An interesting Colt Python

[squawberryman]

About six months ago I got home from work one day and sat at my desk and pulled up my e-mail. I get online retailer e-0mails everyday, from a few different stores. I like the Arms Unlimited ones because they sell machine guns, cool H&K stuff, and generally have more interesting stuff to look at that I can't afford to buy. On that day I pulled up the ad and scrolled down to see the price on the demo Surefire supressors. This caught my eye, a 45 year old new Python. Huh? The pictures they use are typically small and these were too but I could tell they weren't the typical Python grips. The ad stated just in from Colt. Also in the ad was a stainless 70 series 1911 that sold in less than fifteen minutes after the e-mail hit people's inboxes. The price on the Python was less than a used model on Gunbroker of the same configuration so I hesitantly bought it and hoped for the best. My FFL buddy doesn't get excited about much but called and said we had a looker. When I got there my heart raced when I saw Elite on the side of the plastic box. So, forty five year old four inch Python new in the non original box. Box numbers match the gun but the Elite thing is wrong because it doesn't say so on the barrel. Current production grips so what's up? I sent pics and money to Colt and got a letter.

Doesn't answer much. I called Morris and Dickson today and a helpful woman went to the old paper files pre computer and called me back and told me they sold it shortly there after to a place called Carter's. It was near five so on Monday I'll try o find out A)Why did a new Python go back to Colt? B) Why the non original box and grips?. Pics aren't so hot but it's a standard Python. I've had an eight inch for thirty years, a six inch for about five, and now this one. Those grips on it are from my buddy Lou, the stock stocks are sitting on the foam.

[jdoc]

Well Greg it looks like you hit a "Grand Slam" on that one. Congrats...

[buzz1761]

You do have good taste. Those are very nice stocks on the gun.

Buzz

[matt56]

Did this gun sit at the factory for 45 years and they just decided to dump it? It’s quite puzzling, new box, new grips, old gun.

[potatojudge]

That's very interesting.

I wonder if the experts on the Colt forum have any light to shed.

[squawberryman]

I'm gonna put it there in the next few days. I'm gonna call and get Carter's number and try to track it further. Too many unanswered questions for me.

[johniv]

45 years ago there was a "Carter's gun works" in Charlottesville Va. About that time the owner died. See if they can tell you if that was the shop. It might explain the return.
John

[squawberryman]

I'm waiting on a call back from the receiving dealer to try and get info on Carter's. She did tell me it shipped out shortly after they got it. I didn't have the brain at that moment to ask if Carter's still existed and if she had a phone number. What I did realize is that as a firearm in the system, there IS a trail. How willing someone is to find records that probably aren't electronic is the hurdle. And granted I have the letter but I believe it warrants a phone call to Colt to ask WHEN did you get it and why the box and grips? The first lady was awesome. Hope springs eternal.

[squawberryman]

I put it up on the Colt forum

www.coltforum.com/threads/an-interesting-new-python.379386/

[Deleted]

Very interesting acquisition. Can't help with the mystery, but she's a beauty.

[aciera]

Strange things happen.
My dad had an orchard an bought a book”Apples of New York”. A large book printed in the early 1900s. By the New York fruit testing station. A huge department for the testing and for fruit growers, a State agency. University of New York.

Bought it in the 80s.....used $75
There were other books in the series and he ended up getting them all but one. Peaches of New York

So he was in NY one time and stopped in to the Station to see if they knew where he could get one.

“We have them in stock”........

How much says my dad........original Price $5.....he bought it.

I just went and checked.....1918

These were large format and color prints with tissue on the prints.

Strange things happen.

[bogusbill]

I bought a NIB Winchester model 63 with all the hanging tags about early 1970`s. The rifle was made in the late 1950`s. Bought it from Jack First Gunshop when he was in Lancaster California before he moved to Rapid City.
I was a frequent customer and it wasn't there before. I wish I had pressed for the story how they came to the gun something close to twenty years after it was out of production! I have read similar stories of other smiths and colts that were bought new long after the "books" claim they were
made. How`s that happen?
About 1964 I was in a old western clothing store in Rosewell New Mexico and bought a Stetson hat new in the box with about a quarter inch of dust on the box from the store owner, a very old man. I bet that stetson had been sitting far back on a dusty shelf for close to thirty years or more!

[squawberryman]

It'll probably go up for sale

[squawberryman]

And this one's off to market

www.gunbroker.com/item/882585436

[squawberryman]

A guy on GB is calling me a liar on the build date. Sheez