1981 Colt Python 4" Blue

[Doc41]

I was thinking of selling my Colt Python, but I have no idea how to find out what's it's worth now days. Any ideas on where to look or what this might be worth? It's in better than good condition, but there is some blue wear from holster use. Very smooth action. Thanks.

[cochise]

Doc41, if you post some pictures on the Colt forum you will get some very good estimates.

The 4" is a very desirable bbl length. An estimate based on unseen is a guess, $1000, to $1500. With original box and papers, it will bring the most $ on the high end.

[DFrame]

Cochise is spot on. With some wear showing I's suspect it would be closer to the one grand price.

[BigJimP]

holster wear will depreciate it some...but it depends on how bad it is..../ I think $1,000 is probably closer to reality.

this idea that boxes and papers makes some difference to the value - personally drives me nuts.../ ...and I know a lot of guys think it does, so I mean no disrespect to the response above...but personally, I'd tell the seller to keep the orginal box and papers and give me a discount. If I had to find a place to store all the boxes for guns I've bought over the years....I'd need another storage room - to me, original boxes and paper are just recycleable garbage !!

I could care less if I have a box .../..and if the seller has the box, I don't want it ... to me its only about the condition of the gun.

[cochise]

I agree. :-0


I bought an Ultimate like new, (BSS) Python for $1300 locally. The seller said oh by the way, for another hundred you can have the box and manual for the gun.

I was angry I said no thank you. I believe that "stuff" should go along with the sale, not an extra $100. But you can't fault people trying to squeeze the most they can.

[Sevens]

A) you can't really fault ANYONE for setting their price. You guys know where we live, you know how the game works. Walk the other way if you have a chip on your shoulder with regards to what is being offered and how it is being priced. His price is absolutely right no matter what it is, because HE owns the gun. If you think the box is worth nothing and if you are dead certain that his price is $100 too much and the box is worthless, there's only ONE way for you to fully correct the situation: pay him exactly what he asks, throw out the box yourself and then sell that revolver for $100 less to the first buyer. Then you can sleep at night.

B) much of the buying public will perceive that gun with it's original box as more desirable simply because it gives the item a "feel" that someone cared about it and/or it's gotten less use and/or it's had less owners. None of that might necessarily be true, but it still adds to the desirability of the item. This is long since been established even if you don't care to agree (which is also perfectly fine, no doubt!) and if you find a comparable gun that you'd rather have for _____ reason and it has no box, you'd do well to go whichever route is most comfortable for you. But it doesn't change the general market and the general market gets a warm fuzzy when there is a box and goodies original to the gun that comes along with it.

[BigJimP]

Its my opinion that the general market doesn't really care about the boxes...but they think they should...because its talked about so much.

If I want the gun, and the seller won't give me a discount without the box and papers....I have often left the box and papers with the seller if he wanted them ...and paid him what he wanted for the gun. If the seller didn't want to keep the box - and sell it or whatever..I take them home and throw them out ( same with shotgun boxes, etc / even the box my new Freedom Arms came in last spring... or the new wilson combat 1911 I bought a few years ago ...I just see no reason to keep them).

If I were to ever sell a gun, I wouldn't discount it because it didn't have the original box from the 60's or 70's...

But no, I don't fault anyone for setting the price on a gun as they see fit ...with or without a box...if I want the gun, I've often paid the seller what he wanted for it.

[Sevens]

If I want the gun, and the seller won't give me a discount without the box and papers....I have often left the box and papers with the seller if he wanted them ...and paid him what he wanted for the gun.

That is admirable and very interesting -- I would hazard a guess that people do something like this next to NEVER.

Its my opinion that the general market doesn't really care about the boxes...but they think they should...because its talked about so much.

I can't say I disagree with this, it might have a lot of truth to it. But it backs up my assertion that for whatever reason, the market has established that there definitely is value to these items, generally speaking.

[BigJimP]

You may be right about it not happening all the time...all I know is what I do / and what my buddies do...

