What is my Colt Python worth?
The revolver everybody has heard of, and the one where original finish decides more of the value than on almost any other American handgun. A refinished Python looks better than an honest one and is worth a fraction as much.
Made 1955–2005, revived 2020.
No page can price your gun, and one that offers to is guessing. What this does is show you which one you have — because that is where the money is.
How to tell which one you have
- Establish the period from the serial number, which separates several distinct markets.
- Check whether the finish is original. Crisp edges, sharp lettering and even wear suggest it is; uniform glossy blue with softened markings suggests a refinish.
- Read the barrel length, which is a significant part of the value on this model.
- Look for the box, papers and any factory letter. On a Python these are a real fraction of the total.
The versions that change the number
| Version | What it means for value |
|---|---|
| Royal Blue | The deep original blue finish the model is known for. Original and unworn is where the money is. |
| Nickel and stainless | Different markets from the blued guns and valued separately, with stainless generally later production. |
| Short barrels | Shorter-barreled examples were made in smaller numbers than the common lengths and are priced accordingly. |
| 2020 revival | The modern production gun. A good revolver and an entirely separate market from the original run. |
What actually drives the price
- Original factory finish, ahead of everything else.
- Barrel length, with the less common lengths well ahead of the usual ones.
- Whether the action has been worked on, and whether the gun locks up tightly.
- Box, papers and original grips.
And the two that apply to every gun on this site: do not clean it, and keep the box and papers. Removing original finish is permanent, and on the right gun the packaging is a real part of the total.
"I had it re-blued so it would be worth more"
This is the most expensive mistake made with Colts and it is always made with good intentions. Refinishing removes original factory finish, and that finish is a large part of what a collector is paying for. If a Python in your family has honest wear, that wear is worth money. Do nothing to it.
How can I tell if mine has been refinished?
Look at the sharpness of the edges and the crispness of the roll marks. Polishing before a refinish rounds edges and softens lettering, and the bluing often looks too even and too glossy compared with the original. If you are not sure, do not guess and do not clean it — photograph it and let somebody who handles them look.
Getting a number for yours
Send photographs and we will tell you what we will pay for it. We buy nationwide — a single firearm ships to us prepaid and insured, and for a collection we come to you. More on what separates one Colt from another.