Revolvers and the prices they get

[SKS Ray]

Ok, I admit. I'm totally green on knowledge of revolvers. I know the basics of models available, but for the life of me can not figure out why certain models get such a high price.
I have a S&W .357 that my father is giving me that has been smithed for target shooting and will keep it for the simple reason it was his and will hopefully remain in my family for years to come. But I see some revolvers getting insane prices like Colt Pythons for example.
From what I've seen they aren't MA compliant but why? Its a revolver.

 

[EddieCoyle]

Some revolvers carry a premium for the same reason that some milsurp rifles carry a premium - supply and demand. There's a finite number of Pythons around, and they have such a good reputation that people want them.

Colt no longer makes DA revolvers, so they're going up in price. S&W no longer makes (many) pre-lock revolvers, so they go up. No more pinned and recessed revolvers, so they go up.

Certain revolvers carry a mystique: The Colt Python, the S&W Registered Magnums, and the S&W K22 Masterpiece are just a few. These will always be worth more money.

 

[vellnueve]

Pythons are not only iconic, they're all custom shop types.

 

[mark056]

Pythons are not only iconic, they're all custom shop types.

Not exactly, I agree about the iconic part and although you are correct that the Python was strictly a Custom Shop item in its later days, the majority of Pythons were fabricated right on the production line through most of the history of that illustrious revolver. In fact, I visited Colt and saw a run of Pythons being assembled back in the middle '90's. There is a caveat to this: when Colt did a run of Pythons on the line, they were almost always held to a higher standard of quality control than other Colt Revolers being manufactured. There was a time in American gunmaking when an off the line double action revolver (not even a "premium" one like the Python) from either S&W or Colt was a joy to behold, not only in terms of fit and finish but in terms of craftsmanship as well. The handwork and fitting that goes into making a revolver is intense. Nowdays such handwork is cost prohibitive, which is why we have seen the rise of the Custom Shops of the major manufacturers. Quite simply, if you want more, you have to pay more for items that you used to get as regular production items.

I acquired my first Python about 1988 or 1989 from Blue Northern. It was a fairly banged up 4 inch that had belonged to a police officer in West Boylston. I called the Custom shop and they wanted $250.00 to do a refinish and refurbish of said Python. Those were late 1980's dollars, please remember. I then called Colt Customer Service to see if there were other options. The lady I spoke to, was very helpful. She told me that they could refinish it and refurbish it on the regular production line for $150.00...that sounded like a good deal to me and I shipped the gun down to West Hartford. When the gun came back it was like new.

Mark L.

 

[vellnueve]

The Python is not only beautiful, it's a hell of a shooter. My dad has one, and compared to my beloved Model 520, there's no contest, the Python feels and shoots nicer.