Odd revolver

[SalchaketJoe]

A few months back I was looking to buy a Securiy Six. I was checking pawn shops, hole in the wall places that might have one cheap. I went into this place and there in the case was a security six....sorta. Its frame was a Six but the barrel was a Colt Python. Four inches I believe, maybe six. The owner of the place said it was called a "Cougar" and that only a handful were made like that. Some strange mating between a Colt and a Ruger. I didnt buy the hybrid as he was asking around $550 for it and I was looking to spend around $300 on a pure bred six.

Anyone ever seen or heard of this?

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Such combinations are found from time to time. Another example is a Smolt -- Python barrel on a Smith and Wesson. Don't ask me why people do this -- my best guess the answer is, "Because they can."

 

[Guillermo]

if you don't want it PM me

 

[Landpimp]

someone say Smolt?



the ruger/python might have been called a Couger, I know there was a "name" for that combo just like the Smolt(Smython)

now I cant say it make alot of since to use a ruger action....they are nowere as near as nice as a S&W action, so the Smolt makes since, there was no 686 made at that time, folks thought the Python barrel was more accurate as well as having the underlug for weight. When the 686 came out.....the Smolt were prolly not made often after that

Bill Davis did alot of these in the day

 

[armoredman]

My brother had a Couger years ago, and loved it. He sold it when destitute, unfortunately.

 

[MMCSRET]

The reason for a Colt barrel on a Smith action goes back to the early days of Handgun Silhouette. The Colt barrels were a uniform .356 bore, the Smiths ran .357-.359 erratically, the Colt barrels were more accurate for the 'way out there' pigs and rams, but the Smith 'N' frame actions were more durable.

 

[SWAddict]

What is involved in mating a Colt barrel to a Smith and Wesson? Are the barrels interchangeable or is there reworking of the metal involved? Just curious.

 

[MMCSRET]

Machining and fitting, no way considered a "drop in".

 

[dfariswheel]

The Python barrel on S&W revolvers goes farther back then Silhouette shooting.

The first use of this was in the old Practical Police Course (PPC), which was a revolver match for police.
The shooters liked the S&W trigger action, but liked the heavy barrel and increased accuracy of the Python.
So, gunsmiths started reworking S&W revolvers and installing Python barrels. Thus the "Smolt" or "Smython".

Other people saw these custom guns and wanted one "just because" it looked cool.
In time, Python barrels were installed on other guns, including Ruger's, the "Couger".

 

[Landpimp]

and I have talked to some police that use to carry them!

 

[9mmepiphany]

the Couger would have easily been worth the difference above what you wanted to spend for a plain Security-Six...if it were local, i'd be at the shop as soon as it opened.

besides fitting the barrel, Bill Davis would have tuned the trigger. it would be a very rare stock Ruger indeed which could out shoot one with a fitted Python barrel