offer w/in my budget, if I decided to buy one of the guns. I advised that I wished to pay $900 for the Nickel and I knew the Nickel did not have papers or box (I later found at that the gun was newer than I thought). They were asking $1000, I dont think an offer of $900 would have been just cause to claim that I intended to take the widow for a ride and brag about same. Note: I own several handguns and a few long guns and I recall what I paid for all.
 
$1000 for a 6" blued gun with box and papers is a good deal if truly unfired. If you want a good clean shooter, $1000 isn't out of line for the 6" nickel gun either.
 
$900 was a fair offer. The idea of buying privately is to pay less than you would at a gun store and th eidea of selling privately is to get more than you would at a gun store. If she were to sell them at a dealer, she'd get 5 or 600 for them and they'd sell them for a grand. I'd say you made a fair offer.
 
I know I wouldn't take 900.00 for mine:) just because its not forsale period.
I bought mine for 400.00 years ago with box and all paper work and my shooting buddies thought I had gone crazy:D.
 
It's worth the additional $100 to me anyway to NOT have to fill out the 4473 form. That is the real benefit of buying from an individual. I've got a CCW and no record at all. I just don't like the .gov to know what I am buying.
 
I agree that $1,000 probably is not a bad price and I might regret not getting the python down the road but I have made the choice to buy an AR (or 2) of some sort b4 some liberal ass wipe gets voted in this coming election. So Ill have to be content with my current pistol collection. Thank you all for the input and FYI all three of the Pythons will be sold by Readings Auction in Adams County PA. I am not sure if there will be online ordering. If anyone one is interested in some serious collector rifles you may even want to fly in for this one, no joke (apparently people will come from all over for an auction like this). I have never seen a colletion like this guys, I felt like I was in Cabels historic rifle display room, but this guy had more rifles! I am pretty sure Readings will be doing some heavy advertising. If anybody wants more info on Readings let me know, ill get there physical info and put it on here for you.
 
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