Appearance....

 

It's simplistic but the Kid is absolutely right. once you're used to seeing the varied finishes you can usually tell one from another. I may be all wet but I think the quickest form of education may be to go to Gunbroker.com and type in "Colt Python" in the search engine. (Don't use the quote marks)

You can then scroll down and see all the finishes. I just tried it and saw all that you mention here. Of course the stainless will be shown in matte and bright forms, nickle is close to the bright finish and e-nickle can be seen there as well.

 

Bright nickel is electrolytic nickel. Strangely, it is bright and shiny.
Electroless nickel, called Royal Coltguard by Colt, is a rather dull matte finish, although the Royal version on the Python is somewhat shinier than on other models because of the additional Python polishing before plating.
Bright stainless often gets confused with bright nickel, but in addition to being able to spot the difference by hue (nickel has a slight yellowish cast), most stainless have an S stamped in the ejector shroud, under the ejector star and under the stocks..
Some confuse Coltguard with the standard stainless, but the hue and S stamps are also clues to the difference.
You can also make a sanity check identification by what finishes were and weren't available in the year of manufacture based on serial number.
Indeed, a lot goes back to experience with the appearances with a few helpful clues.
Somebody else take a shot.
HTH

 

Bright nickel is electrolytic nickel. Strangely, it is bright and shiny.
Electroless nickel, called Royal Coltguard by Colt, is a rather dull matte finish, although the Royal version on the Python is somewhat shinier than on other models because of the additional Python polishing before plating.
Bright stainless often gets confused with bright nickel, but in addition to being able to spot the difference by hue (nickel has a slight yellowish cast), most stainless have an S stamped in the ejector shroud, under the ejector star and under the stocks..
Some confuse Coltguard with the standard stainless, but the hue and S stamps are also clues to the difference.
You can also make a sanity check identification by what finishes were and weren't available in the year of manufacture based on serial number.
Indeed, a lot goes back to experience with the appearances with a few helpful clues.
Somebody else take a shot.
HTH

That pretty much sums it up.

 

That pretty well sums it up.
One trick is to compare a bright finish to something known to be stainless, like a kitchen utensil.
Compared to stainless, bright nickel has that typical yellowish cast that nickel has, while stainless steel has a "white" color.

Colt's standard Satin Electroless Nickel AKA Coltguard has a frosty satin look but still with the yellowish cast. Colt's Royal Coltguard is slightly shinier but still has the yellow cast.

Finally, some Pythons were refinished aftermarket with one of the hard chrome finishes.
Hard chrome can range from a satin gray, to a stainless steel look, to a full mirror polish.
However, hard chrome has a "blue" cast that's look different than either Bright Nickel, Coltguard, or stainless.

Last, stainless Pythons "usually" have the "S" stamped on the locations A1A listed, while nickel guns often have an "N" on the left side of the grip frame under the grips.

Also as above, knowing your finishes is a matter of knowing WHEN the finishes were offered and being able to recognize the finish when you see it. That's simply a matter of looking at the finishes and comparing them to known finishes until you can identify them on sight.

 

Only photo I have 'handy' to illustrate the color between bright stainless and nickel. The top is bright stainless, bottom two nickel. Bottom two have that yellow or 'warmer' tone to them.

 

Only photo I have 'handy' to illustrate the color between bright stainless and nickel. The top is bright stainless, bottom two nickel. Bottom two have that yellow or 'warmer' tone to them.
thats perfect! wow everyone, thank you for the help. I have much to learn

wow, thanks everyone. very informative. Im trying to be educated about my purchase.

 

narrow it down with a magnet

 

The stainless used in handguns is considerably magnetic. That is not a useful test.

 

If you can't tell by the color/texture of the finish itself, the front sight will tell you all you need to know (provided it is original). A lot of "experts" don't know the front sight is a tell-tail identification marker for nickel/stainless Colts. The stampings (or lack there of) on the barrel, cylinder, and grip frame also aid in identification as well.

Little backround: Within a few year span in the 80's Colt transitioned from Coltgard/E-Nickel and Bright Nickel finishes across it's firearm lines and phased them out with the introduction of Stainless and Bight Stainless finishes. This was also during a time the front sight across the revolver lines was transitioning as well.

Free Lesson in Colt Collecting: Identifying/Distinguishing Bright Nickel, "Coltguard"/E-Nickel/Satin Nickel, Bright/Royal Stainless, Stainless Finishes

"Coltguard"/E-Nickel/Satin Nickel:

Appearance: Rough/matt with a yellowish-gray hue

Front Sight: Two E-Nickel Retainer Pins (Blue or Red-Insert front sight blade)

Markings: Last 3 digits of the serial number stamped on the back of the cylinder under the extractor

Stainless Finish:

Appearance: Smooth with a bluish-gray hue

Front Sight: One or Two Blued Retainer Pins (Blue, Red-Insert, or Orange-Insert front sight blade)

Markings: "S" stamped in the extractor rod recess on the barrel and on the cylinder bushing under the extractor

Bright/Royal Stainless Finish:

Appearance: Smooth with a bluish-gray hue

Front Sight: One or Two Blued Retainer Pins (Red-Insert, or Orange-Insert front sight blade) (To my knowledge the Bright Stainless finish was introduced after the red insert front sight)

Markings: "S" stamped in the extractor rod recess on the barrel and on the cylinder bushing under the extractor (As seen above on the Stainless Finish)


Bright Nickel Finish:

Appearance: Smooth with a yellowish-gray hue

Front Sight: Two Bright Nickel Retainer Pins (Nickel or blued front sight blade) (To my knowledge the Bright Nickel revolvers were never fitted with a colored insert front sight)

Markings: DEPENDING ON VINTAGE: May have an "N" stamped on the lower left side grip frame and may have the last 3 digits of the serial number stamped on the back of the cylinder under the extractor (as seen above)

 

GREAT job gunpoor!

 

Thanks Colt-SL, but to give credit where credit is due; it was my son who first noticed the front sight patterns and explained them to me. He watches the auction sights like a hawk and figured it out as a way to tell if the Colt was nickel or stainless since most never have close-up pictures showing under the extractor or stocks (and most sellers don't even know what they have).

 

OT; But the 80's Python i had in 357maqg had a bluing that looked like plastic in certain lighting it was awesome.

 

Another suggestion is to buy one of each for reference.