In 1969 Colt was pricing itself out of the revolver market due to the large amount of hand fitting needed just to assemble an old style revolver action. The Python was the finest finished double action revolver made in America and was more or less a semi-custom revolver, intended to be the best quality revolver made. The Python received Colt's famous Royal Blue finish, later bright nickel, electroless nickel known as Royal Coltguard, and stainless steel in both satin and bright polish. The Python received even more fitting and smoothing of the action by Colt's top Master fitters. A Master fitter assembled the action by stoning and even bending parts to get a working gun. These models were totally hand fitted at the factory using forged steel parts. These actions are know for the smoothness and quality of the single action trigger pull, and the very smooth double action pull that 'stacks' or gets heavier as the trigger is pulled. This is why the old Colt action is often known as a 'watchmakers gun' and why so few people are qualified to work on them today. These actions are very complex, with each part performing at least two totally different functions. When the trigger is released, it's forced back, 'rebounded' and locked so it can't move forward.Īs an extra level of safety the Colt Positive Lock is a bar of steel that is moved downward when the trigger is pulled, clearing the path of the hammer to fire the gun. One is the rebounding hammer, the second is a hammer block. The action uses a 'Vee' spring to power the entire action, and has two internal safety devices. These guns all used the same frame and action design, so they are usually just known as the Colt 'E&I' frame models. The models fitted with the firing pin on the hammer were the Colt 'E' frame, the Colt 3-5-7 Model and the Python both had the firing pin inside the frame and were the Colt 'I' frame.

The frame was identified after WWII by letter codes. The Army Special frame and action was used on all Colt medium frame revolvers up until the last Pythons were made in 2004. The Python action was originally designed in the 1890's and was finalized in the Colt Army Special of 1908. In fact, other than the name 'Colt' the Mark V and Python are totally different designs with absolutely nothing in common. The later Colt's like the Trooper Mark III, Trooper Mark V/King Cobra and the Python are major. The Trooper Mark V is the slightly improved version of the Trooper Mark III. In blue, the only difference between the Mark V and King Cobra is the shape of the barrel. The first King Cobras were made in stainless steel, blued was added a short time later. The Colt Trooper Mark V was simply fitted with a different profile barrel and sold as the King Cobra.

Colt anaconda vs python