dwr461-The N.S. was far from a bad gun,its sales and dependability,compared to the pre war large framed S&Ws prove that(I love the pre war "Big Smiths" and shoot them as often as any of my types of revolvers).
Colt "claims" that the N.S. machinery(jigs etc.)was moved outside during the World War Two production boom,to make "room" for machine gun production.
Sales of the SAA and N.S, had been slow in the 30's(but hell,there was a depression).
Basically,Colt felt there was NO NEED for a big bore REVOLVER-as they had the 1911 .45 Auto. What few sales,they expected to loose to S&W,they were prepared to. The .45 Colt,38/40 and 44/40 chamberings hadn't been too popular.
Well,they blew it! First,their prediction of the .357 Magnum being "a novelty"(they had chambered the N.S, and SAA for it,1936-1940,and they weren't big sellers),was OFF-as there was a hugh backload of orders for the S&W N frame)pre M-27) .357 in the late 40's-early 50's.
Caught without a .357.Colt revamped(heat treated etc.) the Officers Model for it,calling it the "357".introducing it in 1954. Then the Python came along!
I was hoping,and even saving some $$$$,when I heard that Colt was FINALLY going to build a Large Framed D.A. revolver in the late 80's,that it would be a New Service "clone",with the "leaf spring",old style,Python action,target sights,and of course modern metallurgy,and more user friendly grip profile and stocks.
Yes,it would have been HIGH COST-but we got the Anaconda instead. Not to deride this gun,but it is not what I had hoped for-and I have never forgiven Colt for becoming driven by the corporate mentality vs. being great gunmakers.
Bud. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif