Colt Python

td1622 · Feb 12, 2011

Ok ... here is a wacky questiion for you, here is the deal .. my brothers wife's Dad was a cop in LA back in the late 70's and bought a 357 Colt Python.... I don't know the barrel length or anything .. he had his name engraved on it and a few years ago died .. no one could find the gun ... but last week a freind found that gun in a gun shop in the LA area and bought it back for 1500.00 Now I don't know much about these guns but that seems way high to me .... is there something about that gun that would make it that much money ... chromed or ??? It just seemed like such a high price ... oh the reason we are asking is because the friend is giving us the oportunity to buy the family gun back .... the price seems way high ... I am hoping someone can tell me if that is a fair price or not???

olyshoots · Feb 12, 2011

Sorry, pretty hard to give you a fair answer without more details and pictures.

ejmpnu92 · Feb 12, 2011

About 11 years ago(was living in San Jose CA at the time), I had a friend that died who had a pretty nice collection. He had a Python in his collection. (I put about 50 rounds down range and it was a nice weapon) The widow had all of his firearms appraised and the Python was in the neighborhood of $1000 to $1200. She was a little mad at me, I offered her $800, I figured cash in hand was better than in the bush but oh well.

Also, because of some of California's gun laws, firearm prices tend to be on the high side. Or that is what I found in my experience there.

elsie · Feb 13, 2011

Most Pythons I see tend to run between $900 and $1200 depending on condition, barrel length and finish. It wouldn't surprise me that prices in California are higher.

elsie

Spitpatch · Feb 13, 2011

Gun show (dealer) prices run about 1200 or so for a nice Python. One showing use a bit less. Cash in hand might get a nice one for less. $1500 would be high for a used gun. New in box would run about 1800 or more. (And you'd be a fool to shoot it.) In your position, I would compose a heartfelt letter, with some history of Dad-in-law's police career. Offer what you can afford. If he is a true friend, and you know for certain he paid $1500, then that is fair to him.

billdeserthills · Feb 13, 2011

I disagree about the value on a one-of-a-kind item that most likely will never be seen or heard from again. If you can't afford the full price, I would apologize to your friend (awful forward of this friend to simply outlay $1500 of your money without even a phone call) and maybe he'll hold it for you in the future.

mjbskwim · Feb 13, 2011

I would pay that price for a family Python.
They ain't much cheaper than that in good condition.

Very nice wheel gun .Arguably the smoothest production wheel gun made.

Buy it and shoot it too.

Spitpatch · Feb 17, 2011

Desert Bill reads something here I do not. I did not get the impression the "friend simply outlay 1500 of your money..." I read this as he found the gun, bought it with his own funds/decision, and is now offering it to the family for no profit.

And for td: If you acquire this gun, it would not only be educational and fun, but in the future possibly profitable to assemble anything and everything you can about the police career, especially any well-known arrests (with newspaper articles) that were participated in by the officer. This adds not only educational value to the gun (for family members and the like), but can actually add monetary value to the gun if it is ever sold. A history of the gun's change of owners, coupled with a history of the officer's career (documented and attested to by family members) is called "Provenance". To a collector, this adds immensely to a gun's value, even if not a family member.

billdeserthills · Feb 17, 2011

I just feel like this could become a "Friendship Ending" event, and in this position I think a phone call, before the outlay of $1,500 makes sense.
Also I have a negative attitude at the best of times

madcratebuilder · Feb 18, 2011

For $1500 a Python needs to be NIB. A used one with a name engraved on it is a $600 shooter in my book. It may have "family" value for you but $1500 is pushing it.

mjbskwim · Feb 18, 2011

madcratebuilder said:
For $1500 a Python needs to be NIB. A used one with a name engraved on it is a $600 shooter in my book. It may have "family" value for you but $1500 is pushing it.

Riiiight.And go find one for $600.Last I saw any was at over a grand.

yotehunter · Feb 18, 2011

there was a used one on this forum this week that sold for $600 in rough condition

Arkitek · Feb 18, 2011

I picked up a 90% King Cobra for $500ish last year...seems like $600 for its big brother, is definitely "rough" in condition...but, I dont know Squat or where he's hiding!

mjbskwim · Feb 18, 2011

Well there's 2.
Out of the 20+ I saw at the shows last year,none were close to that.
Of course,none were under 100% either.
One guy that went to the Puyallup show,had thee most perfect Pythons I have ever seen.He was upwards of $1500 a piece.
Don't think he really wanted to sell his, though.

3 AE · Feb 18, 2011

Let me get this straight. It's your brothers father-in-law who was the original owner. I'm assuming he bought it new. No one knows what happened to the Colt after his passing a few years ago.It was either sold or pawned or stolen or whatever and ends up in a local LA gunshop. Somehow a friend of yours or your brother or his wife happens to walk into that same gunshop a couple of years later and low and behold sees a Colt Python with your brothers father-in-laws name engraved on it. Puts two and two together and from the kindness of his heart shells out $1500.00 of his own money and then offers it for sale back to your brother and his wife without a heads up. Geez if this don't take the cake for a 'Believe It or Not" episode! This is a true story?!!! OK, I'll take this story at face value and assume it's true. Is your brother and his wife really interested in buying it back to begin with? If not,they should tell the friend "Hope your happy with your purchase." If they're willing to pay the asking price so be it. It's up to them. But that "friend" put them in a crappy position. He's taking a little advantage of them by already making the purchase at the high end of the price range. They never got the chance to make an offer for a price they felt was reasonable. Personally I'd tell your brother to make the guy a lower offer of what they feel it's worth.He went from a friend to just a person selling a used gun. It's not their fault that he paid a little too much for it. By the way,did anyone ask the gunshop how they came into possession of the Colt?

torrejon224 · Feb 20, 2011

A local shop here in Springfield has a 4 inch Python in what I'd say fair condition for $900. Beautiful wheel gun and I wish I had kept then one I bought in Anchorage but a bit steep for my blood. One good thing is that they are pretty well sought after by collectors and prices won't be dropping so one would be a decent investment.