July 30th 2016 Premier Firearms Sale (20)
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/30/2016
.357 magnum with a 6" barrel. Manufactured 1959. According to all factory research Colt did not offer nickel plating in their catalog until 1962. This revolver comes with a factory letter stating it was shipped with nickel finish to Miami, Florida on November 11, 1959 in a one gun shipment. We believe it to be the earliest nickel plated Colt Python. This finish pre-dates the introduction of this finish as an option by four years. It is standard in all other respects and features full vent rib, full lug, six shot, double action, adjustable sights, with serrated trigger, wide checkered hammer, early fully checkered walnut grips with gold medallion, brushed finished topstrap, and serrated backstrap. This gun has seen some use and has been fired. There is some wear to the nickel finish over the pony with some nickel freckling. Right side of frame has some nickel freckling in the same area. There is some minor wear to nickel at the end of muzzle. Some loss of finish on top of the hammer. Cylinder has light drag line. Bore, action, and grips are near mint. Nickel finish has worn off of the top of the backstrap. While this revolver has seen use, it has been well-cared for. Still retains 90-93% original factory nickel finish. Given that this was a special order factory nickel gun, we are unaware of a factory nickel Python dating any earlier than this model. Highly unusual for Colt to pull a single gun from production to give it a special finish, it was possibly for someone very important. This gun was shipped to National Gun Traders and was most likely a special favor for a large distributor. With the phenomenal market growth within the Snake Series, a special order and most likely the earliest known nickel plated Python will surely hold a very special place in a collection of rare Snake guns.