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One of the guns pictured below I purchased direct from an old Colt Employee.
I was told by the gentleman that it was a salesman's sample. A gun that a salesman would have brought around to shops to see what the general feeling/interest was for the gun.
The gentleman I purchased it from no longer worked for Colt.
He had purchased it at was known as the Colt Employee only Christmas Sale many years ago.
I asked him what that was and he told me that Colt sold off their odds and ends at Christmas time.
They (COLT) would send out a list to employees and the employees had an opportunity to purchase dealer demos and salesman samples that they wanted out of their inventory. The list was very basic and only showed the item name, serial number and finish for the most part.
The guns were sold as used guns and at a discount as most didn't have boxes and so forth.
He handed me a copy of the Colt Christmas sale paperwork confirming that the 2-tone Python was on the list and that the serial numbers matched that on the list.
After I purchased the gun from him, I later had ordered a factory historical letter from Colt.
When I finally got my letter, it confirmed that the Python was indeed purchased at Christmas time from the employee I had got it from. The dates and names matched, however, the letter stated is shipped out as a blued 6 inch Python and not a 2-tone gun. I called Beverly at Colt to ask about the gun and letter.
Beverly was very nice and had told me that Colt never produced a 2-tone Python.
I explained to her that my Python was a 2-tone gun and that it was purchased through the Colt Christmas sale and that the Christmas sale paperwork stated it was a nickel & blued gun with the proper serial numbers.
Beverly then stated that now that was possible and that the Historical department didn't always show things that the custom department did. She explained that the gun could have been done up as a salesman sample and that her paperwork didn't show it. She also told me that the historical department didn't have any of the Christmas sale paperwork through the years.
She told me that my paperwork and documentation was better than what she had on file.
I'm telling you guys this so that if you do find something odd and it does not letter, that the historical letter is NOT the end all be all. Document what you can, the best you can.
Jeff (GUNKWAZY)
I was told by the gentleman that it was a salesman's sample. A gun that a salesman would have brought around to shops to see what the general feeling/interest was for the gun.
The gentleman I purchased it from no longer worked for Colt.
He had purchased it at was known as the Colt Employee only Christmas Sale many years ago.
I asked him what that was and he told me that Colt sold off their odds and ends at Christmas time.
They (COLT) would send out a list to employees and the employees had an opportunity to purchase dealer demos and salesman samples that they wanted out of their inventory. The list was very basic and only showed the item name, serial number and finish for the most part.
The guns were sold as used guns and at a discount as most didn't have boxes and so forth.
He handed me a copy of the Colt Christmas sale paperwork confirming that the 2-tone Python was on the list and that the serial numbers matched that on the list.
After I purchased the gun from him, I later had ordered a factory historical letter from Colt.
When I finally got my letter, it confirmed that the Python was indeed purchased at Christmas time from the employee I had got it from. The dates and names matched, however, the letter stated is shipped out as a blued 6 inch Python and not a 2-tone gun. I called Beverly at Colt to ask about the gun and letter.
Beverly was very nice and had told me that Colt never produced a 2-tone Python.
I explained to her that my Python was a 2-tone gun and that it was purchased through the Colt Christmas sale and that the Christmas sale paperwork stated it was a nickel & blued gun with the proper serial numbers.
Beverly then stated that now that was possible and that the Historical department didn't always show things that the custom department did. She explained that the gun could have been done up as a salesman sample and that her paperwork didn't show it. She also told me that the historical department didn't have any of the Christmas sale paperwork through the years.
She told me that my paperwork and documentation was better than what she had on file.
I'm telling you guys this so that if you do find something odd and it does not letter, that the historical letter is NOT the end all be all. Document what you can, the best you can.
Jeff (GUNKWAZY)
