For the Colt Python experts, a question

[philthephlier]

Colt made a run of 38Special Pythons with 8" barrels and Python Target engraved on the left side of the barrel. I have one of the barrels on a S&W 586. The barrel has been shortened to 6". My question is if Colt changed the bore geometry in any way for this barrel from the standard .357 Mag. Python models?

[rintinglen]

I perhaps fall short of being an expert but I was still shooting PPC when those came out and I discussed the possibility and benefits of getting a barrel like yours and replacing the one on my Colt. George Mathews, a grand old gunsmith, was of the opinion that these were neither better nor worse than the regular Python Barrels and that I'd probably be better served to spend the money on practice. A year or two later my eldest was born and for the next 25 years or so, I was out of the custom gun building financial bracket.

[KCSO]

Nope they are standard twist and bore and groove, but most i have measured ran 356 instead of 357.

[OuchHot!]

I have one and as KCSO points out, the bore is standard size but strangely my throats mike .359. I love it, but it doesn't out shoot a m52. Unless I fit the boolit to the throat, it won't outshoot a m14.

[Budzilla 19]

I have one also, it's definitely not for sale, and yes it measures .356 bore. I wish they still made them,as this was one of the best revolvers made! Shoot anything you load in it, whether it was cast, jacketed, FMJ, WHATEVER, and has never failed to fire. (The pawn shop owner where I bought it,some 30+ years ago!,said"I just can't sell it, it's not a Magnum!) P.S. Haven't seen a "Smython" in a few years, looks good. Good luck to you.

[bouncer50]

I have one also, it's definitely not for sale, and yes it measures .356 bore. I wish they still made them,as this was one of the best revolvers made! Shoot anything you load in it, whether it was cast, jacketed, FMJ, WHATEVER, and has never failed to fire. (The pawn shop owner where I bought it,some 30+ years ago!,said"I just can't sell it, it's not a Magnum!) P.S. Haven't seen a "Smython" in a few years, looks good. Good luck to you. Funny i reminber seeing them in gun shops and guys would say i can not shoot 357 mags in it. Some shops were selling them a little above cost to move them. Nobody really wanted one years ago.

[philthephlier]

the cylinders in those models were 38 Spl. length and would not take the extra 1/8" long .357 cartridge.

[OuchHot!]

I recall people building "smolts" by putting a python barrel on a m14. I think that the theory was that the faster twist would help the wadcutters at 50yds. I do see some slight tipping of a wadcutter at 50yds but I don't know how well the smolt concept worked. For some reason, I don't recall testing my python .38 target at that range. Maybe I did but, too old to recall the result.

[philthephlier]

I think many Smolts/Smythons were done with standard .357 Python barrels on a Model 19. The L frame revolvers had not been released when many conversion had been done. The slightly larger L frame is a better matchup to the Python geometry IMO than to the K frame. I also have heard that a steady diest of full horse power magnum load were not friendly to either the Model 19 frame or the Colt Python frame. The L frame I believe is a stronger frame than the Python frame and can take the punishment better. I don't know if this is in fact the case but the stories are common on the issue.

[MtGun44]

Many Colt barrels were slightly choked and typically tight, like
.355 or .356 diam. I have never measured a S&W bbl that tight,
but they may exist.

[Char-Gar]

Many Colt barrels were slightly choked and typically tight, like
.355 or .356 diam. I have never measured a S&W bbl that tight,
but they may exist.

I have measured scores of handguns over the years and here is what I have found.

Colts revolvers run .354 - 355 in the barrel grooves and .359 in the cylinder throats. I found only one revolver, a 1964 Colt New Frontier (357 Mag.) that .356 in the barrel grooves.

Smith revolvers are very uniform, even over the last 100 years. They run .357 - .3575 in the barrel grooves and the same in the cylinder throats. I found one revolvers a 2" Chief Special that ran .356 in the cylinder throats.

When you go up to 44s and 45, there is allot more variance in the specs of both makes.