[bsmalley23]

i am in the process of buying this gun. it is fitted with a Bushnell Magnum Phantom 1.3x scope. i havent gotten to take a close look and see for myself, but from the research i have done based on the scope and the mount utilized by bushnell to mount on a Python, it is required that a second hole be drilled in the top of the frame. if indeed a hole was drilled in the frame to mount this scope, how much impact does that have on value?

the gun should be a 1975, s/n E98***, 6" barrel, condition is 90%+, no major scratches, nicks, bluing loss, holster wear. given that info, what would you guys consider a fair price for the gun if it did in fact have a hole drilled in the top to mount the scope?

would $1000 be too much? i'm just wondering if that would be a deal breaker.

 

[ussmanlovede36]

i am in the process of buying this gun. it is fitted with a Bushnell Magnum Phantom 1.3x scope. i havent gotten to take a close look and see for myself, but from the research i have done based on the scope and the mount utilized by bushnell to mount on a Python, it is required that a second hole be drilled in the top of the frame. if indeed a hole was drilled in the frame to mount this scope, how much impact does that have on value?

the gun should be a 1975, s/n E98***, 6" barrel, condition is 90%+, no major scratches, nicks, bluing loss, holster wear. given that info, what would you guys consider a fair price for the gun if it did in fact have a hole drilled in the top to mount the scope?

would $1000 be too much? i'm just wondering if that would be a deal breaker.

View attachment 43687

not a deal breaker but $1k seems a little high for this python. it should make a good shooter. resale value will always be affected by the top strap having that extra hole drilled in it. does it come with the rear sight? if not I would pass. unless you could get a rear sight and fill in the hole with a flat head screw, that might work.

 

[Parrisjr]

If you are looking for that type of gun ( a shooter with a scope ) then I believe that to be a fair deal. I believe you will be hard pressed to find a Python of any condition less than 1000.00...... If you want just a Python without the extras, then I would pass. JMO!

 

[eccollision]

i would buy it for 1000 with the hole and condition

 

[bsmalley23]

chances are i will end up being offered it for $900 or less. i really cant negotiate price. the widower is a close family friend, who had my brother research the prices on a bunch of guns and come up with a fair sale price. my brother didnt get that in depth on it and missed the fact of a possible drilled hole when coming up with a price. now the price list she has is very firm if she doesnt know the person, if not higher. trying to negotiate would be tough and risks offending her because they were her husbands and she is not hurting for money. so whether she sells or not doesnt matter. but if she gives me the same discount as the Diamondback i got from her, im looking at paying $850-$900 for this Python.

the condition is probably better than i stated above. these guns were well taken care. the Diamondback i have is flawless. this Python is pretty much the same condition as the Diamondback.

i really want the gun, but i want one that i can take really good care of and enjoy, all the while having the price value increase. one without a hole drilled in the top. unless the rarity of these guns outweigh a drilled hole, which is why i am asking for your opinions. im hoping the man who previously owned it new what he had and somehow made that scope work without altering the piece with drilling.

keep your opinions coming please. they will definitely help me make a decision if it indeed has been drilled. if it hasn't been drilled, there is no if, ans, or buts about it, i will be bringing it home . lets hope the latter is the case. i wont know till mid-week or so.

 

[keystonearms]

Let me know if you get it and I will send you one of the black plastic plugs like the factory supplied with the drilled and tapped King Cobras and Anacondas. It will as least fill the hole nicely.

 

[dfariswheel]

A neat option to fill a hole drilled in the frame are the dome-head filler screws Brownell's sell.
These give the hole a "finished" look lacking with a standard plug screw, and they won't screw in too far.

If you look inside the frame window you should be able to see if there is a hole in it. These holes were almost never a blind hole, they were simply drilled all the way through the top strap.

 

[bsmalley23]

Interesting. It sounds like maybe not all is lost after all then. I am going to go on Brownells now and look for those filler screws. The lady is out of town at the moment and is suppose to be contacting me when she gets back to come look at it. I got to look at once when I was there for the Diamondback but didnt pay much mind to details because I wasnt there for that piece.

Keystonearms - I will keep that offer in mind if I get, much appreciated. It sounds as if this has been done quite a bit more than I realize.

 

[bsmalley23]

I got the Python!!! They definitely live up to the hype. I thought my Diamondback was a piece of art, the Python is something else. Unfortunatley it does in fact have the strap drilled and tapped for the scope. However, the condition is better than I thought, I would say 95%, amazing condition. Scope is coming off though. I find it bulky and in the way, unless you plan on hunting. Will keep it in case I decide to take a whitetail in the future, which would not be the first for this snake. I will have the sight in the mail Monday.

Keystonearms - I will take you up on the plug offer if your serious. Let me know and I will pm you my address. I only live about 2hrs away from you. That will work until I find a dome screw like dfariswheel stated.

 

[keystonearms]

Send the address over bsmalley and I will send the plug along with a quick note on the installation procedure. They are tricky little Devils.

 

[gruesome]

I would give 1000 for that all day long, there are alot of people out here that are looking for a python ,any decent python and that would be a great one to start the python collection. Before I got my first one I would have run thru briars naked with my money held above my head hollering me me me I got the money.

 

[bsmalley23]

I would give 1000 for that all day long, there are alot of people out here that are looking for a python ,any decent python and that would be a great one to start the python collection. Before I got my first one I would have run thru briars naked with my money held above my head hollering me me me I got the money.

Hahaha. I know the feeling. That was about what I was ready to start doing. I was supposed to get it for $850 but we confused each other on the math and I ended up giving her $900 for it. Given her overall generousity and being that she is a really, really nice lady and family friend that I am willing to forget the $50 difference.

 

[dfariswheel]

Here's the dome head positive stop filler screws.
Note they come in standard gun threads and in blue or stainless.

These give a much more "finished" look to holes than the standard filler screws, and you can't screw them in too far. Since these have a positive stop, they don't need Loctite to prevent them from moving in or backing out under vibration.
On a revolver this is critical. If a filler screw turns in and isn't noticed, it can contact the cylinder and put a horrible gouge in it.

PLUG SCREW KIT | Brownells

 

[bsmalley23]

Thank you dfariswheel, I was hoping you would link me to it. I got the scope off. The threads for the rear open sight are not the same as the whole they tapped for the front screw. I compared the screws and they have different thread patterns.

Talk about pain getting that mount off cautiously. You could tell that scope didnt want to stay fixed as the front screw was hit with what looks like a bead of soldering. It was inside the mount and in no contact with the gun finish I should mention. I was like great, I can just imagine the damage from the mount metal mating against the gun finish underneath this thing once it's off. But it turned out a lot better than expected. Needless to say, that scope is never going back on there. She is so beautiful without it, even though a little naked until the sight gets here tomorrow.

Right now it is getting a Break-Free bath overnight. Then put the sight on tomorrow and hopefully off to try it out. The picture below makes the area around the hole actually look worse than it is. It's really not bad or noticeable as far as the scuffing goes. A very light buffing with some flitz should be able to clean that right up.

 

[KMKCOLT]

The gun looks nice. So what if it has a hole for a scope it saves you the trouble of having it placed on. If you ever decide to use it for a hunt then you can put the scope on to use it for the hunt. I think you got a real nice gun there good luck hope you enjoy every second of it.

 

[ibewbull]

chances are i will end up being offered it for $900 or less. i really cant negotiate price. the widower is a close family friend, who had my brother research the prices on a bunch of guns and come up with a fair sale price. my brother didnt get that in depth on it and missed the fact of a possible drilled hole when coming up with a price. now the price list she has is very firm if she doesnt know the person, if not higher. trying to negotiate would be tough and risks offending her because they were her husbands and she is not hurting for money. so whether she sells or not doesnt matter. but if she gives me the same discount as the Diamondback i got from her, im looking at paying $850-$900 for this Python.

the condition is probably better than i stated above. these guns were well taken care. the Diamondback i have is flawless. this Python is pretty much the same condition as the Diamondback.

i really want the gun, but i want one that i can take really good care of and enjoy, all the while having the price value increase. one without a hole drilled in the top. unless the rarity of these guns outweigh a drilled hole, which is why i am asking for your opinions. im hoping the man who previously owned it new what he had and somehow made that scope work without altering the piece with drilling.

keep your opinions coming please. they will definitely help me make a decision if it indeed has been drilled. if it hasn't been drilled, there is no if, ans, or buts about it, i will be bringing it home . lets hope the latter is the case. i wont know till mid-week or so.

Since you picked up the Diamondback at such a steal I would grab the other snake and run Forrest run.
It will never be worth less than the $1000 unless you leave it in the boat to rust.
If you chose to remove the scope and sell it then fill the screw hole you can use the scope cash to replace the sight.
You can not loose here. I don't even want another Python and I would buy it.

 

[bsmalley23]

So I got the midway package today and was too excited. Opened it up and discovered they sent me the wrong sight. It was packaged with the item number matching what I ordered which was this: Kensight Adjustable Rear Sight Elliason Cut Steel Black Accro-Style

This is what was inside the packaging: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/34...r-cut-steel-black-square-blade-fully-serrated

Talk about mad. I immediately called Midway and told them. The guy says ok, just fill out the return form for the same part number and send that one back and we will get another one out. I said you do know that will take two to three weeks before I get what I needed then. He said yea. I told him that was unacceptable as I ordered this part in advance so I had it when I got my gun and they needed to get me the correct sight ASAP, and I also wasn't paying the shipping. So he agreed to send me the correct one out today and when they receive the old one reimburse me the shipping cost. I said, that sounds a lot better, however, it is still going to take one week till I get it. Is there anyway to expedite it. After badgering him for awhile trying to get expedited shipping, he would not budge and said they cant send it any faster. I told him that this quite frankly ticks me off and your left with an unsatisfied customer.

Normally I don't get that worked up about things that much and the package is saying I got what I was suppose to even though what was inside was wrong, but I had this all planned and felt they should have been able to do an expedited shipping of 2 days or something. I only have about 2-3 days of decent weather and they are calling for some flurries in my neck of the woods.

 

[KMKCOLT]

That really is some bad luck. They will make it right drop them a call.

 

[bsmalley23]

Here's the dome head positive stop filler screws.
Note they come in standard gun threads and in blue or stainless.

These give a much more "finished" look to holes than the standard filler screws, and you can't screw them in too far. Since these have a positive stop, they don't need Loctite to prevent them from moving in or backing out under vibration.
On a revolver this is critical. If a filler screw turns in and isn't noticed, it can contact the cylinder and put a horrible gouge in it.
PLUG SCREW KIT | Brownells

How do I know what size to get? You have to buy a dozen at $15 a pop, and there are about 3 to 4 different sizes. Like I said the threads for the drilled hole didn't match up with the existing sight mount hole. So does that mean I will have to take the screw to Lowes and find out what the thread size is first then order based on that?

 

[okcorral1881]

View attachment 43687

bsmalley23,
I have a Python with the same scope and mount and I have the same hole on the frame...:bang_wall: