[Majic]

I found this on the net. I'm not even going to try to explain it, but somebody been putting strange things in their pipe.
http://www.gunbroker.com/auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=10869440

[This message has been edited by Majic (edited 08-03-2003).]

[This message has been edited by Majic (edited 08-03-2003).]

 

[diamonback68]

Majic

What is it? The guy must be on bungy weed or something! Is that Police Positive or what frame I can't tell. Dick

 

[Majic]

Dick,
It looks like a OMM or a Trooper, but it could be a PP Special Target.
Some people really got nerves, and to think they are actually asking $1000!!! At one time the rage was to put Python barrels on other makes, but they were all long barrels because they were target shooters and Python had the most accurate barrel on the market.
They did tell the truth about one thing, it sho is RARE.

[This message has been edited by Majic (edited 08-04-2003).]

 

[dfariswheel]

"Check it out, it's not a Trooper with a Python Barrel"?????

That's exactly what it looks like.
I seem to remember that the Texas Dept of Public Safety once issued old Model Troopers.

So, my best guess is, some yob just HAD to have a 3" Python, and switched out the Trooper barrel with a 3" (probably one of the batch sold by Gun Parts), and THIS yob is trying to flog it on Gunbroker as something rare or unusual.

This COULD have been done better. Back in the late 60's early 70's, the Vietnam war was still on and new Colt Python's were just unavailable. So, several enterprising gunsmith's were taking still very available, recently discontinued Trooper models, and fitting Python barrels to the frame.

To do a "Troop-On", the frame was heli-arc welded up on the front of the top strap to match the barrel. A Python barrel was fitted, the action was tuned and the metal was re-blued to Python standards.

In 1969?? one of the gun mags did a story about one 'smith's process, and apparently the conversions really took off, with a fairly large number of people having it done.

There are more than a few of these out there, so before buying a "rare, early Python" check the serial numbers for proper Python serial ranges. In most cases, the weld is faintly visible on the top strap.

The only difference I see here, is the "do-er" didn't even take the time to get it right.

 

[Majic]

Dfariswheel,
Didn't they also installed Python barrels on Smiths and Rugers once? I think they called one Smythons, but I forgot what they named the Ruger.

 

[dfariswheel]

ON SECOND LOOK:
This is definitely a Colt Trooper. The serial range is too high to be a 357, and the gun is very definitely a "I" frame revolver, not a "D" frame like a Police Positive.

A look at the hammer confirms that it isn't a Officer's model, since they all had firing pins mounted on the hammer, and this one is a frame mounted pin.

So, it's a Colt Trooper that met up with Billy Bob.

Majic:
Yes, in the early days of Practical Police Competition (PPC) matches the Python was King. Some people preferred the S&W trigger, so S&W model 19 and 66 revolvers were fitted with Python barrels so they could have the trigger they liked with the benefits of the weigh, balance, and accuracy of the Python, and the Python disappeared from PPC matches.

These conversions disappeared after the PPC matches were allowed to deteriorate into a "space gun" race, with the weird match-only short cylinder, fat barreled target guns.

Since people love custom items, the Python barrel was fitted to a number of guns for non-PPC shooters who wanted something different.
The S&W was known as a "Smolt", and the Ruger became the "Cougar".

These turn up for sale from time to time.

 

[diamonback68]

Majic, dfaris

This just blows my mind to think some yahoo for the sake of money would do some of this stuff in the name of pistoldom, gunsmithing, gunbutchery, shootermania or whatever. Is there truly nothing sacred any more? Dick

 

[dfariswheel]

"Is there truly nothing sacred any more?"

In a word.....NO.

I doubt a gun seller did this. It looks like things I've seen many times over the years. Somebody JUST HAD to have a 3" Python so they picked up the barrel and put it on a used ex-police gun.

No doubt the seller got stuck with it somehow, and is now trying to move it via the usual BS.
ALWAYS buy the gun, NOT the story. I don't care if that battered up, rusted out piece of junk IS supposed to be Sgt. York's 1911, without PROOF POSITIVE, it's just a battered up, rusted out piece of junk 1911.

The real question here is, HOW was the barrel
fitted? With these type jobs the "usual" is the old garage-gunsmith hammer handle-through the frame trick that's damaged many revolvers over the years.

It's rare to see something like this done by a "real" gunsmith with proper frame and barrel tooling.

So, what the "lucky" bidder will get is a once collectible ex-DPS gun, that's been devalued with an improper barrel, and probably has a "tweaked" frame.

One of my all time favorites was a 1947 Colt Official Police 6" heavy Maltese Cross marked barrel revolver that had a 4" 357 barrel "fitted" by FILING OFF the front of the frame.

The fact that the OP didn't have an adjustable rear sight, much less a tall enough rear sight period, apparently didn't matter.

 

[Majic]

Considering there are all types that make up the world, strange pieces parts guns showing up is no surprise. But to think that they actually took the time to take pics of it, then price it at $1000!!!!! They must have a set of big ones to put that out for the public to see.

 

[JudgeColt]

I believe it was Trapper Gun that used to weld up I-frame Colts and put Python barrels on them. They actually look like Pythons and the workmanship was pretty good.

The ignorance of some sellers is amazing. I cannot believe the seller did not wonder about the gap at the front of the frame if he took the time to learn 3-inch Pythons are uncommon. However, sometimes it is an advantage to be ignorant so no one can blame you for something you should have known.

I corresponded with a fellow who had one of the Trapper "Pythons" with a 3-inch barrel (a 6-inch barrel had been cut) and it was a mess, having been very poorly reblued. The owner bought it as a "rare" 3-inch Python, but resold it with full disclosure for about what he paid, which was about $600! Why anyone would pay that for that piece of junk was beyond me, but it is those crazy people who make sellers ask crazy prices.