trickyasafox
10-22-2008, 10:14 PM
Hi all!
This will probably be long, so I apologize in advance.
I was home this past weekend and stopped by the local gunshop. They had a aesthetically molested but mechanically sound Colt OP in 38spl.
I called him to see if he would take a good bit off the sticker, and he thinks he can meet me at a manageable price.
Bluing is near non-existent on the front 2/3rds of the pistol. the lock work and timing seemed to be great, but I wondered the following:
1- assuming its not a rare gun, (I heard nearly 400,000 were produced, maybe you guys know for sure?) has anyone used DuraBake to refinish a pistol?
2- Are python grips really interchangeable? I can get cheapie python grips from CDNN for 10-20 dollars and wouldn't mind sprucing the pistol up a bit.
3-I heard that the OP is actually a fairly strong frame for a 38spl. I really have no plans for it for anything other than mild to medium 38 loads, but are there any quirks I should look out for?
4-Any general information or good links on these guns? I've had a heck of a time tracking down information on them. the one I saw was a 4in for what its worth.
5- silly question, but I'm guessing these are regulated for 158gr bullets right? I have never owned a fixed sight gun before, and was curious what best to load up for it first.
6- final question (promise!) were there any significant changes to the pistol over its course of production? If I read right they made the gun for 65 or so years- did the metallurgy change significantly? any parts not compatable with certain vintages?
thanks all!
Mike
This will probably be long, so I apologize in advance.
I was home this past weekend and stopped by the local gunshop. They had a aesthetically molested but mechanically sound Colt OP in 38spl.
I called him to see if he would take a good bit off the sticker, and he thinks he can meet me at a manageable price.
Bluing is near non-existent on the front 2/3rds of the pistol. the lock work and timing seemed to be great, but I wondered the following:
1- assuming its not a rare gun, (I heard nearly 400,000 were produced, maybe you guys know for sure?) has anyone used DuraBake to refinish a pistol?
2- Are python grips really interchangeable? I can get cheapie python grips from CDNN for 10-20 dollars and wouldn't mind sprucing the pistol up a bit.
3-I heard that the OP is actually a fairly strong frame for a 38spl. I really have no plans for it for anything other than mild to medium 38 loads, but are there any quirks I should look out for?
4-Any general information or good links on these guns? I've had a heck of a time tracking down information on them. the one I saw was a 4in for what its worth.
5- silly question, but I'm guessing these are regulated for 158gr bullets right? I have never owned a fixed sight gun before, and was curious what best to load up for it first.
6- final question (promise!) were there any significant changes to the pistol over its course of production? If I read right they made the gun for 65 or so years- did the metallurgy change significantly? any parts not compatable with certain vintages?
thanks all!
Mike