I'm a shooter / collector...and I own a lot of S&W older revolvers. A couple of yrs ago ...I found a pair of model 19-1's 4" Nickel on consignment at a local shop...one was fired lightly, one was unfired in a box...asking prices were about $600 and $750 as I recall. One customer bought the fired one, and I bought the other one - and I paid his asking price because I thought it was fair - and I wanted the gun. I took it home that same day - removed side plate, inspected, lubed it ...and took it to the range and shot 4 or 5 boxes thru it. Nice gun...and I still like it very much / along with a variety of model 19's I own...

When I went to the range that day ...I had the box in my bag ...and I asked around of the guys at the range...if anyone wanted the box ( they all wanted the gun too ) ...but I gave the box away to a guy that said he could use it or sell it ....so everyone was happy.

The seller was a guy that had bought them both new ...he fired one, kept the other in a box as an investment. I was happy to let him make a buck ...and I was very happy to add another model 19 Nickel to my collection.

[Sevens]

I knew LONG ago from your posts that you'd be a fine guy to share range time with. I don't see a lot of shooters come in with gorgeous older revolvers and offer up the original boxes for them to anyone who wants it.

I'll bet you never see that happen, either. That's because it's the sort of thing that only happens to the folks on the ranges YOU show up on.

[johnbt]

The problem with Python boxes is that the market is flooded with reproductions. And end labels, manuals, hang tags, etc. Check the auction sites and see for yourself.

It's a favorite game on the Colt forum; spot the bogus for sale ad. If it says NIB, does it say new in original box or new in an original box. Or does it say in a Colt box. Some people even claim an old Python came in a blue plastic Colt box.

I'm not an expert, so I just assume they're all phony. Boxes were provided so the buyer would have a handy target to shoot at on the side of the road on the way home.

[BigJimP]

You may be right Sevens...and thanks.../ but there are a lot of really good guys out there !

Some of my buddies and I have turned in all kinds of expensive stuff to the rangemasters that gets left on the lanes at our range...a new electronic timer - at least one gun in its plastic box - mags laying on the floor - even and a new pair of electronic ear muffs I found on a counter about 2 weeks ago....

[bedbugbilly]

Doc41- getting back to your original question . . . .

I bought a blued 4" Python two years ago - no box or papers. Factory wood grips but the serial # on the grips do not match the pistol. Condition - about 98% and I say that as there is just a slight touch of blue wear on one side of the muzzle but not completely gone. The pistol didn't appear to have been shot very much at all. At the time, I paid $800 for it and I consider that I got it at a "steal" price wise. Basically, I purchased it as an investment - I've shot it some but I much prefer more "vintage" revolvers. A short time after I purchased mine, I was in a LGS and they had just had a blued 6" come in - they had a $800 tag on it - no box or papers. Like and idiot, I hesitated. I went back for it the next day and alas, it was gone. . . duh!

From the few I've been running across - a blued 4" is running around $1,000 up. I would think $1,000 for a good one with a little wear would not be unreasonable - perhaps even more than that. If I was going to sell mine, I'd be asking $1,200 and go frome there. I might be right, I might be wrong. I was shooting mine at an indoor range in Tucson a year ago and a guy was watching me. I invited him to try it and he put two cylinders full through it. He offerec me $1,000 for it knowing that I had no box or papers as he had asked. I politely declined - he upped the offer until I got it across to him that it wasn't for sale.

Check on the Colt Forum though as they'll have a better idea of the value.

[Winchester_73]

Here is some food for thought: I sold last year, in the Spring IIRC my 1969 blued 4in Python. It had a nice look, but was reblued, and someone reshaped the grips. I put in the ad it was reblued, and it was for sure (occasionally a seller calls a gun reblued because they don't know finishes or what the gun originally had). It still sold for $956 on gunbroker. Now of course, I make good ads, and I have perfect feedback, but I would expect a lil more than $100 for your gun partly due to original finish and partly due to the barrel length. It all depends on how much wear, and what kind of grips and how nice they are. Original Python grips are pretty pricey.