I’ve seen brand new revolvers with so much cylinder play that I was afraid to fire them. When the trigger is pressed, and hammer lowered-in full lockup-there is no perceptible play in the cylinder. The narrowest sliver of light is visible between the barrel and cylinder, and the cylinder has only the tiniest bit of horizontal play. Cylinder latch operation and cylinder swing-out are butter-smooth, and tolerances at lockup are satisfyingly tight. 357 Magnum that has served me dependably is a quality revolver and a good reference point.įit, finish, and attention to detail are superb on the new Python 3-inch. I don’t own an original Python to compare it to, but my Ruger GP100. Everything about this new Python suggested precision and quality. It’s simple, clean, and the perfectly mated walnut grips feel wonderful in the hand.

But my initial impression of the new Python 3-inch was that this is an exceptional production revolver. I’ve handled and tested lots of guns, and my first impressions are usually tempered. My eyes see guns as tools, but I couldn’t help feeling that I was holding something special as I turned the shiny new revolver in my hand, carefully wiping any blemishing fingerprints away before setting it safely back into its case. Still, it was hard for me to resist the spell of the snake gun when first picking up Colt’s newest Python model: the Python 3-inch. I’ve used and carried them plenty here in Alaska-and even shot a couple bears with them-but I find revolvers to be cumbersome. I’m not generally much of a revolver enthusiast. That’s exactly what I felt when I first wrapped my hand around the Python’s walnut grip. When you do encounter a gun with warmth, it’s irresistible. I don’t mean warmth produced by the combustion of smokeless powder-I mean a genuine warmth that you feel when you pick it up. I find it rare for a gun to possess intrinsic warmth, but the Colt Python 3-inch model reintroduced this year has just that. We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.

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