Colt Viper

[deershed]

Can anybody tell me how many years these were made?? Blue book says 77-84 but a lot of people say just 77. I just got one today and the serial is 690xxR....does this sound correct?? Please help!

[Collects]

Welcome to Coltforum, deershed, and congratulations on your new-to-you Colt!

Our resident Colt experts will stop by soon and answer your questions.

We like to see photos of Colts. Can you please post some photos of your Viper?

[mafd2]

I know they were made in 1977 but think there was a run of them around 1993 with the Colt/Pachmayr grips on them. The older Vipers had M or R suffix serial numbers.

[deershed]

This has the R on the end of the serial number.

[deershed]

DSC04810.jpg
Here she is....Tell me what you think.

[mafd2]

Interesting... I've never seen one in a satin e-nick finish. I know they were made in blue and bright nickel but didn't think they were made in satin. Maybe someone else will chime in on the finish . If this is a factory finish, it's rare. May be a special order?? I would have it lettered from Colt.

[deershed]

I called Colt and they said it was made in 78

[gkitch]

Could we see a better pic of the grips? Viper bbls were availble through NUmrich Arms and have been known to show up attached to a Cobra frame and, voila, a scarce Colt Snake! Cobra grips are a likely indicator of a barrel swich as the Viper Grips are not so readily available as the tubes.
I hope when you spoke to Colt you confirmed that it left the factory as a Viper?

[mafd2]

OK. Probably early '78? I knew they were made in '77 for sure but wasn't sure about '78. I would have it lettered. It will tell you the date of shipment, who and where it was shipped to, and what the finish was.

[mafd2]

Could we see a better pic of the grips? Viper bbls were availble through NUmrich Arms and have been known to show up attached to a Cobra frame and, voila, a scarce Colt Snake! Cobra grips are a likely indicator of a barrel swich as the Viper Grips are not so readily available as the tubes.
I hope when you spoke to Colt you confirmed that it left the factory as a Viper?

Correct about the stocks. The Viper and PP had the longer stocks with the same style of the DS. There are still Viper barrels out there but my thing is, the satin finish. I've never seen satin Viper barrels or even recall seeing a satin Cobra. Not easy to do a barrel swap on these aluminum frames and most people won't touch them.