Colt Vipers-A "Sleeper" in terms of collectibility!

[slick6]

Colt Vipers were only made in 1977 but some serial numbers carried over until 1978-but several years later Colt produced some Vipers made up from existing parts as a clean-up...but these are even more valuable than the original Vipers...they were shipped in Colt blue plastic boxes and they had a different style of wood grips...but all Vipers in mint condition are highly collectible now...but are hard to find. I managed to collect a couple of (unfired) Vipers fairly recently...following are some photos:

 

[bannockburn]

slick6

Had one many years ago. Bought it because I thought it would make for a decent kit gun and could also be something my wife could use. She never took much interest in it and I eventually sold it for a nice profit. I seem to recall it came in the Colt cardboard box with the styrofoam inserts.

 

[Panzerschwein]

I wish I had your collection... I want to BECOME YOU!

 

[If1HitU]

Wow those are beautiful revolvers.

 

[sarge83]

I passed on one of these a couple of years ago in the pawn shop, it was in the $350 range and in good condition. Will have to keep my eyes out for one of these.

 

[Monac]

I very much like the steel version of the Viper, which is the "Police Positive 4th Issue". IMO, they are one of the best looking revolvers ever made, and the factory grips really suit my hand. But it would not have occurred to me to call the Viper a sleeper. The ones I see go for very high prices.

I have heard a story that a number of Vipers were created when Colt, during one of its many periods of financial distress, sold off a batch of finished Viper barrels. People bought them, then bought Colt Cobras and replaced the Cobra barrel with the Viper barrel (and the Cobra grips with some kind of Police Positive grip) to get a more valuable gun. I have no idea how true this is.

 

[WrongHanded]

Beautiful!

Google did not immediately present with specs on this model. Are they .38 Specials?

 

[Monac]

Beautiful!

Google did not immediately present with specs on this model. Are they .38 Specials?

Yes, all of them, and all the Police Positive 4th Issues as well.

 

[Charliefrank]

I guess I missed these. I don't recall seeing them in the gun stores. When were they available?

 

[slick6]

I very much like the steel version of the Viper, which is the "Police Positive 4th Issue". IMO, they are one of the best looking revolvers ever made, and the factory grips really suit my hand. But it would not have occurred to me to call the Viper a sleeper. The ones I see go for very high prices.

I have heard a story that a number of Vipers were created when Colt, during one of its many periods of financial distress, sold off a batch of finished Viper barrels. People bought them, then bought Colt Cobras and replaced the Cobra barrel with the Viper barrel (and the Cobra grips with some kind of Police Positive grip) to get a more valuable gun. I have no idea how true this is.

Before I ever found a Viper 10 years ago I found a steel " Police Positive 4th issue" in mint condition and I fell for it's beauty so I purchased it....and I still have it but it is buried in my collection somewhere. The reason I had called the Viper a "Sleeper" was in view of the fact that initially collectors didn't recognize the Viper as being a valid collectible......yet today they are highly collectible and prices have shot up significantly.

Yes it was true that Colt had sold off their remaining stock of Viper barrels to Numrich Gun Parts Corp. the same as they had done with the 3" Python barrels...so this made it mandatory for collectors to need to obtain a Colt letter to confirm the genuineness of these revolvers. Nobody should even think of buying either of these revolvers unless this fact has been confirmed by Colt!

 

[slick6]

I guess I missed these. I don't recall seeing them in the gun stores. When were they available?

Well Colt only produced the original Viper in 1977 but some of these had serial numbers into 1978. So dealers had these new- then later they started turning up at random in some gun shops. Here in CA I saw my first Viper in a shop in 2006 and it wasn't until recently that I had found my last two. I have not seen another since.