Standing Wolf
Member in memoriam
This Colt Python started life with a six-inch barrel. A month or two after buying my first Python in late 2000, I spotted it in the used guns case at the National Shooting Club in Santa Clara, the People’s Republic of California. It was in pretty good condition. The trigger was excellent. The cylinder locked up like a bank vault. The price tag was considerably higher than I wanted to pay, but haggling got me nowhere. The revolver had been on display less than half an hour, and I was the third person to look at it. I wrote the check.
Like most Pythons, this was a shooter; unlike many later Pythons, this one had a fine, truly fine trigger. Several years later, I discovered it had been made in 1969.
I ordered a four-inch barrel from Brownells (http://www.brownells.com) the following morning. It was the last four-inch barrel in stock, according to the fellow I spoke with. I sent it to Magnaport (http://www.magnaport.com) for quadruple porting and barrel crowning. I have no idea why Colt never crowned Python barrels—unless, of course, it simply had to be different from every other manufacturer. I put my name on the waiting list at Cylinder & Slide (http://www.cylinder-slide.com), and eventually shipped the gun and replacement barrel to Nebraska.
Ooooops!
As matters developed, the post-1991 barrel couldn’t be installed on the 1969 Python: Colt changed the threads for reasons unknown. I’d even known that. I’d just forgotten it. Fortunately, Cylinder & Slide was able to locate a four-inch barrel with the right threads, which was then sent to Magnaport for the same work I’d just had done at considerable expense. Cylinder & Slide made a new front sight to replace the ramped Colt sight with plastic insert, installed the barrel, and sent the gun back to me. I’d already ordered presentation grade walnut stocks from Herrett’s Stocks (http://www.herrettstocks.com) and a holster and several belts from Mitch Rosen (http://www.mitchrosen.com).
I couldn’t legally carry the gun in the People’s Republic of California, of course, since commoners aren’t trusted to defend their lives and property, but had already decided to return to the United States.
That’s when I made a horrendous mistake.
Like most Pythons, this was a shooter; unlike many later Pythons, this one had a fine, truly fine trigger. Several years later, I discovered it had been made in 1969.
I ordered a four-inch barrel from Brownells (http://www.brownells.com) the following morning. It was the last four-inch barrel in stock, according to the fellow I spoke with. I sent it to Magnaport (http://www.magnaport.com) for quadruple porting and barrel crowning. I have no idea why Colt never crowned Python barrels—unless, of course, it simply had to be different from every other manufacturer. I put my name on the waiting list at Cylinder & Slide (http://www.cylinder-slide.com), and eventually shipped the gun and replacement barrel to Nebraska.
Ooooops!
As matters developed, the post-1991 barrel couldn’t be installed on the 1969 Python: Colt changed the threads for reasons unknown. I’d even known that. I’d just forgotten it. Fortunately, Cylinder & Slide was able to locate a four-inch barrel with the right threads, which was then sent to Magnaport for the same work I’d just had done at considerable expense. Cylinder & Slide made a new front sight to replace the ramped Colt sight with plastic insert, installed the barrel, and sent the gun back to me. I’d already ordered presentation grade walnut stocks from Herrett’s Stocks (http://www.herrettstocks.com) and a holster and several belts from Mitch Rosen (http://www.mitchrosen.com).
I couldn’t legally carry the gun in the People’s Republic of California, of course, since commoners aren’t trusted to defend their lives and property, but had already decided to return to the United States.
That’s when I made a horrendous mistake.
I love a happy ending! 
